Catalog Year: 2024-2025
Africana Studies
Africana Studies is the critical, intellectual, and representational expression of the history, culture, and ideas of
people of Africa and the African Diaspora, past and present. Founded in 1969, it is an interdisciplinary and
transnational program of study that includes theoretical and methodological approaches reflective of the
experience and intellectual traditions of Black people. It also includes studies of political and social
movements, such as Négritude, Garveyism, Pan-Africanism, the Civil Rights Movement, Decolonization, Black
Consciousness, Black Identities, and Black Feminism. Zora Neale Hurston, Frantz Fanon, Walter Rodney,
C.L.R. James, W.E.B. Du Bois, Kwame Nkrumah, Patricia Hill Collins, Angela Davis, Audre Lorde, Ama Ata
Aidoo, Buchi Emecheta, Samir Amin, and Oyeronke Oyewumi are among the writers and intellectuals studied.
Through the disciplines of history, literature, psychology, sociology, anthropology, political science,
economics, religion, the cinema, and the creative arts, students examine the African world and the relationship
between Africana people and the larger world system. Students obtain a wide range of knowledge and
analytical tools as well as intellectual grounding, coherence, and integrity of the major. Each student will be
assigned a faculty advisor, and be required to take the introductory course and attend a colloquium titled:
"Africana Colloquium: The Common Intellectual Experience," offered each semester.
As an intellectual expression of Africana peoples, Africana Studies is designed to acquaint students with a
critical perspective on the Africana world that is found primarily in Africa, the United States, the Caribbean/Latin
America, but also among peoples of African descent in Asia and Europe. Grounded in the history, culture, and
philosophy of Africana peoples, Africana Studies promotes knowledge of the contributions of Africana people
to the world, develops a critical perspective to examine the Africana experience, and cultivates a respect for
the multiracial and multicultural character of our common world humanity. Although Africana Studies
emphasizes an interdisciplinary and multicultural approach to scholarship and learning, it also seeks to ground
its students in a specific discipline and an understanding of the breadth of the Africana experience. As a result,
the Africana Studies Department expects its students to develop a critical and analytic apparatus to examine
knowledge, seeks to contribute to a student's self-awareness, and attempts to broaden her perspective in
ways that allow her to understand the world in its diversity and complexity.
Africana Studies Major
Goals for the Africana Studies Major
To understand the concepts, theories, knowledge, research methodologies, and skills in Africana
Studies from a multidisciplinary perspective, through a series of required, core, elective, and
experiential courses and mandatory colloquia
To develop the ability to understand and communicate specialized and general knowledge in the field
of Africana Studies that includes Africa and the African Diaspora in the United States, the Caribbean,
Latin America, Europe, and Asia
To obtain a representational and wide-ranging multidisciplinary education and an ability to apply
knowledge to critical thinking that is creative, persuasive, and linked to problem solving
To develop skills and abilities necessary to conduct high-quality library and field research; to apply
methodological tools and use modern technology to discover information and to interpret data
To synthesize and develop knowledge of Africana world issues through the “Africana Colloquium: The
Common Intellectual Experience”
To achieve an understanding of the discourses of the African Diaspora through a variety of disciplines
To develop skills that are essential for a range of careers and leadership roles in an increasingly global
and diverse world
Requirements for the Africana Studies Major
A major in Africana studies requires nine units. AFR 105, Introduction to the Black Experience, is required, and
it is strongly recommended that majors and minors take AFR 105 before undertaking specialized courses of
study. This course provides an overview of the discipline of Africana studies, including its philosophical and
historical foundations, and introduces students to its major fields of inquiry. AFR 105 is still required but an
alternative, AFR 209 or AFR 210 will be allowed for juniors and seniors who declare their majors late and who
may not have been able to take AFR 105 earlier. Of the eight additional units required for an Africana studies
major, at least two must be at the 300-level. Ordinarily, no more than three courses may be taken outside the
department. A student who majors in Africana Studies must also attend the “Africana Studies Colloquium: the
Common Experience” that is offered each semester.
A student majoring in Africana studies will choose one of four possible tracks or concentrations: Africa, the
Caribbean and Latin America, the United States, or a General Africana Studies track. All of the four
concentrations encompass the interdisciplinary approach of the department, while allowing students to focus
on a particular area and gain expertise in one discipline. The first three courses of study focus on geographic
areas; the fourth, designed in consultation with the student’s advisor, allows the student to create a
concentration on a particular salient aspect (e.g., Africana women or Africana arts) or issue (e.g., comparative
race relations) in the Africana world.
For all concentrations, students are encouraged to gain first-hand experiential insights in the Africana world.
Students in the Africa and the Caribbean and Latin America tracks are encouraged to consider the
Wintersession courses in Trinidad and Africa offered by the department and Wintersession courses on Latin
America offered by other departments. They are also strongly encouraged to consider study abroad programs
in these geographic areas. Those focusing on the United States should consider studying away at an
historically Black college and/or participating in a relevant U.S. internship.
Honors in Africana Studies
The only route to honors in the major is writing a thesis and passing an oral examination. To be admitted to the
thesis program, a student must have a grade point average of at least 3.5 in all work in the major field above
the 100 level. The department may petition on her behalf if her GPA in the major is between 3.3 and 3.5. See
Academic Distinctions.
The Africana Studies Colloquium
The Common Africana Studies Experience is designed to offer an opportunity for students and faculty to
reflect, review and study the history, philosophical underpinning of Africana Studies. It also discusses the
theoretical and methodological foundations, directions and major tenets of Africana Studies. The colloquium is
offered every semester, and attendance of majors and minors is mandatory.
Courses for Credit in the Major
General Africana Studies
This concentration allows students to design a more thematic and eclectic focus in Africana studies or an
approach that cuts across boundaries of geography and discipline (e.g. Africana women’s studies) or a
discipline-focused course of study that is cross-cultural (e.g. Africana arts) or a thematic focus (e.g. Africana
urban studies). Students must have their programs of study approved by their advisors. This program should
demonstrate the same geographic and disciplinary breadth as the previous three (i.e. at least two geographic
regions must be represented in the courses chosen; and at least one history course, one humanities, and one
social science are required). Of the courses elected, at least three must be in one discipline.
Africa
This program of study is designed to provide students with an interdisciplinary and integrated understanding
of the peoples of the African continent, from its ancient foundation through its current geopolitical situation.
However, to ensure students’ breadth of knowledge of the Africana world, two courses that focus on a
geographic area other than Africa are required. Six courses that focus on Africa are the foundation of this
concentration: one course must be in history; one must be in a social science (economics, political science,
sociology, anthropology, or psychology); one must be chosen from the humanities (literature, language, art,
music, philosophy, and religion); and two should be chosen from a specific discipline. The following courses
are appropriate for the Africa concentration:
History: AFR 105, AFR 238, AFR 239, AFR 340, HIST 265
Social Sciences: AFR 204, AFR 213, AFR 215, AFR 221/POL2 270, AFR 235, AFR 236/POL2 231, AFR 245, AFR
255, AFR 280, AFR 297, AFR 301, AFR 306, AFR 318, AFR 341
Humanities: AFR 202/PHIL 202, AFR 207, AFR 211, AFR 222, AFR 251, AFR 316, FREN 218, FREN 330, MUS
209
AFR 105
Introduction to the Black Experience
1.0
AFR 202
Humanitarianism in Black Countries
1.0
AFR 207
Images of Africana People Through the Cinema
1.0
AFR 211
Introduction to African Literature
1.0
AFR 213
Race Relations and Racial Inequality
1.0
AFR 215
Unpacking Blackness
1.0
AFR 221 / POL2 270
The Politics of Race and Racism in Europe
1.0
AFR 235
Societies and Cultures of Africa
1.0
AFR 236 / POL2 203
Introduction to African Politics
1.0
AFR 239
Seminar: African Civilizations to 1700s
1.0
AFR 255
The Black Woman Cross-Culturally: Gender Dynamics in
the Africana World
1.0
AFR 292 / ARTH 292
African Art & the Diaspora
1.0
AFR 297
Medical Anthropology: A Comparative Study of Healing
Systems
1.0
AFR 301
Seminar: South Africa
1.0
AFR 306
Urban Development and the Underclass: Comparative
Case Studies
1.0
AFR 316 / ARTH 316
Seminar: Race & Gender in Contemporary Art
1.0
AFR 318
Seminar: African Women, Social Transformation, and
Empowerment
1.0
AFR 341
Africans of the Diaspora
1.0
FREN 330
French, Francophone and Postcolonial Studies
1.0
HIST 265
History of Modern Africa
1.0
MUS 209
A History of Jazz
1.0
The United States
As with the other concentrations, students who choose the United States should approach their study of
African America through many disciplines. The concentration requires five courses focusing on the United
States: one in history, one in the humanities, one in social science, and two in the discipline in which the
student chooses to concentrate. To ensure students’ breadth of knowledge of the Africana world, however, this
track also requires two courses focused on one or more geographic areas other than the United States. The
following courses are appropriate for the United States concentration:
History: AFR 105, AFR 208, AFR 209, AFR 210, AFR 239, AFR 303, AFR 340, AFR 345, AFR 380, AFR 390
Social Sciences: AFR 213, AFR 215, AFR 217, AFR 225, AFR 255, AFR 237, AFR 306, AMST 152, AMST 215,
AMST 315, POL1 337
Humanities: AFR 201, AFR 212, AFR 222, AFR 243, MUS 209, MUS 300
AFR 105
Introduction to the Black Experience
1.0
AFR 209
African American History -1500 to the Civil War
1.0
AFR 210
African American History from Reconstruction to the
Present
1.0
AFR 212 / ENG 279
Black Women Writers
1.0
AFR 213
Race Relations and Racial Inequality
1.0
AFR 215
Unpacking Blackness
1.0
AFR 217
The Black Family
1.0
AFR 220
Black Studies at Wellesley and Beyond
1.0
AFR 222
Blacks and Women in American Cinema
1.0
AFR 243 / PEAC 243
The Black Church
1.0
AFR 255
The Black Woman Cross-Culturally: Gender Dynamics in
the Africana World
1.0
AFR 303
Seminar: Understanding American Slavery Through Film
1.0
AFR 306
Urban Development and the Underclass: Comparative
Case Studies
1.0
AFR 345
Enslaved Women in the Transatlantic World
1.0
AFR 390
Seminar: No Moral High Ground, A History of Slavery and
Racism in the North
1.0
AMST 152
Race, Ethnicity, and Politics in America
1.0
AMST 315
Beats, Rhymes, and Life: Hip-Hop Studies
1.0
MUS 209
A History of Jazz
1.0
The Caribbean and Latin America
This program of study also provides students with an interdisciplinary knowledge of a particular geographic
area: the Caribbean—its history, peoples, culture, and significance in the world system. As with the other
concentrations, students focusing on the Caribbean are expected also to acquire some breadth of knowledge
about the Africana world; thus, two courses focused on other areas are required. Of the five courses on the
Caribbean, one must be a humanities course; one must be a social science; one must be a history course;
and two must be chosen from one discipline. (See the African track for the specific disciplines considered
“humanities” and “social sciences.”) The following courses are appropriate for the Caribbean and Latin
America Track concentration:
History: AFR 216, AFR 299, AFR 340, HIST 215, HIST 377
Social Sciences: AFR 105, AFR 213, AFR 215, AFR 245, AFR 255, AFR 299, AFR 300, AFR 306
Humanities: AFR 207, AFR 234, AFR 310, FREN 218, FREN 330, SPAN 269
AFR 105
Introduction to the Black Experience
1.0
AFR 205 / EDUC 205
Black Pedagogies in the Americas
1.0
AFR 207
Images of Africana People Through the Cinema
1.0
AFR 213
Race Relations and Racial Inequality
1.0
AFR 215
Unpacking Blackness
1.0
AFR 234
Introduction to West Indian Literature
1.0
AFR 255
The Black Woman Cross-Culturally: Gender Dynamics in
the Africana World
1.0
AFR 306
Urban Development and the Underclass: Comparative
Case Studies
1.0
AFR 310
Seminar: Reading Du Bois
1.0
AFR 380
Violence in the Black Atlantic World
1.0
FREN 330
French, Francophone and Postcolonial Studies
1.0
SPAN 269
Caribbean Literature and Culture
1.0
Africana Studies Minor
Requirements for the Africana Studies Minor
A minor in Africana Studies will consist of five units, including one 300-level course. A student who minors in
Africana Studies is strongly encouraged to take AFR 105 and one of the following: AFR 209 or AFR 210, and
must attend the "Africana Studies Colloquium: The Common Experience" that is offered each semester. Minors
are strongly encouraged to take courses in at least two geographic areas (e.g., the United States and the
Caribbean) and in two or more disciplines. Minors are also encouraged to attend departmentally sponsored
extracurricular lectures, especially those (required of majors) that focus on methodology.
AFR Courses
Course ID: AFR105 Title: Introduction to the Black Experience
This course serves as the introductory offering in Africana Studies. It explores, in an interdisciplinary fashion,
salient aspects of the Black experience, both ancient and modern, and at the local, national and international
levels. This course provides an overview of many related themes, including slavery, Africanisms, gender,
colonialism, civil rights, and pan-African exchange.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Carter-Jackson; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; HS - Historical Studies; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: AFR201/ENG260 Title: The African American Literary Tradition
A survey of the Afro-American experience as depicted in literature from the eighteenth century through the
present. Study of various forms of literary expression including the short story, autobiography, literary criticism,
poetry, drama, and essays as they have been used as vehicles of expression for Black writers during and since
the slave experience.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Instructor: Cudjoe; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AFR202 Title: Critical Perspectives of Humanitarianism in Black Countries
This course examines arguments, claims, and evidence used to justify intervention or non-intervention in key
humanitarian crises that have affected Black countries, such as the 1994 Rwandan conflict, 2014 Ebola
Outbreak, or the 2010 Earthquake in Haiti. This also questions the role of international organizations that
routinely work in such countries and their impacts in local communities. Students interested in global affairs
and international relations may be interested in this course, no pre-requisites are needed.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Franklin; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social
and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: AFR205/EDUC205 Title: Black Pedagogies in the Americas
Rooted in Afro-centric principles, the course explores the foundations of Black Pedagogies and examines the
ingenious ways enslaved Africans and their progeny tapped into their sacred cosmologies, wisdom and
memories, and devised emancipatory strategies of learning and passing on information during the period of
enslavement and its aftermath. Through the enactment of violent slave codes and anti-literacy legislation,
enslaved Africans were prohibited to read and/or write in the language of the enslaver-colonizer. Moreover,
they were not allowed to freely access or openly express an education that reflected their dynamic history or
heritage, which was later enforced by discriminatory Jim Crow and colonial laws. In this way, the course
dismantles the intended-ills and history of Western Eurocentric curricula, religious instruction, and media. It
unearths and underscores Black pedagogical tools, intellectualism, institutions, and creative expressions as
redemptive, remedial, and inclusive pathways for diversifying and humanizing the education curriculum. We
will peruse the wide breadth of languages and cultural modes of knowledge production and transmission that
emerged during the harrowing passages of the trans-Atlantic trade of captured Africans and their subsequent
enslavement and oppression in the Americas. Central themes and areas of study include: the praxis of love,
sacred science, oral and literary traditions, memory, storytelling, nature and communal engagement,
community, quilt-making, food-ways, dress, art and artifacts, religion, ritual, trauma, resilience, black talk/black
text, interjections, body language/gesticulations, theatre, music, dance, genealogy, ancestral reverence,
graveyards, schools, and other sites of knowledge creation, expression, and preservation. The course will be
aided by a wealth of lively and interactive lectures, discussions, documentaries, literature, works of art, oral
tradition and first-hand testimonies.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Fitzpatrick; Distribution Requirements: EC Epistemology and Cognition; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Spring;
Course ID: AFR206 Title: African American History -1500 to Present
An introductory survey of the political, social, economic, and cultural development of African Americans from
their African origins to the present. This course examines the foundations of the discipline of African American
history, slavery, Africans in colonial America, migration, Reconstruction, and Harlem Renaissance artistry and
scholarship.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Jackson; Distribution Requirements: HS Historical Studies; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AFR209 Title: African American History: From the Slave Trade to the Civil War
This course is a survey of the first half of African American History and Culture and traces the historical,
political, social, and cultural contexts of black Americans from the slave trade to the American Civil War.
Thematically, we explore the meaning of freedom, the dynamic between black struggle and white resistance,
and the ways in which factors such as gender and geography complicate any notions of a single black
experience. Each week we will focus on different events, writings, narratives, debates, and political ideologies.
This course combines discussion, lecture, and multimedia. It presents a narrative, interpretation, and analysis
of African American history.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Carter-Jackson; Distribution Requirements: HS Historical Studies; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AFR210 Title: African American History: From Reconstruction to the Present
This course is a survey of the second half of African American History and Culture and traces the historical,
political, social, and cultural experiences of black Americans from Reconstruction to the modern freedom
movement for Black Lives. This course will focus upon a number of specific movements in the history of black
Americans. Thematically, we explore the meaning of freedom, the dynamic between black struggle and white
resistance, and the ways in which factors such as gender and geography complicate any notions of a single
black experience.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Carter-Jackson; Distribution Requirements: HS Historical Studies; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AFR211 Title: Introduction to African Literature
The development of African literature in English and in translation. Although special attention will be paid to the
novels of Chinua Achebe, writers such as Ngugi wa Thiong'o, Camara Laye, Wole Soynika, Miriama Ba, Nawal
El Saadawi, and Buchi Emecheta will also be considered. The influence of oral tradition on these writers' styles
as well as the thematic links between them and writers of the Black awakening in America and the West Indies
will be discussed.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language
and Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AFR212/ENG279 Title: Black Women Writers
The Black woman writer's efforts to shape images of herself as Black, as women, and as an artist. The problem
of literary authority for the Black woman writer, criteria for a Black woman's literary tradition, and the relation of
Black feminism or "womanism" to the articulation of a distinctively Black and female literary aesthetic.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Cudjoe; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AFR215 Title: Unpacking Blackness, Ethnicity and Identity in the African Diaspora
This course is designed to examine the meaning of race and ethnicity and the determinants and fluidity of
membership in a particular racial or ethnic group. We will also explore different ways to measure ethnic and
racial identification and how ethnicity affects attitudes, economic development, social mobilization and
migration. We will seek to assess to what extent ethnic and racial identities shape trust and prejudice, and
examine the impact of ethnic diversity on development and the provision of public goods. Analyses will be
made of ethnic and racial electoral politics and the varying extent and impact of ethnic voting patterns in
relation to democratic governance and ethnic conflict.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Dendere; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: AFR218 Title: Val Gray Ward: The Power of Black Arts, Theatre, and Movement
Through a critical and exhilarating exploration of the life and legacy of dramatist-historian, producer-director,
and activist, Val Gray Ward, this course underscores the emancipatory, political, and pedagogical power of
Black Arts and Black Life. Known as “The Voice of the Black Writer” and founder of Chicago’s pioneering
Kuumba Theatre, Val Gray Ward was born and reared in Mound Bayou, Mississippi, one of the oldest all-Black
towns in the U.S. before she migrated to the city of Chicago in the early 1950s. Inspired by her assertion,
“Black Art is Black Life,” the course is immersive in nature and will be facilitated by an enriching combination of
audio/visual materials such as interactive lectures, discussions, first-person testimonies, interviews, music,
poetry, plays, photos, quotes, books, articles, documentaries, library research, and "The HistoryMakers Digital
Archive." Further, we will study “Kuumba Theatre’s 12 Principles” and Val Gray Ward’s autobiographical quilt
titled "Peace The Way Home" to learn about notable people and moments through her family ties and
friendships with Gwendolyn Brooks, Mari Evans, James Baldwin, C.L.R. James, John Henrik Clarke, Sonia
Sanchez, Nikki Giovanni, Elma Lewis, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Betty Shabazz, John O. Killens, Walter Rodney,
Sammy Davis Jr., Lerone Bennett Jr., Abdias do Nascimento, Margaret Burroughs, and Useni Perkins to name
a few along with her travels to Africa for the Sixth Pan-African Congress (6PAC) and FESTAC ‘77, Japan, the
Caribbean, and other parts of the world. Additionally, we will listen to her tribute CD, "rhapsody in hughes 101,"
and view the docutainment film "Precious Memories: Strolling 47th Street." Central themes of the course
include Blackness, Black consciousness and cosmology, identity, family, community, the arts, language, oral
tradition, orality/literacy, Black talk/Black text, ritual theatre, womanism, activism, Civil Rights, Black Power,
Black Arts Movement (BAM), FESTAC ‘77, Pan-Africanism, and freedom.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Fitzpatrick; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Fall;
Course ID: AFR220 Title: Black Studies at Wellesley and Beyond
This foundation and team-taught course surveys the history, importance, and core tenets of Black Studies, and
its emergence and evolution at Wellesley College. Facilitated by stimulating lectures, discussions, readings,
archival research, oral historical testimonies, and invaluable interactions with living alums, faculty, and staff, we
explore (1) the dynamic lives and legacies of members of the Black community at the College; (2) the
pioneering architects and pillars of the Black Studies department; and (3) the establishment of Black
intellectual and cultural organizations, and communal spaces founded by students, faculty, and staff on
campus. Students will also learn from the interdisciplinary expertise and experiences of the current Africana
Studies faculty in Black studies, literature, history, political science, psychology, cosmology, ontology, religion,
and culture. Central themes include Black pedagogy and intellectualism, cultural identity and expression, selfdefinition and -determination, community consciousness, activism, systemic discrimination, civil rights, political
and social movements, Black Power to Black Lives Matter, wellness, and wholeness.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Fitzpatrick; Distribution Requirements: EC Epistemology and Cognition; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Not Offered;
Course ID: AFR221/POL2270 Title: The Politics of Race and Racism in Europe
The façade of European culture expresses enlightenment, progressive politics, and a sense of freedom
amongst scenic beauty. However, did you know that a review of the 2017-2019 mortality cases showed that
Black women are four times more likely than White women to die during pregnancy or childbirth in the U.K?
This is despite the country’s well known universal healthcare services, The NHS. Or, did you know that it is
illegal in France to collect statistics on racial, ethnic, or religious demographics, thus making it harder to track
problems such as housing or employment discrimination? Or that for the first time in Ireland and Finland, hate
crimes are rising, and yet, these countries do not have any legislations on hate crimes. This course examines
the implications of ethnic and racial identities in Western Europe through a comparative politics lens. It is
designed to learn the history, dynamics, and salience of ethnic and racial inequality and political cleavage. It
would appeal to students in Africana studies, humanities, and social sciences. No prerequisites are required.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 27; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Franklin; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social
and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AFR225/PSYC225 Title: Introduction to Black Psychology
This course is designed to provide an overview of Black psychology as a field of study. Both conceptual
frameworks and empirical research related to the psychology of individuals of African descent will be
presented, with appropriate historical and sociopolitical context. Topics include the Black child, Black youth,
achievement and schooling, kinship and family, identity development and socialization, gender norms and
behaviors, sexuality, religion and spirituality, wellness, and mental health. The course will also look at the
psychology of Black people through the lenses of gender, ethnicity/nationality/culture, and religion.
Additionally, this course will explore the legacies of enslavement, racism, discrimination, and racial violence as
factors in Black psychology, as well as the role of the Black social movement in the psychology of Black
people. The course will incorporate current topics and controversies related to Black psychology, as well as
recent advances in the field of Black psychology.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AFR227/EDUC227 Title: Black Girlhood Studies
This course is designed to examine interdisciplinary theories, methods, and analytical approaches to define
and study of Black girlhood. We will explore Black girlhood as a developmental period, a public and private
performance, and a source of identity and agency. Students will discuss the duality of Black girlhood, risk
versus resilience, to understand how Black girlhood is enacted and evaluated in families, schools,
communities, mass media, and the larger society. The cultural, social, psychological, and political
constructions of Black girlhood in the U.S. context will be interrogated by analyzing academic texts, film,
media, poetry, novels, art, and music focused on Black girls.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Lindsay-Dennis; Distribution Requirements: SBA
- Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AFR236/POL2231 Title: Introduction to African Politics
This course offers an introduction to contemporary African politics. The primary goal is to introduce students to
the diversity of challenges and development issues facing African countries since independence. Questions
motivating the course include: (1) Why state institutions weaker in African than in other developing regions? (2)
What explains Africa's slow economic growth? (3) What can be done to improve political accountability on the
continent? (4) Why have some African countries been plagued by high levels of political violence while others
have not?
In answering these questions, we will examine Africa’s historical experiences, its economic heritage, and the
international context in which it is embedded. At the same time, we will explore how Africans have responded
to unique circ*mstances to shape their own political and economic situations.
As we address the core themes of the course, we will draw on a wide range of academic disciplines, including
political science, history, economics and anthropology. We will study particular events in particular African
countries, but we will also examine broad patterns across countries and use social science concepts and
methods to try to explain them.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Dendere; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: AFR239 Title: Seminar: African Civilizations to 1700s
This course explores the historical landscape of Ancient Africa, with specific emphasis on its founding
civilizations, politics, trade & commerce, culture and cosmologies. It serves to dispel the myth that the African
continent was ahistorical, “dark” and primitive before European invasion in the 1400s. Through an
interdisciplinary approach, the course encourages students to critically engage Africa from an Afro-centric
perspective by examining its ancient kingdoms such as Egypt, Ghana, Mali, Songhay and Great Zimbabwe. It
is anticipated that by studying these early civilizations and cultural formations, students will see Africa’s
contribution and engagement in the global exchange of ideas and goods. Major themes include the political,
economic and social impacts of European imperialism; the Atlantic Slave Trade; ‘Legitimate Trade’ and
prelude to colonialism.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Fitzpatrick; Distribution Requirements: HS Historical Studies; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: AFR242/REL214 Title: New World Afro-Atlantic Religions
With readings, documentary films, discussions, and lectures, this course will examine the complex spiritual
beliefs and expressions of peoples of African descent in Brazil, Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, and North America. The
course surveys African diasporic religions such as Candomble, Santeria, Voodoo, Shango, and African
American religions. Attention will be paid to how diasporic Africans practice religion for self-definition,
community building, and sociocultural critique, and for reshaping the religious and cultural landscapes of the
Americas.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Fitzpatrick; Distribution Requirements: REP Religion, Ethics, and Moral Philosophy; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Fall;
Course ID: AFR243/PEAC243 Title: The Black Church
This course examines the development of the Black Church and the complexities of black religious life in the
United States. Using an interdisciplinary approach, this course explores the religious life of African Americans
from twin perspectives: 1) historical, theological dimensions, and 2) the cultural expression, particularly music
and art. Special emphasis will be placed on gospel music, Womanist and Black Liberation theologies as forms
of political action and responses to interpretations of race in the context of American religious pluralism.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Fitzpatrick; Distribution Requirements: REP Religion, Ethics, and Moral Philosophy; ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AFR245/POL3245 Title: The Impact of Globalization on Africa and the Caribbean
This course is designed to offer an inside look into the processes of globalization in Sub Saharan Africa and
the Caribbean. This course will focus on the ways that international forces, the political economy and new
technologies are affecting citizens and countries on the continent, as well as the way that African and
Caribbean countries and actors are influencing the rest of the world. We will explore a diverse set of topics
including changing political landscapes, digital & technological change and development, immigration, art
and culture, foreign aid, and China’s role in Africa and the Caribbean. The course will attempt to highlight the
new opportunities for citizens as well as the challenges that remain for African and Caribbean countries in the
globalized world.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Dendere; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social
and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Notes: Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking Intensive Course.;
Course ID: AFR249 Title: From Mumbet to Michelle Obama: Black Women's History
This course focuses on African American Women's history in the United States with certain aspects of black
women's activism and leadership covered within the African Diaspora. The course is intended explore the ways
in which these women engaged in local, national, and international freedom struggles while simultaneously
defining their identities as wives, mothers, leaders, citizens, and workers. The course will pay special attention
to the diversity of black women’s experiences and to the dominant images of black women in America from
Mumbet (the first enslaved black woman to sue for her freedom and win) to contemporary issues of race, sex,
and class in the Age of Obama. We will explore such questions as: What is black Women’s History? How does
black women’s history add to our understanding of American history? Where should black women’s history go
from here?
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Carter-Jackson; Distribution Requirements: HS Historical Studies; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: AFR250 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: AFR256/CPLT256/PORT256 Title: Cultures of the Portuguese-Speaking World through Film, Music
and Fiction (In English)
This course is conducted in English and will introduce students to the cultures of the Portuguese-speaking
world through selected films, music and readings. In this interdisciplinary course, we will explore how
filmmakers, musicians and writers respond to social and political changes in Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde,
Mozambique and Portugal. Topics covered include colonialism; postcolonialism; wars of independence in
Africa; Brazil’s military dictatorship; Portugal´s New State dictatorship; evolving national identities; and
representations of trauma and memory. Readings are in English and films have subtitles.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 14; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Igrejas; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: AFR264/ARTH264 Title: African Art: Powers, Passages, Performances
As an introduction to the arts and architecture of Africa, this course explores the meaning and the contexts of
production within a variety of religious and political systems found throughout the continent, from Ethiopia, the
Democratic Republic of Congo, and Mali, to name a few. We will consider important topics such as the ancient
art outside the Nile Valley sphere, symbols of the power of royalty, and the aesthetic and spiritual differences in
masquerade traditions. We will pay special attention to traditional visual representations in relation to
contemporary African artists and art institutions.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Greene; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual
Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: AFR265/ENG265 Title: African American Autobiographies
This course traces the life stories of prominent African Americans, which, in their telling, have led to dramatic
changes in the lives of African American people. Some were slaves; some were investigative journalists; some
were novelists; and one is the president of the United States. We will examine the complex relationship
between the community and the individual, the personal and the political and how these elements interact to
form a unique African American person. The course also draws on related video presentations to dramatize
these life stories. Authors include Linda Brent, Frederick Douglass, Ida B. Wells, Richard Wright, Maya
Angelou, Malcolm X, and Barack Obama.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Cudjoe; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Not Offered;
Course ID: AFR271/CAMS271 Title: Understanding American Slavery Through Film
This course will examine the history of cinema through the lens of American slavery. Outside of the classroom
much of what we know, or think about slavery derives often from popular media-particularly through film and
television. Can Hollywood do the work of historians? Does historical interpretation through film serve as useful,
beneficial, or detrimental? Can we make an argument for the historical efficacy of films? What is the difference
between historical accuracy and historical authenticity? In examining these films, we will take into account the
time period, location, and the political and social context in which they were created. We will see how much
film tells us about slavery and, most importantly, what film might tell us about ourselves. Through a critical
reading of a range of historical works, cultural critiques and primary sources, students will have a better
comprehension of how historians and filmmakers both differ or find mutual agreement in their understanding of
the past.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Jackson; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual
Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not
Offered;
Course ID: AFR292/ARTH292 Title: African Art and the Diaspora: From Ancient Concepts to Postmodern
Identities
We will investigate the transmission and transformation of African art and culture and their ongoing significant
impact on the continent, in Europe, and in the Americas. This course explores the arts of primarily western and
central Africa, including the communities of the Bakongo, Yoruba, and Mande, among many others. The
influences of early European contact, the Middle Passage, colonialism, and postcolonialism have affected art
production and modes of representation in Africa and the African Diaspora for centuries. Documentary and
commercial films will assist in framing these representations. The study of contemporary art and artists
throughout the African Diaspora will allow for a particularly intriguing examination of postmodern constructions
of African identity.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. ARTH 100 recommended.; Instructor: Greene; Distribution
Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AFR295/ENG295 Title: The Harlem Renaissance
This is an exploration of the Harlem Renaissance, a movement of African American literature and culture of the
early twentieth century, which encompassed all major art forms, including poetry, fiction, and drama, as well as
music, the visual arts, cabaret, and political commentary. This movement corresponds with the publication of
The New Negro anthology (1925). Literary authors we will study may include Langston Hughes, Jean Toomer,
Nella Larsen, Zora Neale Hurston, Wallace Thurman, and Richard Bruce Nugent. We will also enter into
contemporary debates about “the color line” in this period of American history, reading some earlier work by
W.E.B. Du Bois, Booker T. Washington, or James Weldon Johnson, in the context of early Jim Crow, the Great
Migration, the Jazz Age, and transatlantic Modernism. Fulfills the Diversity of Literatures in English requirement
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: González; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; HS - Historical Studies; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AFR299 Title: Seminar: Caribbean Cultural Expressions and the Diaspora
This course exposes students to the dynamic forms of Caribbean cultural expressions and the demographic
diversity of its peoples. Through a multidisciplinary lens, students shall explore major themes including
identity, migration, language, religious expression, cultural expression including festivals, music and cuisine,
the role of women, and Caribbean traditions of intellectualism. We will engage in critical examination of the
history of slavery, colonialism and emancipation, as well as regional movements toward independence and
unification and the contribution of the region to global development.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Fitzpatrick; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not
Offered;
Course ID: AFR302 Title: Caribbean Intellectual Thought in the Twentieth Century
During the twentieth century the Anglophone Caribbean produced a rich body of ideas that had an enormous
impact upon the colonial and postcolonial worlds. These ideas cover fields such as history, politics,
economics, and culture. This course traces the development of these ideas, examines their applicability to the
specific circ*mstances in the Caribbean, and analyzes how they resonated in the larger world of ideas. We will
look at the works of writers and thinkers that could include: A.R.F. Webber, Marcus Garvey, Arthur Lewis, Eric
Williams, C.L.R James, Amy Ashwood Garvey, Jamaica Kincaid, Patricia Mohammed, Erna Brodber, Cheddi
Jagan, Walter Rodney, Maurice Bishop, and Michael Manley.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: One 200-level course of relevance to Africana Studies or
permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Cudjoe; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature;
Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AFR303 Title: Seminar: Understanding American Slavery Through Film
This course will examine the history of black cinema through the lens of American slavery. The institution of
slavery has had a profound impact on the United States and Atlantic World. Yet, it has not always been the
easiest topic for public discussion. Outside of the classroom much of what we know, or think about American
slavery derives often from popular media—particularly through film and television. Classics like Gone with the
Wind, the television miniseries Roots, and even lesser known films such as Langston Hughes’ (screenwriter)
Way Down South have done much to shape our perspective regarding how we remember and understand the
slave system, the enslaved, its participants and politics. This course poses the following question: Can
Hollywood do the work of historians?
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: AFR 105 or AFR 206. Not open to students who have taken AFR
271.; Instructor: Carter-Jackson; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: AFR304/POL3302 Title: Seminar: The Politics of Chocolates and Other Foods
Why is it that although the majority of cocoa is grown in Africa the most expensive chocolate is made in
Europe? Why is it that the average cocoa farmer lives in poverty or earns just $2,000/year when the wealthiest
chocolate and candy families are worth more than $10 billion? During the course of this semester, we will
study the supply chain from natural resource extraction to final project and investigate the politics that allow for
inequalities as well as the progress that has been made. Therefore, this course will examine the sociohistorical
legacy of chocolate, with a delicious emphasis on the eating and appreciation of the so-called “food of the
gods.” Interdisciplinary course readings will introduce the history of cacao cultivation, the present-day state of
the global chocolate industry, the diverse cultural constructions surrounding chocolate, and the implications
for chocolate’s future in terms of scientific study, international politics, alternative trade models, and the food
movement. Assignments will address pressing real-world questions related to chocolate consumption, social
justice, responsible development, honesty and the politics of representation in production and marketing,
hierarchies of quality, and myths of purity.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: At least one Africana Studies or Political Science course.;
Instructor: Dendere; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: AFR306 Title: Urban Development and the Underclass: Comparative Case Studies
Throughout the African Diaspora, economic change has resulted in the migration of large numbers of people
to urban centers. This course explores the causes and consequences of urban growth and development, with
special focus on the most disadvantaged cities. The course will draw on examples from the United States, the
Caribbean, South America, and Africa.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: One 200-level course of relevance to Africana Studies or
permission of the instructor.; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AFR310/SOC310 Title: Seminar: Reading Du Bois
This seminar examines various works of W.E.B. Du Bois within their historical, social, and cultural contexts.
Although this course will pay special attention to Du Bois's literary endeavors, it will also examine his concept
of race and color and his approaches to colonialism, civil rights, and politics. This seminar will examine The
Souls of Black Folk, Darkwater, John Brown, The Autobiography of W.E.B. Du Bois, and The Suppression of
the African Slave-Trade as well as some of his poems and other fiction.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: One 200-level course of relevance to Africana Studies or
permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Cudjoe; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature;
Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AFR312 Title: Seminar: The political economy of natural resources in Africa
This course examines key themes on the political economy of natural resources and development in subSaharan Africa. It considers the following questions: Why are resource-rich African countries often poor? Is the
‘paradox of plenty” real, or there are other alternative explanations that account for this phenomenon? What is
the agency of African communities and governments in shaping outcomes with resource endowment? What
are the antidotes to the resource curse? The course uses historical and theoretical analyses in African political
economy to answer these questions in a holistic, multipronged manner, focusing on themes such as
colonialism, post-colonial state-building, the ‘decade of development’, and Africa in the global system. It
combines this with analyses of the governance of oil and diamonds, and case studies on how resource
endowment has affected producer countries in different ways.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: AFR 263 or POL2 204, or by permission of the instructor.;
Instructor: Shingirai Taodzera; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical
Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AFR314 Title: Reading C.L.R. James
C. L. R. James is an outstanding intellectual/activist of the 20th century. He has also been described as one of
the seminal thinkers of the anti-colonialist struggles in the Third World and is seen as a profound thinker of
Marxism. Although James has written on history, politics, culture, philosophy and sports this seminar will
examine four areas of his theorising: history (The Black Jacobins); cultural theory (Beyond a Boundary);
literary theory (Mariners, Renegades and Castaways); and his novel (Minty Alley). The seminar will also look at
his thoughts on other subjects such as Black Studies, Athenian democracy and feminist writings.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: Open to students who have taken one 200-level literature course in
any department, or by permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Cudjoe; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AFR316/ARTH316 Title: Seminar: The Body: Race and Gender in Contemporary Art
This course charts past and present artistic mediations of racial, ethnic, and gendered experiences throughout
the world, using the rubric of the body. In the struggle to understand the relation between self and other, artists
have critically engaged with the images that define our common sense of belonging, ranging from a rejection
of stereotypes to their appropriations, from the discovery of alternative histories to the rewriting of dominant
narratives, from the concepts of difference to theories of diversity. The ultimate goal of the course is to find
ways of adequately imagining and imaging various identities today. We will discuss socio-political discourses,
including essentialism, structuralism, postmodernism, and post-colonialism and we will question the validity of
such concepts as diaspora, nationalism, transnationalism, and identity in an era of global politics that
celebrates the hybrid self.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: ARTH 100 or a 200-level ARTH course or a 200-level AFR course
or a visual culture course.; Instructor: Greene; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater,
Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes:
Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking Intensive Course.;
Course ID: AFR330 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Black Diaspora, Political Experiences in
Pandemics
The ongoing global pandemic and elections have revived conversations on race and the marginalization of the
Black Diaspora. In this course, we will engage with the various ways in which black people practice politics in
Africa and elsewhere in the diaspora. We will pay special attention to the ongoing impact of national politics on
the global pandemic. Scholars taking the course will each week respond to a reading by writing public facing
work such as blogs, editorials and/or opinion pieces, and other forms of public writing. A primary goal in this
course is to learn how to bring academic arguments to the general public.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: At least one Africana Studies or Political Science course.;
Instructor: Dendere; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Other Categories:
CSPW - Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring; Semesters Offered
this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: AFR332/WGST332 Title: “Rhodes must Fall”: Decolonial and Antiracist Research Methods
In 2015 a global movement began at the University of Cape Town to decolonize education, research, and
tackle institutional racism in academia. This course gives students an introductory engagement of decolonial
research practices. Decolonizing research and knowledge means to center the concerns and perspectives of
non-Western individuals on theory and research. Thus, this course will be a process of “unlearning” social and
scientific standards that we have taken as universal, resisting coloniality in academic production of knowledge,
and moving research into action. This course will broadly discuss research methods and praxis in social
sciences and in public health/medicine.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Franklin; Distribution Requirements: EC Epistemology and Cognition; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: AFR338/LING338 Title: Seminar: African American English
This course will examine the history, linguistic structure, and sociocultural patterns of use of English as spoken
by African Americans in the United States. We will focus on the phonology and morphosyntax that is
considered unique to AAE, and discuss lexical and discursive features as well. We will cover the major debates
that continue to rage within AAE scholarship, including the debates surrounding its origins and its use in
education. Additional topics include AAE and hip hop, appropriation, and crossing.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Either LING 114 or CLSC 216/PSYC 216 and related coursework at
the 200 level or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: S. Fisher; Distribution Requirements: EC Epistemology and Cognition; SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: AFR341 Title: Africans of the Diaspora
This course explores the nature and composition of the African Diaspora and its changing meanings. We will
examine the sociocultural connections among diasporic Africans such as the forced migrations of enslaved
Africans and voluntary emigration of Africans out of continental Africa. The seminar also explores the historical,
religious, and cultural factors that foster distinctive diasporic African identities and how these people constitute
and contribute to global citizenry.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: One 200-level course of relevance to Africana Studies or
permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Fitzpatrick; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral
Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AFR345 Title: Enslaved Women in the Atlantic World
This course is intended to explore ways in which enslaved women engaged in local, national and international
freedom struggles while simultaneously defining their identities as slaves, mothers, leaders, and workers. This
course will pay special attention to the diversity of black women’s experiences and to the dominant images of
black women in North America, the Caribbean and Brazil, but greater emphasis will be placed on the American
experience. The course asks: What role did gender play in the establishment of slavery and racial hierarchy in
the trans-Atlantic World? How did gender shape the experience of slavery for enslaved women and men and
their masters?
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: AFR 209 or AFR 105; Instructor: Carter-Jackson; Distribution
Requirements: HS - Historical Studies; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AFR350 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Open to juniors and seniors.; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Course ID: AFR350H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: AFR360 Title: Senior Thesis Research
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the department.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research
(360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty member. If
sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second semester.;
Course ID: AFR370 Title: Senior Thesis
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: AFR 360 and permission of the department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior
Thesis Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty
member. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second
semester.;
Course ID: AFR380 Title: Violence in the Black Atlantic World
This course will examine the role of political violence in the form of riots, rebellions, and revolutions in the black
Atlantic world. Together, we grapple with black liberation in the face of chattel slavery and white supremacy.
We will spend considerable time examining the unfinished work of the American Revolution, the success of the
Haitian Revolution, and the failed rebellions of the French Antilles. From there, we will examine how equality is
obtained in post-emancipation societies. This course asks: What is a revolution? What makes revolutions
revolutionary? What does failure mean? Is progressive change possible without the tools of war? In the last
part of the course, we will focus on some recent and contemporary events that involve political violence and
carry the potential to turn into a revolutionary process. In sum, this course reckons with the inseparable ideas
of race, violence, and political power.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: One 200-level course of relevance to Africana Studies or
permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Carter-Jackson; Distribution Requirements: HS - Historical Studies;
Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AFR390 Title: Seminar: No Moral High Ground, A History of Slavery and Racism in the North
American slavery was a national crime. Every state in colonial America enslaved black people. However, the
North’s profit from—indeed, dependence on—slavery has mostly been a shameful and well-kept secret. This
course reveals the history of the slave trade and slavery in the American North. We grapple with New England
in particular as we examine the lives of the enslaved people in places that feel incredibly “close to home.”
From there, we will explore how after the Civil War, structural racism and white supremacy manifested in the
policy, housing, education, and policing systems of northern cities and states. This course covers the false
promises of the Great Migration and the myth of an equal North in the face of Jim Crow South. Ultimately, this
class uses history to combat the idea that slavery and racism are regional.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: None. A course in African American History recommended (AFR
209 or AFR 210).; Instructor: Carter-Jackson; Distribution Requirements: HS - Historical Studies; Typical
Periods Offered: Every other year; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
SWA Courses
Course ID: SWA101 Title: Elementary Swahili
The primary focus of Elementary Swahili is to develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Aspects
of Swahili/African culture will be introduced and highlighted as necessary components toward achieving
communicative competence.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Staff; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: SWA102 Title: Elementary Swahili
The primary focus of Elementary Swahili is to develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Aspects
of Swahili/African culture will be introduced and highlighted as necessary components toward achieving
communicative competence.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: SWA 101.; Instructor: Staff; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: SWA120 Title: Swahili Language and Cultures in East Africa (Wintersession in East Africa)
This course is offered as an immersion experience designed to provide students with the unique opportunity to
study Swahili language, community service leadership, and the diverse cultures of East Africa. The course
blends regular classroom activities with daily immersion in the cultures of the Swahili speaking communities.
Students will learn through intensive coursework and community engagement to expand their Swahili
language skills, gain better understanding of the social, cultural, political, and economic context in Tanzania in
particular and East Africa in general. The students will have the opportunity to explore the intersection of
language and culture with contemporary issues in leadership and development.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: SWA 101 and permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Staff;
Typical Periods Offered: Winter; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: This course does
not satisfy the language requirement. Not offered every year. Subject to Provost's Office approval. This course
may be taken as SWA 120 or with additional assignments, SWA 220.;
Course ID: SWA201 Title: Intermediate Swahili
Intermediate Swahili builds on Elementary Swahili to enhance listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills at
a higher level. Aspects of Swahili/African culture will be expanded upon and highlighted as necessary
components toward increasing communicative competence.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: SWA 102.; Instructor: Staff; Typical Periods Offered: Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: SWA202 Title: Intermediate Swahili
Intermediate Swahili builds on Elementary Swahili to enhance listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills at
a higher level. Aspects of Swahili/African culture will be expanded upon and highlighted as necessary
components toward increasing communicative competence.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: SWA 201.; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: SWA203 Title: Intermediate Swahili (Intensive)
Intermediate Swahili builds on Elementary Swahili to enhance listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills at
a higher level. Aspects of Swahili/African culture will be expanded upon and highlighted as necessary
components toward increasing communicative competence.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: SWA 102.; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: SWA220 Title: Swahili Language and Cultures in East Africa (Wintersession in East Africa)
This course is offered as an immersion experience designed to provide students with the unique opportunity to
study Swahili language, community service leadership, and the diverse cultures of East Africa. The course
blends regular classroom activities with daily immersion in the cultures of the Swahili speaking communities.
Students will learn through intensive coursework and community engagement to expand their Swahili
language skills, gain better understanding of the social, cultural, political, and economic context in Tanzania in
particular and East Africa in general. The students will have the opportunity to explore the intersection of
language and culture with contemporary issues in leadership and development.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: SWA 201 and permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Staff;
Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Winter; Semesters Offered
this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: This course does not satisfy the language requirement. Not offered
every year. Subject to Provost's Office approval.;
American Studies
American Studies is the academic area of inquiry that seeks an integrated and interdisciplinary understanding
of American culture. Rooted in the traditional disciplines of literature and history, the field has evolved from its
establishment in the first half of the twentieth century to include artifacts, methodologies, and practitioners
drawn from a wide variety of disciplines within the humanities, including Political Science, Sociology, Religion,
Anthropology, Music, Art History, Film Studies, Architecture, Women's and Gender Studies, and other fields of
inquiry.
American Studies Major
Learning Objectives for the American Studies Major
Students majoring in American Studies will:
Gain competence in the theories and methods of American Studies interdisciplinary work and explore
viable models of interdisciplinary learning and critical inquiry in the arts, humanities, and social
sciences
Develop knowledge of the histories and cultures of the United States, understanding the complex
interrelationships of culture and society
Learn to evaluate the influence and impact of America beyond its borders and the transnational, racial,
ethnic, and religious interactions that, in turn, define its own identity
Gain knowledge of the many innovations within disciplines that attend to changes in historical
understanding, literary and artistic sensibilities, and social life
Learn how to conduct in-depth, independent research in American Studies, making connections
among disciplines in sharp and critical ways
Attain skills as critical thinkers, cogent writers, and skillful researchers on a broad range of topics in
American life through their course work, individual study, and honors work
Requirements for the American Studies Major
The American Studies major seeks to understand the American experience through a multidisciplinary
program of study. The requirements for the major are as follows: Nine units of course work are required for the
major, at least six of which should be taken at Wellesley College. These courses include either AMST 101 or
AMST 121, which should be completed before the end of the junior year; at least two courses in historical
studies (in addition to AMST 101); one course in literature; one course in the arts; and one course from any
one of the following three areas: social and behavioral analysis; or epistemology and cognition; or religion,
ethics, and moral philosophy. Students are also expected to take at least two 300-level courses, one of which
should be AMST 300-399, taken in the junior or senior year. AMST 350, AMST 360, and AMST 370 do not
count toward this requirement.
To augment this structure, students will choose a concentration that lends depth and coherence to the major.
Chosen in consultation with the major advisor, a concentration consists of three or more courses pertaining to
a topic, for example: 1) race, class, and gender 2) comparative ethnic studies 3) American culture and society
4) Asian American Studies 5) Latinx Studies. Students may also construct their own concentration.
Students are encouraged to explore the diversity of American culture and the many ways to interpret it. A list of
courses that count toward the major is also included as a separate section in the catalog. Most courses at the
College that are primarily U.S.-focused in content may be applied to the American Studies major: if a course
isn’t listed and seems eligible for credit, students should consult with the department chair. American Studies
majors are encouraged to take as part of, or in addition to, their major courses, surveys of American history,
literature, and art (for example, HIST 203, HIST 204, ENG 262, ENG 266, ARTH 231) and a course on the U.S.
Constitution and American political thought (for example, POL1 247). In addition, students are urged to take
one or more courses outside the major that explore the theory and methods of knowledge creation and
production (for example, ECON 103/SOC 190, PHIL 345).
Honors in American Studies
The only route to honors in the major is writing a thesis and passing an oral examination. To be admitted to the
thesis program, a student must have a grade point average of at least 3.5 in all work in the major field above
the 100 level; the department may petition on her behalf if her GPA in the major is between 3.0 and 3.5.
Interested students should apply to the chair in the spring of the junior year.
Courses for Credit Toward the American Studies Major
The following is a list of courses that may be included in an American Studies major. If students have
questions about whether a course not listed here can count toward the major, or if they would like permission
to focus their concentration on a topic studied in more than one department, they should consult the chair.
AFR 201 / ENG 260
African-American
Literary Tradition
1.0
AFR 209
African American
History: From the
Slave Trade to the
Civil War
1.0
AFR 210
African American
History: From
Reconstruction to
the Present
1.0
AFR 212 / ENG 279
Black Women
Writers
1.0
AFR 215
Unpacking
Blackness
1.0
AFR 225 / PSYC 225
Introduction to
Black Psychology
1.0
AFR 227 / EDUC 227
Black Girlhood
1.0
AFR 242 / REL 214
New World AfroAtlantic Religions
1.0
AFR 243 / PEAC 243
The Black Church
1.0
AFR 249
Black Women's
History
1.0
AFR 265 / ENG 265
African American
Autobiographies
1.0
AFR 271 / CAMS 271
History of Slavery
Through Film
1.0
AFR 295 / ENG 295
The Harlem
Renaissance
1.0
AFR 303
Seminar: Slavery
and Film
1.0
AFR 310 / SOC 310
Seminar: Reading
Du Bois
1.0
AFR 316 / ARTH 316
Seminar: The Body:
The Race and
1.0
Gender in Modern
and Contemporary
Art
AFR 345
Enslaved Women in
the Atlantic World
1.0
AFR 390
Seminar: No Moral
High Ground, A
History of Slavery
and Racism in the
North
1.0
AMST 292 / ENG 292
Film Noir
1.0
ANTH 214
Race and Human
Variation
1.0
ANTH 232 / CAMS 232
Anthropology of
Media
1.0
ANTH 235 / MUS 245
Ethnomusicology
Field Methods
1.0
ARTH 206
American Art,
Architecture, and
Design
1.0
ARTH 217
Historic
Preservation
1.0
ARTH 225
Modern Art Since
1945
1.0
ARTH 226 / CAMS 207
History of
Photography: From
Invention to Media
Age
1.0
ARTH 228
Modern
Architecture
1.0
ARTH 231
Architecture and
Urbanism in North
America
1.0
ARTH 245
House and Home:
Domestic
Architecture,
Interiors, and
Material Life in
North America,
1600-1900
1.0
ARTH 262
African American
Art
1.0
ARTH 267 / ES 267
Art and
Environmental
Imagination
1.0
ARTH 314
Seminar: Lorraine
O’Grady ‘55. Writer,
Artist, Archivist
1.0
ARTH 317
Historic
Preservation
1.0
ARTH 318
Seminar: New
England Arts and
Architecture
1.0
ARTH 320
Seminar: Frank
Lloyd Wright
1.0
CAMS 222
"Being There":
Documentary Film
and Media
1.0
CAMS 233 / JWST 233
American Jews and
the Media
1.0
CAMS 240 / WGST 223
Gendering the
Bronze Screen:
Representations of
Chicanas/Latinas in
Film
1.0
CAMS 241 / WGST 249
Asian American
Women in Film
1.0
ECON 222
Games of Strategy
1.0
ECON 226 / EDUC 226
Economics of
Education Policy
1.0
ECON 228 / ES 228
Environmental and
Resource
Economics
1.0
ECON 232
Health Economics
1.0
ECON 306
Economic
Organizations in
U.S. History
1.0
ECON 311
Economics of
Immigration
1.0
ECON 318
Economic Analysis
of Social Policy
1.0
ECON 326
Seminar: Advanced
Economics of
Education
1.0
ECON 327
Economics of Law,
Policy, and
Inequality
1.0
ECON 332
Advanced Health
Economics
1.0
EDUC 207 / PEAC 207 / SOC 207
Schools and
Society
1.0
EDUC 215 / PEAC 215
Educational
Inequality and
Social
Transformation in
Schools
1.0
EDUC 234
Children’s
Literature: Fostering
Agency, Equity, and
Academic Success
1.0
EDUC 236
Race, Class, and
Ethnicity in
Education Policy
1.0
EDUC 334
Seminar:
Ethnography in
Education: Race,
Migration, and
Borders
1.0
EDUC 335
Seminar: Urban
Education and
Emancipatory
Research
1.0
ENG 242 / ES 242
Ecopoetics
1.0
ENG 251
Modern Poetry
1.0
ENG 252
Contemporary
American Poetry:
Unrest
1.0
ENG 253
Contemporary
American Poetry
1.0
ENG 267
American Literature:
1940s to 2000
1.0
ENG 270 / JWST 270
Jews and
Jewishness in
American Literature
1.0
ENG 275/JWST 275
Representation and
Appropriation in US
Video Game
Narratives
1.0
ENG 290 / JWST 290
Minorities in U.S.
Comics
1.0
ENG 291
What Is Racial
Difference?
1.0
ENG 294
Writing AIDS, 1981Present
1.0
ENG 356
Ernest Hemingway:
Life and Writings
1.0
ENG 357
The World of Emily
Dickinson
1.0
ENG 358
Sapphic Modernism
1.0
ENG 399H / PHIL 399H
Race, Justice, and
Action
1.0
ES 299 / HIST 299
U.S. Environmental
History
1.0
ES 381 / POL1 381
U.S. Environmental
Politics
1.0
FREN 229
America Through
French Eyes:
Perceptions and
Realities
1.0
GER 388
Seminar: Germany,
Europe, and the US
1.0
HIST 114Y
First Year Seminar:
American
Hauntings
1.0
HIST 203
Out of Many:
American History to
1877
1.0
HIST 204
The United States
History since 1865
1.0
HIST 220
U.S. Consumerism
1.0
HIST 223
The Hand that
Feeds: A History of
American Food
1.0
HIST 244
History of the
American West:
Manifest Destiny to
Pacific Imperialism
1.0
HIST 245
History of American
Capitalism from
Revolution to
Empire
1.0
HIST 249
Cold War Culture
and Politics in the
United States
1.0
HIST 251
Roads to Power:
The Transformation
of Space in 19th
Century North
America
HIST 252
Civil Rights
Reconsidered
1.0
HIST 253
Native America
1.0
HIST 254
The United States
in the World War II
Era
1.0
HIST 255
Black Lives Matter
in Print
1.0
HIST 256
Colonial America
1.0
HIST 260
America in the Age
of Revolution
1.0
HIST 261 / PEAC 261
Civil War and the
World
1.0
HIST 262
Political World of
Hamilton
1.0
HIST 267
Deep in the Heart:
The American
South in the
Nineteenth Century
1.0
HIST 277
China and America:
Evolution of a
Troubled
Relationship
1.0
HIST 311
Seminar:
Revolution to Civil
War
1.0
HIST 312
Seminar:
Understanding
Race in the United
States, 1776-1918
1.0
HIST 314
Seminar: Fashion
Politics
1.0
HIST 319
Seminar: Fear and
Violence in Early
America
1.0
HIST 320
Seminar: History of
American Food
1.0
HIST 321
Crime and
Punishment in Early
1.0
America
HIST 340
Seminar: Seeing
Black: African
Americans and
United States Visual
Culture
1.0
HIST 341
Seminar: Narrating
the “Struggle”
1.0
LING/SPAN 270
Language,
Sociopolitics, and
Identity: Spanish in
the United States
1.0
MUS 209
A History of Jazz
1.0
MUS 220
Jazz and Popular
Music Theory
1.0
MUS 276
American Popular
Music
1.0
MUS 309
A History of Jazz
1.0
PEAC 219 / SOC 209
Social Inequality
1.0
PEAC 240 / WGST 240
U.S. Public Health
1.0
POL1 200
American Politics
1.0
POL1 210
Campaigns and
Elections
1.0
POL1 215
Courts, Law, and
Politics
1.0
POL1 247
Constitutional Law
1.0
POL1 300
Public
Policymaking in
American Politics
1.0
POL1 303
The Politics of
Crime
1.0
POL1 317
Health Politics and
Policy
1.0
POL1 328
Seminar:
Immigration Politics
1.0
POL1 329
Political Psychology
1.0
POL1 333
Calderwood
Seminar in Public
Writing:
1.0
Perspectives on
American Politics
POL1 337
Seminar: Race in
American Politics
1.0
POL1 397
A Seat at the Table?
Race and
Representation in
American
Institutional Life
1.0
POL3 227
The Vietnam War
1.0
POL1 317
Health Politics and
Policy
1.0
POL1 328
Seminar:
Immigration Politics
1.0
POL1 329
Political Psychology
1.0
POL1 333
Calderwood
Seminar in Public
Writing:
Perspectives on
American Politics
1.0
POL1 337
Seminar: Race in
American Politics
1.0
POL3 227
The Vietnam War
1.0
POL4 249
Neoliberalism and
its Critics
1.0
POL4 311
Seminar:
Grassroots
Organizing
1.0
POL4 341
Beyond Prisons
1.0
POL4 345
Seminar: Black
Liberation from
Haiti to Black Lives
Matter
1.0
PSYC 337
Seminar: Prejudice
and Discrimination
1.0
REL 280 / SAS 280
South Asian
Religions in the
USA
1.0
SOC 205 / WGST 211
Modern Families
and Social
Inequalities: Private
Lives and Public
Policies
1.0
SOC 208
Technology:
Progress, Power,
and Problems
1.0
SOC 212
Marriage and the
Family
1.0
SOC 306 / WGST 306
Women and Work
1.0
SOC 308
Seminar: Children
in Society
1.0
SOC 311 / WGST 311
Seminar: Families,
Gender, the State
and Social Policies
1.0
SOC 334
Consumer Culture
1.0
SPAN 244
Spain in the US:
Past and Future
1.0
SPAN 305
Seminar: Hispanic
Literature of the
United States
1.0
SPAN 344
Spain in the US:
Past and Future
1.0
THST 122
Fashion and
Costume History in
Film and TV
1.0
THST 200
Trailblazing Women
of American
Comedy
1.0
THST 215
Twenty Plays,
Twenty Years
1.0
WGST 121
Reading Elvis
Presley
1.0
WGST 217
Growing Up
Gendered
1.0
WGST 220
American Health
Care History in
Gender, Race, and
Class Perspective
1.0
WGST 221
Gender, Race, and
the Carceral State
1.0
WGST 222
Gender and
Sexuality in
Contemporary
American Society
1.0
WGST 224
Feminist Methods
1.0
WGST 226
The Body Across
Medicine, Media,
and Politics
1.0
WGST 245
Romance Films and
Feminist Theories
1.0
WGST 267
Visual History and
Memory:
Representations of
the Japanese
American
Internment
Experience
1.0
WGST 305
Seminar:
Representations of
Women, Natives,
and Others
1.0
WGST 307
Seminar: TechnoOrientalism
1.0
WGST 320
Seminar: Race,
Gender, and
Science
1.0
WGST 341
Seminar: AntiCarceral Feminism
1.0
Asian American Studies Minor
The interdisciplinary field of Asian American Studies examines the lives, cultures, and histories of people of
Asian descent living in the Americas. Emerging from the ethnic identity movements of the late 1960s, it has
become an established academic field that encompasses history, sociology, psychology, literary criticism,
political science, and women's and gender studies. It intersects significantly with the study of other minority
groups in the United States and with the study of the Asia-Pacific region.
Learning Objectives for the Asian American Studies Minor
Students minoring in Asian American Studies will:
Gain competence in the interdisciplinary study of the fastest-growing racial group in the United States
Grasp how history has shaped the lives and experiences of Asian Americans
Examine the relationships between this group and other minority groups within the United States
Understand the transnational ties and global contexts of Asian Americans
Course Requirements for the Asian American Studies Minor
The Asian American Studies minor consists of five units:
1. Either AMST 151 The Asian American Experience or AMST 121 Ethnic Studies: Key Concepts, Theories, and
Methods
2. One course that examines race, ethnicity, immigration, or minority politics in the North American or South
American context. To fulfill this requirement, the following categories may be included:
This requirement can be met by courses about the history, culture, religion, or politics of America: AFR
215 Unpacking Blackness: Race and Ethnicity in African Diaspora; AFR 299 Caribbean Cultural
Expression and Diaspora; AMST 264 Asian American Labor and Immigration; AMST 152 Race,
Ethnicity and Politics in America; AMST 255 Life in the Big City: Urban Studies and Policies; AMST 223
Gendering the Bronze Screen: Representations of Chicanas/Latinas in Film; AMST 242 American
Reckonings: Race, Historical Memory, and the Future of Democracy; AMST 246/SOC 246 Salsa and
Ketchup: How Immigration is Changing the US and the World; EDUC 336 Theorizing Race in Education
through Counternarrative Inquiry; HIST 244 The History of the American West: Manifest Destiny to
Pacific Imperialism; POL1 328 Immigration Politics and Policy; POL 337 Race and Politics; REL 218
Religion in America; SPAN 335 Asians in Latin America: Literary and Cultural Connections
Courses about minority groups as defined by race, ethnicity, class, caste, or gender in this region: AFR
105 Introduction to the Black Experience; AFR 209 African American History: From the Slave Trade to
the Civil War; AFR 242 New World Afro-Atlantic Religions; AFR 390 No Moral High Ground, A History of
Slavery and Racism in the North; AFR 295 The Harlem Renaissance; AMST 217 Latina/o Popular Music
and Identity AMST 235 From Zumba to Taco Trucks: Consuming Latina/o Cultures; AMST 274 Gender
and Race in Westerns: Rainbow Cowboys (and Girls); AMST 327 New Directions in Black and Latina
Feminisms: Beyoncé, J-LO, and Other Divas; CAMS 240 Gendering the Bronze Screen:
Representations of Chicanas/Latinas in Film; EDUC 334 Ethnography in Education: Race, Migrations,
and Borders; HIST 252 The Twentieth-Century Black Freedom Struggle; SOC 209 Social Inequality:
Race, Class, and Gender; SOC 315 Intersectionality at Work; or SPAN 255 Chicano Literature: From
the Chronicles to the Present.
Courses about comparative or theoretical frameworks for comprehending America and Asia, including
empire, immigration, and globalization: AMST 161 Introduction to Latino/a Studies; AMST 264 Asian
American Labor and Immigration; AMST 251/SOC 251 Racial Regimes in the United States and
Beyond; AMST 310 Asian/American Politics of Beauty; AMST 323: Bad Bunny: Race, Gender, and
Empire in Reggaeton; LING 312 Bilingualism: An Exploration of Language, Mind, and Culture; POL2
204 Political Economy of Development and Underdevelopment; SOC 221 Globalization; SOC 232/SAS
232 South Asian Diasporas; or WGST 206 Migration, Gender, and Globalization.
3. One course that examines history, culture, or politics in the Asian region. To fulfill this requirement, the
following categories may be included:
Courses about the history, culture, religion, or politics of East, South or Southeast Asia: AMST 310
Asian/American Politics of Beauty; ART 248 Chinese Painting; ARTH 255 Twentieth-Century Chinese
Art; ARTH 312 Art and Empire in the Nineteenth Century; CAMS 205/JPN 256 History of Japanese
Cinema; CAMS 203 Chinese Cinema; HIST 270 Colonialism, Nationalism, and Decolonization in South
Asia; CHIN 214 Love and Other Emotions in Ancient China; CHIN 242 Supernatural China; CHIN 236
China on the Silver Screen; EALC Language, Nationalism, and Identity in East Asia; HIST 373 Food,
Sports, and Sex: Body Politics in South Asia; HIST 274 China, Japan, and Korea in Comparative and
Global Perspectives; JPN 251 Japanese Literature from Myth to Manga (in English); JPN 314
Contemporary Japanese Narrative (in English); JPN 280 Japanese Pop Culture: From Kaiku to Hello
Kitty; POL2 211 Politics of South Asia; POL3 227 The Vietnam War; REL 259 Christianity in Asia; SAS
302 Traditional Narratives of South Asia; or WGST 325 Asian Feminisms.
Courses about minority groups as defined by race, ethnicity, class, caste, or gender in this region:
HIST 275 The Emergence of Ethnic Identities in Modern South Asia; MES 264 Religious and Ethnic
Minorities in the Ottoman Empire; REL 303/SAS 303 Models of Religious Pluralism form South Asia;
SOC 232/SAS 232 South Asian Diasporas; or EALC 236 The Girl in Modern Asian Culture.
Courses about comparative or theoretical frameworks for comprehending America and Asia, including
empire, immigration, and globalization, as listed above under (2/C).
4. Two courses on Asian American topics, such as AMST 116 /ENG 116 Asian American Fiction, AMST 212
Korean American Literature and Culture, AMST 232 Asian American Popular Culture, AMST 222/PSYC 222
Asian American Psychology; AMST 264 Asian American Labor and Immigration; AMST 306 Life Narratives:
Research & Writing the Asian American Experience; AMST 310 Asian/American Politics of Beauty; AMST 314
Food and the Asian American Experience; CAMS 249/WGST 249 Asian/American Women in Film; WGST 267
Visual History and Memory: Representations of the Japanese American Internment Experience; WGST 307
Techno-Orientalism: Geisha Robots, Cyberpunk Warriors, and Asian Futures.
To ensure that appropriate courses have been selected, students should consult with the program chair or
their minor advisor.
A maximum of two units, including AMST 151, may be taken at the 100 level. At least one unit must be at the
300 level. Four units must be taken at Wellesley. American Studies majors minoring in Asian American Studies
must decide whether to count an eligible course toward the major or the minor.
Latina/o Studies Minor
Latina/o Studies brings together cultural studies, humanities, and social sciences to consider the histories,
philosophies, social lives, and cultures of U.S. Latina/o communities. As a discipline founded after 1960s
student protests and now widely established, Latina/o Studies shares its interdisciplinary focus on social
inequalities and racial dynamics with other Ethnic Studies disciplines such as Africana Studies and Asian
American Studies. Latina/o Studies, however, uniquely focuses on the experiences, cultures, and politics of
people of Latin American descent living in the United States from an interdisciplinary perspective.
Learning Objectives for the Latino/a Studies Minor
Students minoring in Latina/o Studies will:
Gain competence in the interdisciplinary study of the largest minority group in the United States and to
its increasing importance in all areas of U.S. social life.
Grasp the historical, social, and political contexts of Latina/o life and culture in the United States.
Examine the relationships between this group and other minority groups within the United States.
Understand the transnational ties and global contexts of Latina/os.
Course Requirements for the Latino/a Studies Minor
The Latina/o minor consists of five units:
1. Either AMST 161, Introduction to Latina/o Studies or AMST 121, Ethnic Studies: Key Concepts,
Theories, and Methods
2. Two courses that examine Latina/o history, culture, and politics: AMST 217, AMST 235, AMST 290,
AMST 323, AMST 325, AMST 327, WGST 216, WGST 218, WGST 223/CAMS 240, or WGST 326.
3. Two courses that cover the larger contexts of race, ethnicity, immigration, economics, language,
religion, education, and urban life that are relevant to Latina/os in the United States. To fulfill this
requirement, the following categories of courses may be included in a Latina/o Studies minor.
Courses about the history, culture, or politics of the United States: AFR 206 African American History:
Reconstruction to present; AFR/ENG 295 Harlem Renaissance; AMST 152 Race, Ethnicity and Politics
in America; AMST 242 American Reckonings: Race and Memory in US; AMST 274/WGST 274 Rainbow
Cowboys (and Girls): Gender, Race, Class, and Sexuality in Westerns; AMST 315: Beats, Rhymes, and
Life: Hip-Hop Studies; EDUC 335 Seminar: Urban Education: Equity, Research, and Action; ENG/JWST
290 Minorities in US Comics; HIST 244 History of the American West: Manifest Destiny to Pacific
Imperialism; HIST 245: The Social History of American Capitalism from Revolution to Empire; HIST 252:
The Twentieth-Century Black Freedom Struggle; HIST 312 Seminar: Understanding Race in the United
States, 1776-1918; POL 1 337 Racial and Ethnic Politics in the United States; POL 1 386 The Politics of
Inequality in America; WGST 102 Lessons of Childhood; or WGST 226 The Body.
Courses about transnationalism, immigration, language, or globalization that reflect on Latina/o
experience: AFR 215 Unpacking Blackness: Race and Ethnicity in African Diaspora; AFR 299
Caribbean Cultural Expression and Diaspora; AMST 264 Histories of Asian American Labor and
Immigration; AMST/ENG 296: Diaspora and Immigration in 21st-Century American Literature; AMST
310 Asian/American Politics of Beauty; AMST 314 Food and the Asian American Experience; ECON
311 Economics of Immigration; EDUC 334: Seminar: Ethnography in Education: Race, Migration, and
Borders; LING 312 Bilingualism: An Exploration of Language, Mind, and Culture; LING/SPAN 270
Language, Sociopolitics, and Identity: Spanish in the United States; MUS 210 Music and the Global
Metropolis; POL 1 328 Immigration Politics and Policy; REL 226 The Virgin Mary; SOC 246/AMST 246
Salsa and Ketchup: How Immigration is Changing the U.S.; SOC 310 Encountering the Other:
Comparative Perspectives on Mobility and Migration; SPAN 243: Spanish for Heritage Learners; SPAN
305: Hispanic Literature of the United States; WGST 206 Migration, Gender, and Globalization.
Courses about comparative or theoretical frameworks for comprehending questions of race, ethnicity,
and class, such as EDUC 216 Race, Class, and Ethnicity in Education Policy; ECON 243 The Political
Economy of Gender, Race, and Class; POL4 311: Grassroots Organizing; POL4 345: Black Liberation
from Haiti to Black Lives Matter; SOC 249 Social Inequality; SOC 251 Racial Regimes in the United
States and Beyond; WGST 296 US Women of Color and Economic Inequality; WGST 395
Representations of Women, Natives, and Others.
To ensure that appropriate courses have been selected, students should consult with the program director or
their minor advisor.
A maximum of two units, including AMST 161, may be taken at the 100 level. At least one unit must be at the
300 level. Four units must be taken at Wellesley. American Studies majors minoring in Latina/o Studies must
decide whether to count an eligible course toward the major or the minor.
AMST Courses
Course ID: AMST101 Title: Introduction to American Studies
An interdisciplinary examination of some of the varieties of American experience, aimed at developing a
functional vocabulary for further work in American Studies or related fields. Along with a brief review of
American history, the course will direct its focus on important moments in that history, including the present,
investigating each of them in relation to selected cultural, historical, artistic, and political events, figures,
institutions, and texts. Course topics include intersectional ethnic and gender studies, consumption and
popular culture, urban and suburban life, racial formation, and contemporary American culture.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: P. Fisher; Distribution Requirements: HS Historical Studies; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Notes:
This course is required of American Studies majors and should be completed before the end of the Junior
year.;
Course ID: AMST102Y/EDUC102Y Title: First-Year Seminar: Lessons of Childhood: Representations of
Difference in Children's Media
From Disney films to Nickelodeon cartoons to Newberry award-winning texts, popular children's media offers
us the opportunity to analyze how complex issues of identity are represented in cultural productions aimed at a
young audience. This course takes as a site of analysis media aimed at children to investigate the lessons
imparted and ideologies circulate in popular films and books. How is class drawn in Lady and the Tramp?
What are politics of language at play in Moana? What are the sounds of masculinity in Beauty and the Beast?
How does Mulan construct gender, race, and militarism? Using an intersectional frame of analysis, we will
trace popular tropes, identify images of resistance, and map out the more popular messages children receive
about difference in our world.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: None. Open to First-Years only.; Instructor: Mata; Distribution
Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Other Categories: FYS - First Year Seminar; Semesters Offered
this Academic Year: Fall; Notes: Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking Intensive Course. Registration in this section is
restricted to students selected for the Wellesley Plus Program. Mandatory Credit/Non Credit.;
Course ID: AMST106/SOC106 Title: Meritocracy: An Introduction to Sociology
The word meritocracy was coined by the sociologist Michael Young in the 1950s. In the intervening years it has
taken on a life of its own and has become an enduring part of social and cultural debates over such diverse
issues as equality, privilege, luck, and achievement. What is the relationship between these issues and, for
example, admission to college? We will read Michael Young’s The Rise of the Meritocracy along with both
support for and criticism of the idea of merit. How is it measured? What is its relation to social status? Are there
alternative systems to meritocracy?
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Imber; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social
and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST116/ENG116 Title: Asian American Fiction
At various times over the past century and a half, America has welcomed, expelled, tolerated, interned,
ignored, and celebrated immigrants from Asia and their descendants. This course examines the fictions
produced in response to these experiences. Irony, humor, history, tragedy and mystery all find a place in Asian
American literature. We will see the emergence of a self-conscious Asian American identity, as well as more
recent transnational structures of feeling. We will read novels and short stories by writers including Hisaye
Yamamoto, John Okada, Mohsin Hamid, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Min Jin Lee. Fulfills the Diversity of Literatures in
English requirement
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Lee; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language
and Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST121 Title: Ethnic Studies: Key Concepts, Theories, and Methods
This course offers an introduction to the interdisciplinary field of Ethnic Studies. Ethnic Studies centers the
theories, histories, and perspectives of Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian American people in the United
States, with particular attention to the study of comparative race and ethnic relations in the United States and
its empire. We will explore key themes and concepts in Ethnic Studies such as imperialism and colonialism,
social movements, migration, and intersectionality using analysis of popular culture, and historical and current
events.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Rivera-Rideau; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: AMST151 Title: The Asian American Experience
An interdisciplinary introduction to the study of Asian Americans, the fastest-growing ethnic group in North
America. Critical examination of different stages of their experience from "coolie labor" and the "yellow peril" to
the "model minority" and struggles for identity; roots of Asian stereotypes; myth and reality of Asian women;
prejudice against, among, and by Asians; and Asian contributions to a more pluralistic, tolerant, and just
American society. Readings, films, lectures, and discussions.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Remoquillo; Distribution Requirements: HS or
REP - Historical Studies or Religion, Ethics, and Moral Philosophy; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST161 Title: Introduction to Latina/o Studies
Latinas/os in the United States have diverse histories, cultures, and identities, yet many people in the U.S.
assume a commonality among Latina/o groups. What links exist between various Latina/o groups? What are
the main differences or conflicts between them? How do constructions of Latina/o identities contend with the
diversity of experiences? In this course, we will examine a variety of topics and theories pertinent to the field of
Latina/o Studies, including immigration, language, politics, panethnicity, civil rights, racialization, border
studies, media and cultural representation, gender and sexuality, and transnationalism, among other issues.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Rivera-Rideau; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not
Offered;
Course ID: AMST206/EDUC206 Title: Abolitionist Study: Knowledge Production in U.S. Prisons
In this class, we will look at several forms of knowledge production that have historically emerged behind the
walls of U.S. prisons. These have included captivity narratives, disciplinary regimes, formal university-funded
humanities education and, most importantly, self-organized political education and study groups. Moments of
the latter have caused some political and politicized prisoners to refer to prisons as “universities of revolution.”
In today’s prison abolitionist movement, inside-outside study groups serve as social hubs, political workshops
and cultural anchors. By looking closely at the history of imprisoned intellectual production (writing, radio,
artwork, etc), we will see how imprisoned people and their supporters theorize, understand, and struggle
against the prison regime through organic and mutual forms of political education
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Alexander; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not
Offered; Notes: Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking Intensive Course.;
Course ID: AMST212 Title: Korean American Literature and Culture
What is Korean American Literature and what is the justification for setting it apart from the rest of Asian
American literature? The course approaches this question by taking up a range of recent fictional writings, all
of which were turned out by Korean Americans, between 1995 and the present day. Films on Korean
Americans help us to look beyond literature to a wider cultural perspective. As the semester evolves we will
continue to keep an eye on the range of styles, issues, and silences that characterize this field. Finally, we will
take up the problem of language: the ways in which English is used to evoke a specifically Korean American
idiom and the contrary process through which certain Korean American works reach beyond the "ethnic"
designation and into the mainstream.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Widmer (East Asian Languages and Cultures);
Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST217 Title: Latina/o Popular Music and Identity
This course uses Latin music as a lens through which to examine broader social issues in the United States.
We will consider how music industries decide what counts as “Latin,” and how these processes intersect or fail
to intersect with ideas of Latinx identity on the ground. We will explore topics such as racial identity,
immigration, gender and sexuality, transnationalism, and crossover. We will study genres including, but not
limited to, banda, norteña, bachata, reggaetón, and pop, and artists such as Aventura, Daddy Yankee, Jenni
Rivera, Selena, and Shakira.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Rivera-Rideau; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST218/REL218 Title: Religion in America
A study of the religions of Americans from the colonial period to the present. Special attention to the impact of
religious beliefs and practices in the shaping of American culture and society. Representative readings from
the spectrum of American religions including Aztecs and Conquistadors in New Spain, Puritans; the
Evangelical and Enlightenment movements; Native American prophets; enslaved persons, slave owners, and
abolitionists in the antebellum period; ethnic and assimilationist Catholics and Jews; the Black Church;
Fundamentalists and Liberals; American Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus; and new internet sectarians.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Marini; Distribution Requirements: HS or REP Historical Studies or Religion, Ethics, and Moral Philosophy; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Spring;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST220/SOC220 Title: Freedom: Great Debates on Liberty and Morality
Among the various challenges that face democratic societies committed to the ideal of pluralism and its
representations in both individuals and institutions, is what is meant by the term "liberty". Among those who
identify as conservative, the concept of liberty has over time been addressed in ways that seek to impose
order on both individual and institutional behavior or what some conservatives refer to as "ordered liberty".
Classical liberal views of liberty stress the removal of external constraints on human behavior as the key to
maximizing individual agency, autonomy and selfhood. This course examines the historical and sociological
debates and tensions surrounding different visions of liberty. Focus on case studies of contentious social
issues that are at the center of public debates, including freedom of expression; race and ethnicity; criminality;
sexuality; gender; social class, religion, and the war on drugs.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Cushman, Imber; Distribution Requirements:
SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST222/PSYC222 Title: Asian American Psychology
How can cultural values influence the way we process information, recall memories, or express emotion? What
contributes to variations in parenting styles across cultures? How do experiences such as biculturalism,
immigration, and racism affect mental health? This course will examine these questions with a specific focus
on the cultural experiences of Asian Americans. Our aim is to understand how these experiences interact with
basic psychological processes across the lifespan, with attention to both normative and pathological
development.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: PSYC 101 or AMST 151; or a score of 5 on the Psychology AP
exam; or a score of 5, 6, or 7 on the Higher Level IB exam; or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Chen;
Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: AMST223/CAMS223 Title: Gendering the Bronze Screen: Representations of Chicanas/Latinas in
Film
The history of Chicanxs and Latinnes on the big screen is a long and complicated one. To understand the
changes that have occurred in the representation of the Chicanx/Latine community, this course proposes an
analysis of films that traces various stereotypes to examine how those images have been perpetuated, altered,
and ultimately resisted. From the Anglicizing of names to the erasure of racial backgrounds, the ways in which
Chicanxs and Latines are represented has been contingent on ideologies of race, gender, class, and sexuality.
We will examine how films have typecast Chicanas/Latinas as criminals or as "exotic" based on their status as
women of color, and how filmmakers continue the practice of casting Chicanas/Latinas solely as supporting
characters to male protagonists.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Mata; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual
Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST225/PEAC227/SOC225 Title: Life in the Big City: Urban Studies and Policy
This course will introduce students to core readings in the field of urban studies. While the course will focus on
cities in the United States, we will also look comparatively at the urban experience in Asia, Africa, and Latin
America and cover debates on “global cities.” Topics will include the changing nature of community, social
inequality, political power, socio-spatial change, technological change, and the relationship between the built
environment and human behavior. We will examine the key theoretical paradigms driving this field since its
inception, assess how and why they have changed over time, and discuss the implications of these shifts for
urban scholarship and social policy. The course will include fieldwork in Boston and presentations by city
government practitioners.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Levitt; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social
and Behavioral Analysis; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: AMST228/REL220 Title: Religious Themes in American Fiction
Human nature and destiny, good and evil, love and hate, loyalty and betrayal, tradition and assimilation,
salvation and damnation, God and fate in The Scarlet Letter, Moby-Dick, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and
contemporary novels including Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, Rudolfo Anaya’s Bless Me, Ultima, Allegra
Goodman’s Kaaterskill Falls, and Louise Erdrich’s Love Medicine. Reading and discussion of these texts as
expressions of diverse religious cultures in nineteenth- and twentieth-century America.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Marini; Distribution Requirements: REP Religion, Ethics, and Moral Philosophy; LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Every other
year; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST231/FREN231 Title: Americans in Paris: Race, Gender and Sexuality in the City of Light (in
English)
For more than two hundred years, the experiences of Americans in Paris have exerted an outsized influence on
American, French, and global culture. These transnational encounters have included writers and artists as well
as diplomats, students, filmmakers, jazz musicians, bohemians and tourists. Drawing on a variety of historical
and literary documents, among them novels and essays, along with films and music, we will trace the history
of American encounters with Paris from the late eighteenth century to the present day. Through our study,
Paris emerges as a long-running site of complex cultural encounters, a creative and dynamic metropolis with
special significance to many different groups, among them, African Americans, women, and queer people,
who have made this city a hotbed of intellectual innovation and social change.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None. ; Instructor: Datta, P. Fisher; Distribution Requirements: HS Historical Studies; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST232 Title: Asian American Popular Culture
This course analyzes the significance of Asian American pop culture. We will investigate cultural constructions
of gender, race, ethnicity, class, and sexuality through an examination of various kinds of popular media,
including film, music, performance, social media, and art. We will read key works in cultural studies alongside
transnational feminist works. Central to this course will be an examination of how popular culture can
reproduce and challenge racial, sexual, gender, class, and national identity formations in the United States.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Clutario; Distribution Requirements: HS Historical Studies; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: AMST234/REL231 Title: Radical Individualism and the Common Good
There is a deep crisis of values at the heart of contemporary culture in the United States. On one hand, the
nation is unquestionably committed to the principle of radical individualism, marked especially by free-market
capitalism, consumerism, and increasingly violent libertarian politics. On the other hand, increasing
competition and diversity require principles of the common good to sustain the cultural coherence, social
media, and environmental stability necessary for civil society to function effectively. This course will investigate
the conflict between these two sets of values through theoretical readings and the inspection of public life in
the United States in the twenty-first century. It asks whether there ought to be any constraints on individualism
that can be justified by an appeal to the common good and, if so, what those constraints should be.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Marini; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social
and Behavioral Analysis; REP - Religion, Ethics, and Moral Philosophy; Typical Periods Offered: Every other
year; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: AMST235 Title: From Zumba to Taco Trucks: Consuming Latina/o Cultures
From the Zumba Fitness Program to Jane the Virgin, salsa night to the ubiquitous taco truck, “Latin” culture is
popular. But what do we make of the popularity of “Latin” culture at a time when many Latina/o communities
face larger systemic inequalities related to issues such as race, ethnicity, or immigration status? How do
organizations and industries represent and market Latinidad to the US public, and how do these forms of
popular culture and representation influence our perceptions of Latina/o life in the United States? How do
Latina/o consumers view these representations? This course explores these questions through a critical
examination of the representation and marketing of Latinidad, or Latina/o identities, in US popular culture. We
will pay particular attention to the intersections between Latina/o identities, ideas of “Americanness,”
immigration, race, gender, and sexuality in the United States.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Rivera-Rideau; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST240/ENG269 Title: The Rise of an American Empire: Wealth and Conflict in the Gilded Age
An interdisciplinary exploration of the so-called Gilded Age and the Progressive era in the United States
between the Civil War and World War I, emphasizing both the conflicts and achievements of the period. Topics
will include Reconstruction and African American experience in the South; technological development and
industrial expansion; the exploitation of the West and resistance by Native Americans and Latinos; feminism,
"New Women," and divorce; tycoons, workers, and the rich-poor divide; immigration from Europe, Asia, and
new American overseas possessions; as well as a vibrant period of American art, architecture, literature,
music, and material culture, to be studied by means of the rich cultural resources of the Boston area.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: P. Fisher; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; HS - Historical Studies; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered
this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: AMST241/SOC241 Title: A Nation in Therapy
What is therapy? Although historically tied to the values and goals of medicine, the roles that therapy and
therapeutic culture play in defining life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are now ubiquitous. The impact of
therapeutic culture on every major social institution, including the family, education, and the law, has created a
steady stream of controversy about the ways in which Americans in particular make judgements about right
and wrong, about others, and about themselves. Are Americans obsessed with their well being? Is there a type
of humor specific to therapeutic culture? This course provides a broad survey of the triumph of the therapeutic
and the insights into the character and culture that triumph reveals.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Imber; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social
and Behavioral Analysis; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST242 Title: American Reckonings: Race, Historical Memory, and the Future of Democracy
On January 6th, 2021, a right-wing mob violently attacked the U.S. Capitol using guns, clubs, and fists. But
perhaps their most powerful weapon was not physical, but ideological: a white supremacist version of
America’s revolutionary past. This course examines the complex interplay between historical memory and
present-day social and political realities. We will consider how stories, symbols, and artifacts shape popular
understandings of the past, and in turn, how historical memory legitimizes social attitudes and systems. How
do narratives about colonization, slavery, and war impact policy decisions? How do they shape racial attitudes
and social identities? How do people of different racial groups, political leanings, and generations see the past
differently? Students will examine a range of cultural artifacts, including fiction, film, monuments, museum
exhibits, speeches, and digital media and create their own sites of memory. These items provide tangible links
to the past that will shape the future of democracy in America.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: E. Battat (Writing Program); Distribution
Requirements: HS - Historical Studies; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Not Offered; Notes: This course is recommended for students who have some familiarity with American history
and critical reading and analytical writing in the humanities.;
Course ID: AMST245/CAMS245 Title: Speculative Media in the U.S.
This will be a course about the future and how it is made. We will look at multiple modes of speculation,
including financial speculation, speculative storytelling through fiction and cinema, and speculative political
claims on new futures. Each of these modes of speculation will imagine and predict radically different futures,
and each mode will tell us something crucial about economic, cultural, and political life in the US. We will study
the rise of futures trading and money as a speculative media technology; read some of Octavia Butler’s fiction
and watch sci-fi movies; and look at contemporary movements for debt cancellation, prison abolition, and
climate justice. Readings will draw from film and media studies, Black feminism, queer theory, anti-colonialist
thought, and Marxism.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Alexander; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not
Offered;
Course ID: AMST246/SOC246 Title: Salsa and Ketchup: How immigration is Changing the US and the World
We live in a world on the move. Nearly one out of every seven people in the world today is an international or
internal migrant who moves by force or by choice. In the United States, immigrants and their children make up
nearly 25 percent of the population. This course looks at migration to the United States from a transnational
perspective and then looks comparatively at other countries of settlement. We use Framingham as a lab for
exploring race and ethnicity, immigration incorporation, and transnational practices. Fieldwork projects will
examine how immigration affects the economy, politics, and religion and how the town is changing in
response. We will also track contemporary debates around immigration policy.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Levitt; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social
and Behavioral Analysis; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST248/ENG248 Title: Poetics of the Body
Sensual and emotionally powerful, American poetry of the body explores living and knowing through physical,
bodily experience. From Walt Whitman’s “I Sing the Body Electric” to contemporary spoken word
performances, body poems move us through the strangeness and familiarity of embodiment, voicing the
manifold discomforts, pains, pleasures, and ecstasies of living in and through bodies. We’ll trace a number of
recurring themes: the relationship between body and mind, female embodiment, queer bodies, race, sexuality,
disability, illness and medicine, mortality, appetite, and the poem itself as a body. Poets include Whitman,
Frank O’Hara, Rita Dove, Thom Gunn, Claudia Rankine, Ocean Vuong, Tyehimba Jess, Jos Charles, Max
Ritvo, Laurie Lambeth, Chen Chen, and Danez Smith. Fulfills the Diversity of Literatures in English requirement.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Brogan; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: AMST251/SOC251 Title: Racial Regimes in the United States and Beyond
How can we understand the mechanisms and effects of racial domination in our society? In this class, we
develop a sociological understanding of race through historical study of four racial regimes in the United
States: slavery, empire, segregation, and the carceral state. We relate the U.S. experience to racial regimes in
other parts of the world, including British colonialism, the Jewish ghetto in Renaissance Venice, and apartheid
and post-apartheid states in South Africa, among other contexts. Thus, we develop a comparative, global
understanding of race and power. We conclude with a hands-on group media project engaging a relevant
contemporary issue.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: At least one social science course required.; Instructor: S.
Radhakrishnan; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST254/CAMS254 Title: Carceral Cinema in the US
This course will look at representations of prisons, policing, and criminality across US cinema history. We will
watch a wide range of movies, from Thomas Edison’s 1901 recreation of Leon Czolgosz’s execution to classic
noir, cop procedurals, crime thrillers, horror, and science fiction. Readings will draw from abolitionist, feminist,
Marxist, and Black Radical traditions to guide our attention to the ideologies of crime, punishment, policing
and incarceration that circulate in and spill out of US cinema. Readings will occasionally invite us to step back
and think about the role of cinema in the production of what Ruth Wilson Gilmore and Jordan T. Camp have
called “carceral commonsense.” In addition to Gilmore and Camp, authors will include Angela Y. Davis, Khalil
Gibran Muhammed, Dylan Rodriguez, W.E.B Du Bois, Assata Shakur, Stuart Hall, Mariame Kaba, Jonathon
Finn, Eric A. Stanley, Gina Dent, Simone Browne, and Erin Gray.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Alexander; Distribution Requirements: ARS Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST258/ENG258 Title: Gotham: New York City in Literature, Art, and Film
This course examines how that icon of modernity, New York City, has been variously depicted in literature and
the arts, from its evolution into the nation’s cultural and financial capital in the nineteenth century to the
present. We’ll consider how urban reformers, boosters, long-time residents, immigrants, tourists, newspaper
reporters, journalists, poets, novelists, artists, and filmmakers have shaped new and often highly contested
meanings of this dynamic and diverse city. We'll also consider how each vision of the city returns us to crucial
questions of perspective, identity, and ownership, and helps us to understand the complexity of metropolitan
experience. Authors may include Walt Whitman, Edith Wharton, Anzia Yezierska, Paule Marshall, Frank
O’Hara, and Colson Whitehead. We’ll look at the art of John Sloan, Georgia O’Keeffe, Helen Levitt, and
Berenice Abbott, and others. Filmmakers may include Vincente Minnelli, Martin Scorsese, and Spike Lee.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Brogan; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: AMST261/ENG261 Title: Hollywood from Vietnam to Reagan
Between the breakdown of the studio system and the advent of the blockbuster era, American filmmaking
enjoyed a decade of extraordinary achievement. We'll study a range of great films produced in the late 60s and
70s, such as Bonnie and Clyde, Taxi Driver, The Godfather, Chinatown, Annie Hall, Shampoo, Carrie, and
Apocalypse Now, exploring their distinctive combination of American genre and European art-film style, and
connecting them to the social and political contexts of this turbulent moment in American history.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Shetley; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual
Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST262/ENG262 Title: American Literature to 1865
This is the greatest, most thrilling and inspiring period in American literary history, and the central theme
represented and explored in it is freedom, and its relationship to power. Power and freedom—the charged and
complex dynamics of these intersecting terms, ideas, and conflicted realities: we will examine this theme in
literature, religion, social reform, sexual and racial liberation, and more. Authors to be studied will include
Emerson, Thoreau, Whitman, Douglass, Stowe, Henry James. We will enrich our work by studying films
dealing with the period—for example, Edward Zwick’s Glory (1989), about one of the first regiments of
African-American troops, and Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln (2012).; and we also will consider the visual arts—
photography and American landscape painting. The literature that we will read and respond to in this course
was written 150 years ago, but the issues that these writers engage are totally relevant to who we are and
where we are today. In important ways this is really a course in contemporary American literature.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature;
Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST264 Title: Histories of Asian American Labor and Immigration
This course offers an introduction to the history of Asian American labor and immigration from the midnineteenth century to the present. Using a range of interdisciplinary frameworks and sources, the course will
focus on the flow and movement of people to the United States, we will nonetheless pay special attention to
the global, transnational and transpacific networks, issues, events and moments that have historically
impacted the movement of peoples around the world. This course also spotlights the ways in which labor
played a central role in shaping these migratory flows and experiences. As much as possible, this course will
aim to look at historical events and moments from the perspective of ordinary people, or “histories from
below,” in order to understand how historical narratives may change when you are not looking at histories
from the perspective of those in power.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Clutario; Distribution Requirements: HS Historical Studies; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: AMST266/ENG266 Title: American Literature from the Civil War to the 1930s
This changing-topics course provides students with an opportunity to pursue special interests in the study of
major American writers and ideas from the Civil War to the 1930s.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None.; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature;
ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes:
This is a topics course and can be taken more than once for credit as long as the topic is different each time.;
Course ID: AMST268/ENG268 Title: Genres of American Fiction Today
Why are some genres of fiction much more prestigious than others? How do works of fiction get categorized
and valued? What accounts for the difference between “genre fiction” and “literary fiction”? This class will read
literary-critical debates about genre alongside a survey of 21st century U.S. fiction. We will explore genres
ranging from sci-fi to historical fiction to so-called autofiction, and consider how they can help us think about
contemporary issues including climate change and the politics of race and gender. Authors may include
George Saunders, Colson Whitehead, Jeff Vandermeer, Torrey Peters, Elif Batuman, Jonathan Franzen.
Theorists and critics may include Pierre Bourdieu, Seo Young Chu, Theodore Martin, Mark McGurl, and others.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Winner; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST274/WGST274 Title: Gender and Race in Westerns: Rainbow Cowboys (and Girls)
Westerns, a complex category that includes not only films but also novels, photographs, paintings, and many
forms of popular culture, have articulated crucial mythologies of American culture from the nineteenth century
to the present. From Theodore Roosevelt to the Lone Ranger, myths of the Trans-Mississippi West have
asserted iconic definitions of American masculinity and rugged individualism. Yet as a flexible, ever-changing
genre, Westerns have challenged, revised, and subverted American concepts of gender and sexuality.
Westerns have also struggled to explain a dynamic and conflictive "borderlands" among Native Americans,
Anglos, Latinos, Blacks, and Asians. This team-taught, interdisciplinary course will investigate Westerns in
multiple forms, studying their representations of the diverse spaces and places of the American West and its
rich, complicated, and debated history.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Creef, P. Fisher (American Studies); Distribution
Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST281/ENG297 Title: Rainbow Republic: American Queer Culture from Walt Whitman to Lady
Gaga
Transgender rights, gay marriage, and Hollywood and sports figures' media advocacy are only the latest
manifestations of the rich queer history of the United States. This course will explore American LGBTQ history
and culture from the late nineteenth century to the present, with an emphasis on consequential developments
in society, politics, and consciousness since Stonewall in 1969. The course will introduce some elements of
gender and queer theory; it will address historical and present-day constructions of sexuality through selected
historical readings but primarily through the vibrant cultural forms produced by queer artists and communities.
The course will survey significant queer literature, art, film, and popular culture, with an emphasis on the
inventive new forms of recent decades. It will also emphasize the rich diversity of queer culture especially
through the intersectionality of gender and sexuality with class, ethnicity and race.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: P. Fisher; Distribution Requirements: HS Historical Studies; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST290/PEAC290 Title: Afro-Latinas/os in the U.S.
This course examines the experiences and cultures of Afro-Latinas/os, people of both African and Latin
American descent, in the United States. We will consider how blackness intersects with Latina/o identity, using
social movements, politics, popular culture, and literature as the bases of our analysis. This course addresses
these questions transnationally, taking into account not only racial dynamics within the United States, but also
the influence of dominant Latin American understandings of race and national identity. We will consider the
social constructions of blackness and Latinidad; the intersections of race, class, gender, and sexuality in the
Latina/o community; immigration and racial politics; representations of Afro-Latinas/os in film, music, and
literature; and African American-Latino relations.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Rivera-Rideau; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Spring;
Course ID: AMST292/ENG292 Title: Film Noir
A journey through the dark side of the American imagination. Where classic Hollywood filmmaking trades in
uplift and happy endings, Film Noir inhabits a pessimistic, morally compromised universe, populated by
femmes fatales, hard-boiled detectives, criminals and deviants. This course will explore the development of
this alternative vision of the American experience, from its origins in the 1940s, through the revival of the genre
in the 1970s, to its ongoing influence on contemporary cinema. We’ll pay particular attention to noir’s
redefinition of American cinematic style, and to its representations of masculinity and femininity. Films we are
likely to watch include Howard Hawks’s The Big Sleep, Billy Wilder’s Double Indemnity, Roman Polanski’s
Chinatown, Carl Franklin’s Devil in a Blue Dress, and David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive. We’ll also read a number
of the gritty detective novels from which several of these films were adapted.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Shetley; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual
Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST296/ENG296 Title: Diaspora and Immigration in 21st-Century American Literature
This course explores the exciting new literature produced by writers transplanted to the United States or by
children of recent immigrants. We’ll consider how the perspectives of immigrants redefine what is American by
sustaining linkages across national borders, and we’ll examine issues of hybrid identity and multiple
allegiances, collective memory, traumatic history, nation, home and homeland, and globalization. Our course
materials include novels, essays, memoirs, short fiction, and visual art. We’ll be looking at writers in the United
States with cultural connections to India, Pakistan, Viet Nam, Bosnia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Korea, Japan, and
Mexico. Some authors to be included: André Aciman, Catherine Chung, Sandra Cisneros, Mohsin Hamid,
Aleksandar Hemon, Jumpa Lahiri, Lê Thi Diem Thúy, and Dinaw Mengestu. Artists include Surendra Lawoti,
Priya Kambli, Asma Ahmed Shikoh, and the African American mixed-media artist Radcliffe Bailey. Fulfills the
Diversity of Literatures in English requirement.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Brogan; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST299/ENG299 Title: American Nightmares: The Horror Film in America
An exploration of the horror film in America, from 1960 to the present, with particular attention to the ways that
imaginary monsters embody real terrors, and the impact of social and technological change on the stories
through which we provoke and assuage our fears. We'll study classics of the genre, such as Psycho,
Rosemary’s Baby, and The Exorcist, as well as contemporary films like Get Out and Midsommar, and read
some of the most important work in the rich tradition of critical and theoretical
writing on horror.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Shetley; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual
Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not
Offered;
Course ID: AMST306 Title: Seminar: Life Narratives: Researching & Writing the Asian American Experience
In this course students will explore the interdisciplinary approaches by which Asian American scholars, artists,
and activists produce work on and in the Asian American diaspora from the 1960s to present day. This survey
of Asian American methodologies will offer students the exciting opportunity to receive hands-on experience in
conducting ethnographic interviews, studying archival materials, analyzing films, reading memoirs and more
that showcase the interdisciplinary nature of Asian American Studies and identity at large.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: At least one of the following courses - AMST 101, AMST 121,
AMST 151, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Remoquillo; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social
and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST310 Title: Asian/American Politics of Beauty
This course examines historical and contemporary contexts and processes of defining Asian/American beauty
as well as the ways in which beauty is used to manage bodies, define social hierarchies, and gain or maintain
power. Moreover, this course asks how presentations of beauty, especially “beautiful bodies,” could also be
used as forms of subversion and resistance. Looking at sites such beauty pageants, cosmetic consumer
cultures, drag performances, cosmetic surgery, and the transnational production and consumption of beauty
influencers we will investigate how race, gender, sexuality, and class informs definitions of beauty and how
definitions of beauty inform constructions of race, gender, sexuality, and class.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: AMST 101 or AMST 151, or permission of the instructor. Not open
to First-Year students.; Instructor: Clutario; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film
and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: AMST314 Title: Seminar: Food and the Asian American Experience
This seminar will use food as a lens to explore Asian American history and contemporary political, cultural, and
economic issues. We will explore the role of food in histories of immigration; labor in restaurant and service
industries; farming and agriculture; and the politics of consumption and circulation of food. We will trace
contemporary experiences to larger histories through a critical engagement with interdisciplinary scholarship
as well as primary sources like recipe books, food criticism, media, film and television, literature, and memoirs.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: One of the following - AMST 151, AMST 121, AMST 232, AMST
264, AMST 101, AMST 116/ENG 116, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Clutario; Distribution
Requirements: HS - Historical Studies; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Spring;
Course ID: AMST318/REL318 Title: Seminar: Interning the "Enemy Race": Japanese Americans in World War
II
A close examination of the rationale by the U.S. government for the incarceration of American citizens of
Japanese ancestry, and Japanese nationals living in the United States and Latin America, after Japan's attack
in December 1941 of Pearl Harbor. The course also examines the dynamics of overwhelming popular support
for the incarceration, as well as the aftermath of the internment. The topics include Japan's rise as a colonial
power, starting in the late nineteenth century; the place of Asian migrant workers and the "yellow peril"; life in
the camps; the formation of the Japanese American Citizens League; the valor of the Japanese American
soldiers in Europe during World War II; how the United States has since responded to its "enemies," especially
after 9/11; changing immigration laws; race and politics in America.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: One course in Asian American Studies, or in Asian Religions, or
permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Kodera; Distribution Requirements: HS - Historical Studies; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST319/REL319 Title: Seminar: Religion, Law, and Politics in America
A study of the relationships among religion, fundamental law, and political culture in the American experience.
Topics include established religion in the British colonies, religious ideologies in the American Revolution,
religion and rebellion in the Civil War crisis, American civil religion, and the New Religious Right. Special
attention to the separation of church and state and selected Supreme Court cases on the religion clauses of
the First Amendment. In addition, the class will monitor and discuss religious and moral issues in the 2022
elections.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: REL 200 or REL 218, or at least one 200-level unit in American
Studies or in American history, sociology, or politics; or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Marini;
Distribution Requirements: HS or REP - Historical Studies or Religion, Ethics, and Moral Philosophy; Typical
Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: AMST323 Title: Seminar: Bad Bunny: Race, Gender, and Empire in Reggaeton
Benito Martínez Ocasio, better known as Bad Bunny, has quickly risen through the ranks to become one of the
most significant and impactful global Latin music stars in history. This course explores what analyzing Bad
Bunny can teach us in Latinx Studies. We will explore his role in the 2019 protests in Puerto Rico, and what the
summer of 2019 teaches us about U.S. empire and Puerto Rican politics. We will also pay particular attention
to the politics of race, gender, and queerness in Bad Bunny’s performance. Finally, we will consider Bad
Bunny as a Spanish-language “crossover” star in the United States to understand the place of Latinx artists in
the U.S. mainstream. Overall, this course will explore these topics by closely situating Bad Bunny’s work in
relation to key texts in Latinx Studies regarding race, empire, gender, and queerness.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Previous coursework in Latinx Studies, American Studies, Africana
Studies or Latin American Studies preferred. Not open to First-Year students.; Instructor: Rivera-Rideau;
Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Notes: Priority given to American Studies majors, Latinx Studies minors,
and Latin American Studies majors;
Course ID: AMST325 Title: Puerto Ricans at Home and Beyond: Popular Culture, Race, and Latino/a Identities
in Puerto Rico and the U.S.
Puerto Rico has been a territory of the United States since 1898, and yet it holds a very different view of race
relations. Dominant discourses of Puerto Rican identity represent the island as racially mixed and therefore
devoid of racism; but many scholars argue that this is not the case. We will use popular culture, memoir, and
political histories as lenses through which to examine the construction of race, and blackness in particular, in
Puerto Rico and among Puerto Ricans in the US. We will explore topics such as the role of Puerto Rican
activists in social movements for racial equality, performances of blackness and Puerto Ricanness in hip-hop
and reggaeton, and migration's influence on ideas of blackness and Latinidad in both Puerto Rico and the U.S.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: AMST 101 or permission of the instructor; Instructor: RiveraRideau; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other
year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST327 Title: New Directions in Black and Latina Feminisms: Beyoncé, J-Lo, and Other Divas
This course uses Black and Latina feminist theories to critically examine the performances, personas, and
representations of Beyoncé Knowles and Jennifer López. We will begin with an overview of classic Black and
Latina feminist theory texts by authors such as Audre Lorde, bell hooks, Gloria Anzaldúa, and Cherríe Moraga.
We will then read more contemporary Black and Latina feminist academic and popular works that expand,
challenge, and complicate these theories. Throughout the course, we will put these texts in conversation with
Beyoncé and Jennifer López, as well as other Black and Latina artists. In addition to the intersections of race,
gender, and sexuality, topics include performance, fashion and beauty, colorism, motherhood, sex and
pleasure, and the politics of representation.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Previous experience with feminist or race theory helpful.;
Instructor: Rivera-Rideau; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods
Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST344 Title: Seminar: The "Dangerous Classes": US Labor Histories and Culture
This class will look at several pivotal moments in US working class history: slave rebellions, early unionization,
Black radical labor formations of the 1960s and 1970s, neoliberal attacks on labor, and 2022’s “Hot Labor
Summer.” We will use this series of historical studies to think critically about what and who constitutes the
working class in the US, when and how that might change, and about how colonial, racial, and gendered
dynamics drive these histories while too often being written out of them. For each moment, we will also look to
working class cultural artifacts as their own kind of theoretical and historical texts, including music, pamphlets,
poetry, drama, photography, film and video, and memes. Potential authors: Gerald Horne, Charisse BurdenStelly, Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, J. Sakai, Philip Foner, James Yaki Sayles, James Boggs, Grace Lee Boggs,
Silvia Frederici, Karl Marx, Ruth Wilson Gilmore, Kim Kelly, Joshua Clover, Sarah Jaffe.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: One 100- or 200-level AMST course (AMST 101 recommended).;
Instructor: Alexander; Distribution Requirements: HS - Historical Studies; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST348/SOC348 Title: Conservatism in America
An examination of conservative movements and ideas in terms of class, gender, and race. Historical survey
and social analysis of such major conservative movements and ideas as paleoconservatism, neoconservatism,
and compassionate conservatism. The emergence of conservative stances among women, minorities, and
media figures. The conservative critique of American life and its shaping of contemporary national discourse
on morality, politics, and culture.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: A 100-level sociology course or permission of the instructor. Open
to juniors and seniors only.; Instructor: Imber; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral
Analysis; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: AMST350 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Open by the permission of the director to juniors and seniors.;
Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: AMST355 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Critiquing American Popular Culture
To what extent do contemporary streaming services include queer people and people of color? How do
contemporary children's books accommodate progressive ideas in the face of conservative backlash? How
have networks like HBO, Netflix, or Amazon promoted or undercut LGBTQ civil rights or racial justice?
American Studies often focuses on the appraisal, interpretation, and critique of historical and contemporary
popular culture. Designed for juniors and seniors, this seminar will explore how American Studies
multidisciplinary perspectives can be adapted to reviews, critiques, opinion pieces, and other forms of
journalistic, literary, and public writing. Students will consider a variety of historical and contemporary
American cultural products, including television, film, books, literature, websites, exhibitions, performances,
and consumer products, in order to enter the public conversation about the cultural meanings, political
implications, and social content of such culture.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: AMST 101 or another AMST 100- or 200-level course.; Instructor:
P. Fisher; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Other Categories: CSPW Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST359/ENG359 Title: Literary Celebrity and the Use of Media
This course explores the rise, the stakes, and the ironies of literary celebrity from the mid-20th century to the
present. Beginning with the peculiar case of the Beat author, as exemplified by Jack Kerouac and Allen
Ginsberg, we consider what their uncommon degree of fame meant to literature and vice versa in the postWorld War II era—a time when a rapidly changing media ecology, rising consumerism, and intensifying Cold
War nationalism made for curious marriages: between avant-garde art and pop culture, between
countercultural ambitions and commercial appropriation. We will also examine contemporary texts by authors
including David Foster Wallace and Patricia Lockwood that address technology and its importance to selffashioning. Focusing on celebrity as both a complex sociological process and as a perspective-warping
stimulus we experience daily, this course will help us to demystify the products of celebrity culture while
cultivating a reasonable appreciation for the power of its aesthetic appeal.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: One course in literature.; Instructor: Winner; Distribution
Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST360 Title: Senior Thesis Research
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the director.; Typical Periods Offered: Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research (360) in the first
semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty member. If sufficient progress is
made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second semester.;
Course ID: AMST367/ENG367 Title: Elizabeth Bishop, John Ashbery, James Merrill: Three Postwar American
Poets
The course will explore the work of three leading postwar American poets: Elizabeth Bishop, John Ashbery,
and James Merrill. We will approach these poets as creators of distinctive poetic styles and voices, as figures
within the poetry world of their time, and as queer artists involved in complex negotiations of concealment and
disclosure. We’ll situate their work within (and outside) some of the major schools of postwar poetry, and look
at the reception of that work by critics in their time and ours. We’ll use letters and other recently available
documents to illuminate the poetry. We’ll examine the role in their careers of different forms and locales of
expatriation (Bishop in Brazil, Ashbery in France, Merrill in Greece). Most of all, we’ll seek to engage with and
understand three compelling bodies of poetic achievement.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: Open to all students who have taken two literature courses in the
department, at least one of which must be 200 level, or by permission of the instructor to other qualified
students.; Instructor: Shetley; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods
Offered: Every three years; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST370 Title: Senior Thesis
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: AMST 360 and permission of the department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis
Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty
member. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second
semester.;
Course ID: AMST383/ENG383 Title: Women in Love: American Literature, Film, Art, and Photography
We will study in depth three great American novels: Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady (1881, rev. 1908);
Theodore Dreiser, Sister Carrie (1900); and Edith Wharton, The Custom of the Country (1913). We also will
study two film adaptations: The Portrait of a Lady (1996; dir. Jane Campion, starring Nicole Kidman and John
Malkovich); and Carrie (1952; dir. William Wyler; starring Laurence Olivier and Jennifer Jones). In addition:
portraits of women by the painters John Singer Sargent, Thomas Eakins, and Mary Cassatt, and Alfred
Stieglitz’s photographs of Georgia O’Keefe.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: Open to all students who have taken two literature courses in the
department, at least one of which must be 200 level, or by permission of the instructor to other qualified
students.; Instructor: Cain; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered:
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST386/ENG386 Title: Willa Cather
Willa Cather, Pulitzer-prize winning American woman novelist of the early twentieth century, is best known for
her novels about settlers on the Great Plains, My Ántonia, O Pioneers! and, set a generation later, The Song of
the Lark. The power of the land and questions about the way humans should best relate to the land are at the
center of her work. Cather lived most of her life with her companion, Edith Lewis, and her alternative views on
heterosexuality, marriage, and transgressive female sexuality emerge in indirect and interesting ways in her
fiction. Other intriguing issues in her work include immigration, inter-racial and inter-ethnic relations, the nature
of the body in health and illness, tensions between rural and urban life, the development of the artist,
especially the woman artist, and the emotional consequences of war.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Open to all students who have taken two literature courses in the
department, at least one of which must be 200 level, or by permission of the instructor to other qualified
students.; Instructor: Meyer; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered:
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Anthropology
Anthropology is a vibrant discipline that explores the diversity of ways of life, as well as the commonality of the
human condition across the world. Anthropologists work in both far away places and “at home,” analyzing the
contemporary moment as well as the distant past. We study not only cultural practices, but also the dynamics
of power and inequality, change, and global processes.
Attending to these facets of human life, anthropology at Wellesley encompasses socio/cultural studies,
historical work, archeology, and biological analysis of human characteristics and practices. Putting these
methods into conversation, an education in anthropology orients students to understanding and analyzing
human nature and how culture operates in their own everyday lives, as well as the lives of others.
The anthropological perspective is inherently multicultural and multidisciplinary. By studying anthropology,
students are “led out” (educo) of their own personal backgrounds to appreciate the incredible cultural diversity
of humanity, receiving an exceptionally broad liberal arts education.
Particular thematic strengths of our faculty and curriculum include:
Particular thematic strengths of our faculty and curriculum include:
Nationalism and Ethnic Rivalry
Cultures of Health and Medicine
Archaeology and the Reception of Antiquity
Anthropology of Media and Visual/Digital Culture
Forensic Anthropology
Gender and Class
Ethnography of the Built Environment
Politics of Development
Human Origins, Evolution, and Variation
Our faculty carries out field research in places as varied as Wellesley, Massachusetts; Nepal; the Balkans;
Bolivia; Sudan; Iceland; and Central Asia.
Anthropology Major
Goals for the Anthropology Major
Develop an understanding of cultural diversity throughout the world that evaluates cultures on their
own terms
Gain familiarity with the diverse ways in which human cultures vary in their social institutions and
practices across time and space, and in response to changing environments and
social/political/economic structures
Demonstrate knowledge of the basic features of human prehistory as represented through material
cultural and/or fossil remains and their relevance for understanding contemporary patterns of human
variation
Engage directly with methods used in anthropological field research, including the excavation of
paleoanthropological and archaeological sites and the construction of ethnographies based upon
personal participation
Show an awareness for the different theoretical approaches used to understand human variation in its
myriad forms, including the historical development of critical social theory and evolutionary theory.
Requirements for the Anthropology Major
A major in anthropology consists of a minimum of nine units (which may include courses from MIT's
anthropology offerings), of which two introductory units are required (ANTH 101 must be one of them, ANTH
102 or ANTH 103/CLCV 103 may count as the second), in addition to ANTH 205, and ANTH 301. Students are
required to take one additional 300-level offering and to engage in at least one significant academic experience
outside the classroom to be identified in conjunction with the major advisor (e.g. study abroad, independent
research, internships, field schools, or related experiences).
Honors in Anthropology
To graduate with honors in anthropology, a student must write a senior thesis and pass an oral examination.
To be admitted to the thesis program, a student must have a grade point average of at least 3.5 in all work in
the department above the 100 level.
Typically conversations between students and advisors about the thesis process will begin no later than the
Spring semester of a student’s junior year. All students are asked to produce a short (~2-page) project
proposal, to be reviewed by the Anthropology faculty, prior to formally beginning the Honors thesis process
(i.e. enrollment in ANTH 360), typically by the end of the junior Spring semester. If a project requires
Institutional Review Board approval, this process should begin as soon as possible.
Beginning with the 2020-2021 academic year, the Anthropology Department will accept two kinds of proposals
for Honors thesis consideration.
HONORS OPTION A:
A student completing Honors Option A will propose, carry out, and complete an independent project. This
project may involve ethnographic, archival, archaeological, or evolutionary approaches to an anthropological
question. Students will work closely with their advisor(s) to establish a timeline for carrying out this work,
reviewing the appropriate literature, writing up their project in the form of a written thesis, and defending their
thesis, as part of the ANTH 360/ANTH 370 sequence. Expectations are that the scope of an Honors thesis
project will be substantively greater than other independent work (e.g. an ANTH 350 course) that a student
may complete.
HONORS OPTION B:
Recognizing that students may not always be in a position to carry out in-person work on their desired subject,
Honors Option B is intended to nevertheless provide students with honors recognition and an independent
project of equivalent academic rigor. An Option B thesis will involve the co-production between student and
advisor of a thorough reading list relevant to the student’s theoretical/subject/regional interest. The student will
be responsible for progressing through this list, culminating in the production of a critical literature review of
this topic. Following the completion of this literature review, the student will produce an NSF/Wenner-Gren
style grant application laying out a formal research proposal. This process should be iterative, involving close
consultation and feedback between student and advisor(s). At the culmination of this process, the literature
review and grant application will be submitted and subject to an oral defense in order to complete the thesis
process.
Anthropology Related Courses
LING 114
Introduction to Linguistics
1.0
LING 238
Sociolinguistics
1.0
LING 244
Language: Form and Meaning
1.0
LING 338
Seminar: African American English
1.0
MUS 209
A History of Jazz
1.0
MUS 210
Music and the Global Metropolis
1.0
Anthropology Minor
Requirements for the Anthropology Minor
For students entering the College prior to Fall 2021, a minor in anthropology consists of five units, including
ANTH 101 or ANTH 102 or ANTH 103, at least one 200-level course, and at least one 300-level course.
For students entering the College in Fall 2021 and beyond, a minor in anthropology consists of five units:
ANTH 101 or ANTH 102 or ANTH 103/CLCV 103, and ANTH 205, and ANTH 301. Students minoring
in anthropology are encouraged to choose at least one ethnographic area course and at least one course
which focuses on a particular theoretical problem.
ANTH Courses
Course ID: ANTH101 Title: Introduction to Cultural and Social Anthropology
A comparative approach to the concept of culture and an analysis of how culture structures the worlds we live
in. The course examines human societies from their tribal beginnings to the postindustrial age. We will
consider the development of various types of social organization and their significance based on family and
kinship, economics, politics, and religion.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. Not open to students who have taken this course as ANTH
104.; Instructor: Staff, Armstrong; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: This course was
formerly offered as ANTH 104.;
Course ID: ANTH102 Title: Introduction to Biological Anthropology
This course will examine the evolutionary foundations of human variability. This theme is approached broadly
from the perspectives of anatomy, paleontology, genetics, primatology, and ecology. For this purpose, the
course will address the principles of human evolution, fossil evidence, behavior, and morphological
characteristics of human and nonhuman primates. Explanation of the interrelationships between biological and
sociobehavioral aspects of human evolution, such as the changing social role of sex, are discussed. In
addition, human inter-population differences and environmental factors that account for these differences will
be evaluated.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Van Arsdale; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Spring;
Course ID: ANTH103/CLCV103 Title: Introduction to Archaeology
A survey of the development of archaeology. The methods and techniques of archaeology are presented
through an analysis of excavations and prehistoric remains. Materials studied range from the Bronze Age and
classical civilizations of the Old World and the Aztec and Inca empires of the New World to the historical
archaeology of New England. Students are introduced to techniques for reconstructing the past from material
remains. The course includes a field trip to a neighboring archaeological site.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Minor; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social
and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Notes:
Wendy Judge Paulson '69 Ecology of Place Living Laboratory course. This course does not satisfy the Natural
and Physical Sciences Laboratory requirement. ;
Course ID: ANTH110 Title: The Anthropology of Food
This course will provide an overview of the theoretical ways in which the topic of food can be addressed from
an anthropological perspective. We will examine the role food plays in shaping identity, gender construction,
and the co-evolution of human food practices and society. The seminar will ask students to engage with food
and foodways in their own surroundings and think about the way food is a source of nutrition, a focus of
individual life, and a mechanism of labor. This course will draw upon readings from the various sub-fields of
Anthropology (socio-cultural anthropology, archaeology, linguistic anthropology, biological anthropology) and
thus also serve as an introduction to the discipline.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Instructor: Van Arsdale; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral
Analysis; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ANTH205 Title: Anthropology Methods and Project Design
This course is intended to provide a theoretical framework as to how anthropologists construct questions,
design research strategies, and produce anthropological knowledge. Students will discuss and explore major
framing questions for anthropological methods while pursuing an independent project of their choice. Working
with a faculty advisor, students will engage in independent research, while using the class as a workshop and
discussion environment to refine their project. Students will be exposed to issues of positionality, ethical
obligations in research, mixed qualitative and quantitative methods, and writing for specific audiences. This
course is required of all anthropology majors and will provide a bridge between introductory and advanced
courses.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: ANTH 101, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Staff,
Ellison; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: ANTH207 Title: Introduction to Human Evolution
The hominin fossil record provides direct evidence for the evolution of humans and our ancestors through the
past 5 million to 7 million years. This course will provide an overview of human evolutionary history from the
time of our last common ancestor with the living great apes through the emergence of "modern" humans.
Emphasis is placed on evolutionary mechanisms, and context is provided through hands-on examination of
the hominin fossil record and its history. The human story begins with origins and the appearance of unique
human features such as bipedality, the gradual beginnings of an expanded brain and durable material
technology, increased social complexity, and eventually the emergence of a human-like ecology. The
emergence of contemporary humans is examined through the interaction of environmental, evolutionary,
genetic, fossil, and archaeological evidence.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Van Arsdale; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Spring;
Course ID: ANTH209 Title: Forensic Anthropology
The identification of human remains for criminological and political purposes is widespread. This course
explores issues in the identification and interpretation of human bones including methods for determining sex,
age, stature, and ancestry as well as for identifying pathologies and anomalies. The course will pay particular
attention to those anatomical elements, both soft tissue and bones, that aid in the reconstruction of individuals
and their life history. In addition, the course explores search and recovery techniques, crime-scene analysis,
the use of DNA in solving crimes, and the role of forensic anthropology in the investigation of mass fatalities
from both accidents and human rights violations.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 42; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Van Arsdale; Distribution Requirements: NPS Natural and Physical Sciences; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Notes: Does not fulfill the
laboratory requirement.;
Course ID: ANTH210 Title: Political Anthropology
This course explores major themes in the subfield of political anthropology. How do anthropologists locate
“the political” and study it the ethnographically – that is, through the long-term fieldwork they conduct?
Throughout this course, we will delve into anthropological approaches to power, authority, and domination;
statecraft and transnational governance; everyday forms of resistance and collective action; violence and
disorder; and the politics of care and abandonment, among other themes. We will consider the animating
questions that helped consolidate the subfield during the 1940s and 1950s, and trace anthropology’s growing
concern with (post)colonialism and global capitalism. Finally, we will explore questions of labor restructuring,
activism, caregiving, and life itself in an era that is often characterized as “neoliberal.”
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Ellison; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social
and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Fall;
Course ID: ANTH214 Title: Race and Human Variation
This is a course about race concepts and human biological variation, viewed from historical and biological
perspectives. This course thus has two intertwined emphases. One is placed on the historical connection
between science and sociopolitical ideologies and policies. The other is on the evolutionary origin of human
biological and cultural diversity. Through lecture and discussion section, topics explored include the role of
polygenism, historically and in current scientific thought; biological determinism and scientific racism; the rise
of eugenics and other examples of “applied biology”; and the role of the race concept in current scientific and
medical debates, such as those over the place of the Neanderthals in human evolution, as well as the
importance of race in clinical practice. The course seeks to guide students through a critical exercise in
studying the evolutionary origins of contemporary human biological variation and its close relationship with
scientific and popular concepts of race.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Van Arsdale; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every three years; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ANTH215/CLCV215 Title: Bronze Age Greece in its Mediterranean Context
Ancient Greek historians associated the ruins of Bronze Age cities with the legends of the Trojan War, the lost
city of Atlantis, and the labyrinth of the Minotaur. This course takes a more archaeological approach, combing
the ruins for evidence that allow us to reconstruct complex societies that integrated contributions from diverse
participants, including enslaved people and foreigners, as well as heroic adventurers. We will investigate the
role of African and Asian cultures in early Greek state formation and collapse, technologies of art and writing,
and religious traditions featuring a mother goddess. The course requires no background and offers an
introduction to archaeological analysis as well as the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Burns; Distribution Requirements: HS - Historical
Studies; SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ANTH217 Title: Peoples, Histories, and Cultures of the Balkans
The Balkan region has been a major trade and cultural crossroads for millennia and encompasses a variety of
landscapes, peoples, and cultures. We will read authoritative historical studies and ethnographies as well as
short stories, poetry, books of travel, and fiction. We will consider the legacy of the classical world, the impact
of Islam, the emergence of European commercial empires, the impact of the European Enlightenment in
national movements, the emergence of modernization, and the socialist experiments in the hinterlands. The
course offers a critical overview of the politics of historical continuity and the resurgence of Balkan nationalism
during the last decade of the twentieth century.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Karakasidou; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ANTH219 Title: Balkan Cinematic Representations
In the course of Europe's road to modernity, the southeastern corner of the continent became known as the
Balkans. The Western imagination rendered the peoples and the rich cultures of the area as backward, violent,
and underdeveloped. This course examines the imagery of the area and its people through film. We will
explore the use of history by filmmakers and the use of films in understanding a number of issues in the history
of the Balkans. The course will trace the adoration of ancient Greek antiquity, the legacy of Byzantium and
Orthodox Christianity as well as the Ottoman influence and the appearance of Islam. The historical past is
(re)constructed and (re)presented in film, as are the national awakenings and liberation movements. The list of
films we will watch and the anthropological and historical readings we will do aspire to cover various aspects
of Balkan societies as revealed through visual and cinematic representations. Balkan film is politically, socially,
and historically engaged, and we will use film narratives and stories to understand the area's diverse
landscapes and cultures, religions and identities, love and hatred.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Karakasidou; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ANTH220/PEAC220 Title: Epidemics and Pandemics: Biopolitics, and disparities in historical and
cultural perspective
The course will examine epidemics and pandemics and how they shape society and culture. It will explore
catastrophic disease events such as the 4th century BC Ancient Greek plague, the Black Death of Medieval
Europe, the European infectious diseases that killed native populations of the Americas, the Spanish flu of
1918, the AIDS/HIV epidemic in the late 20th century, and the present-day coronavirus pandemic. Key
questions that will guide the course are: 1. Who holds the bio-political power to guide the population through
the danger of widespread morbidity, and how is this power used and/or abused? 2. What kind of
socioeconomic, gender, ethnic ,and racial disparities are perpetuated and constructed in times of disease? 3.
How do individual political entities cooperate and coordinate in their efforts to curtail disease? 4. How is the
rhetoric of “war” employed to describe epidemic and pandemic diseases? 5. What are the effects of actual
war, violence, and genocide that often follow epidemics? 6. What are the uses and the limitations of
international public health organizations in addressing pandemics?
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Karakasidou; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ANTH222 Title: Anthropology of Science
This course will introduce students to the anthropology of science and the use of anthropological methodology
to study the making of science and technology. Through the analysis of case studies of biotechnology, energy,
computing, lay and activist science, medicine, genetics, bioethics, the environment and conservation around
the world, this class will investigate the global dynamics of science and technology. We will compare and
contrast the production and use of scientific knowledge around the globe. What happens when science and
technology travel and how do new places emerge as centers of knowledge production? How are culture,
identity, technology, and science linked?
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Karakasidou; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ANTH227 Title: Living in Material Worlds: Archaeological Approaches to Material Culture
Do you ever wonder what your possessions say about you? Our possessions and other things we use lie at
the hearts of our everyday lives. We inadvertently generate material culture during our daily activities and
interactions. In turn, material culture helps us structure negotiations with one another in our cultured worlds.
Archaeology is unique among anthropological endeavors in its reliance on material culture to reconstruct and
understand past human behavior. We will learn methodological and theoretical approaches from archaeology
and ethnography for understanding material culture. Lecture topics will be explored in hands-on labs. Studying
the world of material can help us understand the nature of objects and how humans have interacted with them
across time and space. In addition, material culture indicates how humans mobilize objects in their crosscultural interactions.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Minor; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social
and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Not Offered; Notes: Wendy Judge Paulson '69 Ecology of Place Living Laboratory course. This course does
not satisfy the Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory requirement.;
Course ID: ANTH231/PEAC231 Title: Anthropology In and Of the City
This course serves as an introduction to urban anthropology. It is organized around four particular places on
the cityscape that stand as symbolic markers for larger anthropological questions we will examine throughout
the course: the market stall, the gated community, the barricade, and the levee. We will explore the rise of
global cities, including the role of labor migration, squatter settlements, and institutions of global capitalism,
and interrogate the aesthetic practices that inscribe social exclusion onto the urban built environment. We will
approach the city as contested space, a stage on which social, economic, and political struggles are waged.
And, we will ask how those experiences shape our understanding of contemporary forms of social, political,
and economic inequality, and how people “made do” and make claims to their right to the city.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Ellison; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social
and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Not Offered;
Course ID: ANTH232/CAMS232 Title: Anthropology of Media
This course introduces students to key analytic frameworks through which media and the mediation of culture
have been examined. Using an anthropological approach, students will explore how media as representation
and as cultural practice have been fundamental to the (trans)formation of modern sensibilities and social
relations. We will examine various technologies of mediation-from the Maussian body as “Man's first technical
instrument” to print capitalism, radio and cassette cultures, cinematic and televisual publics, war journalism,
the digital revolution, and the political milieu of spin and public relations. Themes in this course include: media
in the transformation of the senses; media in the production of cultural subjectivities and publics; and the
social worlds and cultural logics of media institutions and sites of production.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Karakasidou; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Fall;
Course ID: ANTH233/REL233 Title: The Anthropology of Religion
This course offers an introduction to the anthropological study of human religious experience, with particular
emphasis on religious and ritual practice in a comparative perspective. What is the relationship between
religion and society? Can categories such as “religion” and “the sacred” be legitimately applied to all cultures?
Does religion necessarily imply belief in a God or sacred beings? We will concentrate on a range of smallscale, non-Western, cultures for much of the semester, returning to religious experience in the modern
industrial world and the concept of "world religions" at the course’s end.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Walters; Distribution Requirements: REP Religion, Ethics, and Moral Philosophy; SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ANTH235/MUS245 Title: Introduction to Ethnomusicology: The Anthropology of Music
What happens when we study music and sound from an anthropological framework? Ethnomusicology, or the
cultural study of music and sound, seeks to do just that. Through a hands-on approach to music research, this
course has three aims: 1) to give students the opportunity of doing ethnographic research in a local
community; 2) to explore key concepts pertaining to ethnomusicology and the anthropology of sound; 3) to
work together to create a good working atmosphere in which students can share ongoing research with each
other. Students will gain experience doing fieldwork as participant observers; taking notes and writing up field
journals; recording and transcribing interviews; and conducting secondary research online and in the library.
Each student will conduct regular visits to a local music group or community of their choice. Past projects have
focused on Senegalese drumming, musical healing circles, and hip-hop dance groups. The semester will
culminate in a final presentation and paper (8-10 pages) based on the student’s research.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Goldschmitt; Distribution Requirements: ARS Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ANTH236/REL236 Title: Divine Madness: Dreams, Visions, Hallucinations
This course explores anthropological, religious, and psychiatric perspectives on mental health and mental
illness, with careful attention to varied constructions of "madness", treatment, and healing across human
cultures. We begin with comparative questions: are there universal standards of positive mental and emotional
functioning? Are there overall commonalities in approaches to psychic and emotional disturbances? What is
the role of spirituality? After considering the history of ‘madness’ in the West, we consider early anthropological
and religious models of "madness" elsewhere. We next turn to ritualized therapeutic interventions in smallscale indigenous societies and consider a range of case studies from around the world. We conclude with a
unit on culture and mental health in the United States and the ‘globalization” of American models of the psyche
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Walters; Distribution Requirements: REP Religion, Ethics, and Moral Philosophy; SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ANTH237/SAS237 Title: Ethnography in/of South Asia
Anthropology has a fraught and complex history within South Asia. Many of its techniques of knowledge
production were honed within the colonial context. In the postcolonial period, these techniques have been
taken up by scholars within the region and beyond to update and challenge long-standing understandings of
the region. Much historical and recent scholarship grapples with how one ought to understand the unique
nature of the region's forms of culture and social organization, and to place them in relation to modernity and
the West. South Asia proves an insistently fruitful case for assessing the universality or provincial nature of
Western social theory and to consider the connections between knowledge and power. In this course,
students will come to comprehend and assess the history of ethnography and anthropology in India, Pakistan,
and other parts of South Asia. Through contemporary ethnographic texts, they will also gain insight into the
major social and cultural categories and phenomena that have come to define South Asia today such as caste,
kinship and gender, class, nationalism, and popular culture. Throughout, we will consider the politics of
representation and knowledge production that are particularly fraught in this postcolonial context.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Walters; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social
and Behavioral Analysis; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ANTH238 Title: The Vulnerable Body: Anthropological Understandings
This course begins with the assumption that the human body is a unit upon which collective categories are
engraved. These categories can vary from social values, to religious beliefs, to feelings of national belonging,
to standards of sexuality and beauty. Readings in this course will concentrate on the classic and recent
attempts in the social and historical sciences to develop ways of understanding this phenomenon of
"embodiment." We will begin with an overview of what is considered to be the "construction" of the human
body in various societies and investigate how the body has been observed, experienced, classified, modified,
and sacralized in different social formations.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Karakasidou; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ANTH240 Title: Monkeys, Apes, and Humans
This course will provide students with an overview of primatology, with a focus on comparative morphological,
behavioral, and ecological aspects of Anthropoid primates. Students will consider the evolutionary relationship
among humans and non-human primates and how comparative studies can elucidate shared aspects of
social, energetic, and reproductive behaviors, while also pointing to uniquely derived features among these
organisms. Readings for the course will focus on primary research derived from a diverse range of primates in
addition to theoretical pieces that connect the study of non-human primates to evolutionary understandings of
what it means to be human. Students will also be exposed in their assignments to the methods used to
understand the behavioral ecology of humans and non-human primates. Finally, the course will introduce
students to the complex history of primatology as a field of study situated across anthropology, psychology,
and biology, and one in the midst of a shift towards questions of conversation and decolonization.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: ANTH 102 or BISC 111, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor:
Van Arsdale; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ANTH243 Title: (De)Constructing Scientific Knowledge in Biological Anthropology
How biological anthropologists have approached their subject of study has changed substantially since the
discipline’s inception. Anthropology has its roots in colonial and racist enterprises of the 19th century. The
construction of informed consent, the development of a global research community, and changing notions of
evolution have all positively reshaped how researchers approach their work. And yet, in spite of these
changes, many practices in scientific anthropology continue to make some narratives visible while silencing
others. In this course, we will focus on examples drawn from human skeletal and genetic analyses, relying
heavily on Indigenous critique of and within the discipline. How do we produce scientific knowledge about
human evolutionary past? Who gets to ask and answer the questions? What role do institutions play in
privileging some voices and approaches over others?
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Van Arsdale; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every three years; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ANTH245/LAST245 Title: Culture, Politics, and Power: Anthropological Perspectives on Latin
America
This course explores contemporary issues in Latin America from an anthropological perspective. We will
discuss legacies of colonialism and Cold War power struggles, as well as the central role social movements
are playing in crafting Latin American futures. We will trace the ways the region is enmeshed in transnational
processes and migrations and analyze the intersection of culture, race, gender, and class in shaping urban
centers, rural hinterlands, and livelihood strategies within them. In particular, we will discuss how ethnographic
research – the long-term fieldwork conducted by anthropologists – can enrich our understanding of hotly
debated issues such as statecraft, borders, and shifting meanings of citizenship; in/security, human rights, and
democratization; and, illicit economies, extractive industries, and critical approaches to development.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Instructor: Ellison; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral
Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ANTH246/MAS246 Title: Digital Anthropology: Cultural Heritage and the Future of Digital
Humanities
How can the complexities of Cultural Heritage be captured in digital form? Can advanced media visualizations,
such as Augmented and Virtual Reality, give new insights on diverse global cultures? Can public dissemination
of research using gamification positively impact our lives in the present? What ethical responsibilities do
scholars have when digitizing material from ancient and contemporary communities? How can we ensure that
our digital cultural achievements last as long as pyramids built in stone? This course will pair readings on the
theory, practice, and ethics of visual and public digital humanities cultural heritage projects. Online archival
resources for cultural heritage are at the forefront of developing public digital humanities. The digital archive
resources used in class will be used to critique current trends in digital data capture and open access
resources. The final project will be the creation of a new digital cultural heritage resource, presenting content
created by students through a digital platform: an interactive archive, augmented or virtual reality, locationbased games, or a combination thereof. Students will be offered a choice of visual and textual cultural heritage
archive data from the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, UC Berkeley Hearst Museum of Anthropology, and the
National Museum of Sudan, or can identify their own open-access cultural heritage archival source of interest.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Norton; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social
and Behavioral Analysis; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ANTH250 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: ANTH 104 and permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: ANTH250GH Title: Research or Group Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 10; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ANTH250H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: ANTH 104 and permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: ANTH251 Title: Cultures of Cancer
This course critically examines cancer as a pervasive disease and a metaphor of global modern cultures.
Students will be exposed to the ways cancer is perceived as a somatic and social standard within locally
constructed cognitive frameworks. They will investigate the scientific and emotional responses to the disease
and the ways cancer challenges our faith and spirituality, our ways of life, notions of pollution and cleanliness,
and our healing strategies. This approach to cancer is comparative and interdisciplinary and focuses on how
specialists in different societies have described the disease, how its victims in different cultures have narrated
their experiences, how causality has been perceived, and what interventions (sacred or secular) have been
undertaken as therapy and prevention.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Karakasidou; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ANTH252 Title: The Archaeology of Wellesley: College Hall Fire Field School
An archaeology field school covering the process of research design, site identification, survey, undertaking
excavation, basics of conservation, and digital documentation. The Wellesley College Hall Archaeology Project
seeks evidence of daily lives of the Wellesley community, circa 1914. The excavation is in areas containing
remnants of the 1914 College Hall Fire, which destroyed the original College building overnight, finding
fragments of student belongings, classroom equipment, and architecture over 100 years later. Students will
identify research questions about experiences of the Wellesley community (daily life, gender, social class), and
build a project addressing issues resonating with students today. Community participatory research includes
involving the community through interviews, social media, and public outreach. Please note: the Fall 2023
season will be a study season primarily focused on artifact research, analysis, and publication. There will be
limited excavation which includes physical exertion, students with disability concerns are encouraged to
contact the instructor and accessible fieldwork tasks will be implemented.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: A 100 or 200 level Anthropology course.; Instructor: Staff;
Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not
Offered; Notes: Wendy Judge Paulson '69 Ecology of Place Living Laboratory course. This course does not
satisfy the Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory requirement.;
Course ID: ANTH254/WGST254 Title: The Biology of Human Difference
How do we account for the many similarities and differences within and between human populations? Axes of
human “difference”– sex, gender, race, class, sexuality, nationality – have profound consequences. These
differences shape not only group affiliation and identity but have been shaped by colonial and national
histories. They shape social structures such as socioeconomic status, professions, work mobility, as well as
stereotypes about personal traits and behaviors. The biological sciences have been very important in the
history of differences. Scientists have contributed to bolster claims that differences are determined by our
biology – such as research on sex and racial differences, notions of the “gay” gene, math abilities, spatial
ability etc. Conversely, scientists have also contributed to critiquing claims of difference – challenging the idea
that sex, gender, race, sexuality are innate, and immutable. How do we weigh these claims and
counterclaims? We will begin with a historical overview of biological studies on “difference” to trace the
differing understandings of the “body” and the relationship of the body with identity, behavior and intellectual
and social capacity. We will then examine contemporary knowledge on differences of sex, gender, race, class,
and sexuality. Using literature from biology, anthropology, feminist studies, history and science studies, we will
examine the biological and cultural contexts for our understanding of “difference.” How do we come to
describe the human body as we do? What is good data? How do we “know” what we know? The course will
give students the tools to analyze scientific studies, to understand the relationship of nature and culture,
science and society, biology and politics.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Van Arsdale, Subramaniam; Distribution
Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods
Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ANTH262 Title: The Archaeology of Human Sacrifice: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of the Politics
of Death
This class will use archaeological methods to explore the practice of human sacrifice in a range of cultural
contexts. The act of killing a human has played significant roles in the development and maintenance of sociopolitical power from ancient times and into the present day. The goal of this course is to move away from a
simple model of sacrifice as a ‘barbaric’ act of violence to an understanding of sacrifice as a ritualized political
act within systems of legitimization or social coercion. Case studies will draw from worldwide ancient
examples, often in comparison to contemporary cases.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Minor; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social
and Behavioral Analysis; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ANTH265/ES265 Title: The Politics of Nature
In this course we will consider the historical, social, and political life of nature in its many guises and from an
anthropological perspective. What is the relationship between resource control and the consolidation of
power? How have social movements and development agencies mobilized ideas of participatory conservation
to achieve their goals, and how have these same concepts been used to exclude or to reproduce inequality?
We will explore themes such as the relationship between race, nature, and security; intellectual property and
bioprospecting; and the lived effects of the many “green,” “sustainable,” and “eco-tourism” projects now
attracting foreign travelers around the world. Additionally, the course will introduce students unfamiliar with
socio-cultural anthropology to ethnographic research methods, ethical dilemmas, and the craft of
ethnographic writing.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Ellison; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social
and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Not Offered;
Course ID: ANTH274/BISC274 Title: Anthropological Genetics
This course will provide an introduction into the core concepts of population genetics, with special focus on
their application to human and nonhuman primate evolution. Population genetics is the branch of evolutionary
biology concerned with how genetic variation is patterned within and between populations and how these
patterns change over time. Though the theory is applicable to all organisms, specific examples drawn from the
human and nonhuman primate literature will be used as case studies. Topics will also include the genetic
basis for disease, pedigree analysis, and personal genomics. The course will be structured around lectures
and discussion with regular computer labs to provide firsthand experience working with anthropological
genetic topics and analyses of genetic data sets.
Note: This course can fulfill the elective course requirement for the BISC major, but does not fulfill the core 200
level course requirement for the major.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Instructor: Van Arsdale; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical
Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Every three years; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ANTH277/WRIT277 Title: True Stories: Ethnographic Writing for the Social Sciences and
Humanities
Do you like to "people watch"? Do you wish you could translate your real-world experiences into narratives that
are readable and relatable, and also intellectually rigorous? If so, you probably have an ethnographic writer
hiding somewhere inside you, and this class will give them the opportunity to emerge. Ethnography, a “written
document of culture,” has long been a key component of a cultural anthropologist’s tool-kit, and scholars in
other fields have recently begun to take up this practice. We will read classic and contemporary ethnographies
to better understand the theoretical and practical significance of these texts. Students will also have the unique
opportunity to be the authors and subjects of original ethnographic accounts, and at various stages in the
semester they will act as anthropologists and as informants. Although this course will emphasize an
anthropological method, it is appropriate for students from various disciplines who are looking to expand their
research skills and develop new ways to engage in scholarly writing.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 14; Prerequisites: Fulfillment of the First-Year Writing requirement. Not open to FirstYear students.; Instructor: Armstrong; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ANTH278 Title: Machines for Living and Structures of Feeling: Anthropological Approaches to
Design and Architecture
What can architecture and design tell anthropologists about culture? This seminar addresses this question
using a distinctly anthropological approach that focuses on topics as diverse as the ethnographic analysis of
vernacular architecture in rural Newfoundland, how the Danish notion of hygge (coziness) informs a culturally
distinct design aesthetic, and the ways in which city planning influences cultural identity in Boston. Students
engage in themed discussions and participate in case-based workshops that utilize foundational
anthropological practices including participant-observation, visual anthropology, and ethnographic writing to
form real-world dialogues about the cultural significance of design and architecture. Core anthropological
concepts such as cultural relativity, applied ethnography, globalization, and the anthropology of space and
place serve as the central themes for the course as we apply contemporary anthropological theory to crosscultural understandings of architecture and design.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Armstrong; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered; Notes: Wendy Judge Paulson '69 Ecology of Place Living Laboratory course.This course
does not satisfy the Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory requirement.;
Course ID: ANTH299 Title: Home and Away: Human Geography and the Cultural Dimensions of Space and
Place
Why are myths often tied to geography and why are particular locations charged with powerful cultural
meaning? This anthropological field course in Iceland explores the diverse ways that humans interact with their
surroundings to create culture. This intensive two-week excursion (followed by two weeks of follow-up
assignments) examines the cultural and geographic significance of Iceland's unique landscape and
settlements. Glacial lakes, bustling cities, remote fishing villages, and eerie lava fields provide the setting for an
introduction to the fascinating field of cultural geography. Students gain hands-on experience with methods of
cultural anthropology, including participant-observation, interviewing, writing field notes, photography, and
critical analysis. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, this course offers students a rare chance to conduct
ethnographic research in one of the most stunning places on Earth!
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 8; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Armstrong; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Summer; Notes: Not offered every year. Subject to
Provost's Office approval.;
Course ID: ANTH301 Title: Advanced Theory in Anthropology
This course introduces students to contemporary anthropology by tracing its historical development and its
specific application in ethnographic writing. It examines the social context in which each selected model or
"paradigm" took hold and the extent of cognitive sharing, by either intellectual borrowing or breakthrough. The
development of contemporary theory will be examined both as internal to the discipline and as a response to
changing intellectual climates and social milieu. The course will focus on each theory in action, as the
theoretical principles and methods apply to ethnographic case studies.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: ANTH 101 and at least one 200 level ANTH course, or permission
of the instructor.; Instructor: Walters (Fall), Ellison (Spring); Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and
Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Spring;
Course ID: ANTH302 Title: Museum Anthropology: Curating Equity and Representation
This seminar will immerse students in current developments in Museum Anthropology through an exploration
of the history of museum development, the role of museums in society, and the ethical considerations of
preservation and education. Under an anthropological lens, the history of development of museums in the
global North can be used to contextualize recent movements to decolonize the collection, curation, and
display of ethnographic and archaeological material. After researching up-to-date international exhibitions,
students will critically assess museum curation practices and then develop their own outreach projects in small
groups. This course will include virtual visits to New England area museums–including the MFA Boston,
Harvard Peabody Museum, and the Mashantucket Pequot Museum.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: One 100-level or 200-level Anthropology course.; Instructor:
Norton; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Spring;
Course ID: ANTH305/CAMS305 Title: Ethnographic Film
This seminar explores ethnographic film as a genre for representing "reality," anthropological knowledge and
cultural lives. We will examine how ethnographic film emerged in a particular intellectual and political economic
context as well as how subsequent conceptual and formal innovations have shaped the genre. We will also
consider social responses to ethnographic film in terms of the contexts for producing and circulating these
works; the ethical and political concerns raised by cross-cultural representation; and the development of
indigenous media and other practices in conversation with ethnographic film. Throughout the course, we will
situate ethnographic film within the larger project for representing "culture," addressing the status of
ethnographic film in relation to other documentary practices, including written ethnography, museum
exhibitions, and documentary film.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: ANTH 301 or two 200-level units in anthropology, cinema and
media studies, economics, history, political science, or sociology or permission of the instructor.; Instructor:
Staff; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other
year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ANTH310H Title: Wintersession in the Southern Balkans
This course aspires to familiarize students with the subtleties of national Balkan rifts and cultural divisions,
through international study in the Southern Balkans during Wintersession. The overall theme of the course will
center on national majorities and ethnic minorities. The cultural diversity of the area will be examined both as a
historical and as contemporary phenomenon. Students will be exposed to the legacy of the classical world, the
impact of Christianity and Islam, the role of European commercial empires, the impact of the European
Enlightenment in national movements, the emergence of modernization, and the socialist experiments in
Macedonia and Bulgaria. The course will also offer a critical overview of the politics of historical continuity and
the resurgence of Balkan nationalism during the last decade of the twentieth century.
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: ANTH 217 or ANTH 219, or some familiarity with the area.;
Instructor: Karakasidou; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods
Offered: Winter; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: Not offered every year. Subject to
Provost's Office approval.;
Course ID: ANTH314 Title: Human Biology and Society: Personal Genomics
Advances in genetic sequencing technology have dramatically reduced the cost of obtaining genomic data. As
a result, personal genomic information is now available and utilized at an ever-increasing pace. As an
anthropologist, the arrival of the “genomic age” raises important questions about how we approach and
understand the topic of what it means to be human. Never before have individuals had such direct access to
the raw data at the core of their own biology. This class will examine personal genomics from a biocultural
anthropology perspective, simultaneously dealing with the question of what personal genomics has to offer
and what consequences arise given the availability of genomic information. The important distinction between
information and knowledge, uncertainty and determinism, and the ethical and legal apparatus around
genomics will be examined through the use of genomic case studies focused on issues of health and ancestry.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: ANTH 102 or ANTH 214, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor:
Van Arsdale; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every
three years; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ANTH319 Title: Nationalism, Politics, and the Use of the Remote Past
This seminar critically examines the use of prehistory and antiquity for the construction of accounts of national
origins, historical claims to specific territories, or the biased assessment of specific peoples. The course
begins with an examination of the phenomenon of nationalism and the historically recent emergence of
contemporary nation-states. It then proceeds comparatively, selectively examining politically motivated
appropriations of the remote past that either were popular earlier in this century or have ongoing relevance for
some of the ethnic conflicts raging throughout the world today. The course will attempt to develop criteria for
distinguishing credible and acceptable reconstructions of the past from those that are unbelievable and/or
dangerous.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: One 200-level unit in anthropology, economics, political science,
sociology, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Karakasidou; Distribution Requirements: HS - Historical
Studies; SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ANTH321 Title: Anthropology of the Senses
People’s senses—their capabilities to apprehend the world through touch, smell, taste, feeling, and hearing—
seem to define human experiences, uniting us in one great common condition. At the same time, many have
argued that the senses are understood—and indeed experienced—differently across disparate contexts. What
does it mean to consider that what we take to be among the most foundational and universal aspects of
human engagement with the world might be culturally, historically and socially constituted? This course
introduces students to the scholarship of sensory experience—an interdisciplinary field that we will center on
anthropology, but that also involves performance studies, arts and media studies. It explores the basic
question of how to produce scholarly knowledge about embodied sensory experience that in many ways
seems to defy the descriptive capacities of the written word.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: ANTH 101 and two 200-level courses in anthropology or
permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ANTH333 Title: Seminar: Taking, Keeping, Giving: Anthropologies of Exchange
From giant, immovable stone currency on the Pacific island of Yap to accumulating 'likes' on social media, we
occupy a world of exchange where our everyday lives are mediated through the transfer of objects, ideas, and
various forms of capital. This seminar examines the cross-cultural understanding of exchange from an
anthropological perspective with particular attention paid to gift-giving, social and cultural capital, money, and
the transmission of knowledge across space and time. Drawing on the work of Malinowski, Bourdieu, Marx,
Mauss, Derrida and many other anthropologists and philosophers, we will unpack the hidden dimensions of
taking, keeping and giving as key elements of culture.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: ANTH 101, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Armstrong;
Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every three years;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ANTH341 Title: Indigenous Resurgence
This seminar examines the comparative politics and lived experiences of indigeneity and centers the work of
Indigenous scholars, activists, and artists. We cover topics ranging from Spanish reducciones and ideologies
of mestizaje in the Americas to debates over the limits of legal recognition under “neoliberal multiculturalism”
in Australia and Indonesia, and from Indigenous sovereignty in the U.S. to the rise of Bolivia’s President Evo
Morales and his efforts to put a Pro-Pachamama (a vital force often glossed as Mother Earth) platform on the
global stage. Further, we will study Indigenous efforts to decolonize knowledge production, including the
discipline of anthropology itself. In the process, we will address settler colonialism, struggles over authenticity,
political recognition, and citizenship, efforts to decolonize gender and sexuality, and the antecedents of
contemporary language revitalization and political movements.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Two 200-level units in anthropology, economics, history, political
science, or sociology, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Ellison; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ANTH345/MUS345 Title: Introduction to Ethnomusicology: The Anthropology of Music
What happens when we study music and sound from an anthropological framework? Ethnomusicology, or the
cultural study of music and sound, seeks to do just that. Through a hands-on approach to music research, this
course has three aims: 1) to give students the opportunity of doing ethnographic research in a local
community; 2) to explore key concepts pertaining to ethnomusicology and the anthropology of sound; 3) to
work together to create a good working atmosphere in which students can share ongoing research with each
other. Students will gain experience doing fieldwork as participant observers; taking notes and writing up field
journals; recording and transcribing interviews; and conducting secondary research online and in the library.
Each student will conduct regular visits to a local music group or community of their choice. Past projects have
focused on Senegalese drumming, musical healing circles, and hip-hop dance groups. The semester will
culminate in a final presentation and paper (15 pages) based on the student’s research.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: MUS 100 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Goldschmitt;
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ANTH346 Title: Seminar: Doing Well, Doing Good? The Political Lives of NGOs
From de-mining countries to rehabilitating child soldiers, from channeling donations for AIDS orphans to
coordinating relief efforts in the wake of natural disasters, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are
ubiquitous. They provide essential services once thought to be the purview of the state, and increasingly
champion entrepreneurial approaches to poverty reduction. NGOs are also subject to heated debate and
increased surveillance within the countries where they operate. This seminar brings a critical anthropological
lens to bear on the work of NGOs, connecting global trends, donor platforms, and aid workers to the everyday
experiences of people targeted by NGO projects.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: One 200-level unit in anthropology, economics, history, political
science, or sociology, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Ellison; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ANTH350 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Open to juniors and seniors.; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Course ID: ANTH350H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 10; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Open to juniors and seniors.;
Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: ANTH360 Title: Senior Thesis Research
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the department.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research
(360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty member. If
sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second semester.;
Course ID: ANTH370 Title: Senior Thesis
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: ANTH 360 and permission of the department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior
Thesis Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty
member. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second
semester.;
Architecture
An Interdepartmental Major
A major in architecture offers the opportunity for study of architectural history and practice through an
interdisciplinary program. Following the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius’ advice on the education of the
architect, the program encourages students to familiarize themselves with a broad range of subjects in the
humanities, sciences, and social sciences. Students may also elect courses in studio art, mathematics, and
physics that lead to the appreciation of the principles of design and the fundamental techniques of
architecture.
Architecture Major
Goals for the Architecture Major
The goals of the Architecture major are threefold:
To develop skills in design and spatial thinking through the practices of drawing, design, modeling,
and digital media production
To understand architecture and urban form in their historical contexts
To have an appreciation of the roles of client, program, and economic conditions on the practice of
architecture and the shaping of the built environment
Requirements for the Architecture Major
Students considering an Architecture major should choose an advisor in their area of concentration and work
out a program of study.
The Architecture major consists of 11 units, which may be weighted toward architectural history or studio
investigation.
The following courses are required:
ARTH 100 or WRIT 107. There is no exemption from this requirement by Advanced Placement, or by
International Baccalaureate, or by an exemption examination.
ARTS 105 and ARTS 113
ARTH 200 or ARTH 231 or ARTH 228 or ARTS 216
Two additional intermediate courses in architectural history, studio art, or design (200 level)
Two advanced courses in architectural history, studio art, or architectural design (300 level). At least
one of these units must be taken in the Department of Art at Wellesley.
Two additional courses related to architecture
Learning Outcomes
Architecture majors will:
1. acquire knowledge of the historical, political, economic, and cultural contexts that have shaped
architecture and urban form across time and in diverse cultures and geographies.
2. demonstrate an understanding of historically and geographically specific design and construction
methods and building typologies.
3. apply interdisciplinary methodologies, critical theories, and professional ethical codes to interpreting
architecture and urban form.
4. acquire first-hand experience of studio practice in architecture whether or not they intend to specialize
in this aspect of the profession.
5. develop the skills of visual, formal, material, and spatial analysis.
6. conduct research in primary and secondary sources and be able to distinguish between reliable and
unreliable sources.
7. demonstrate mastery of this knowledge and these skills in persuasively argued and clearly written
essays and presentations and in studio investigations.
Notes:
Courses in Sociology, Anthropology, Philosophy, and Women’s and Gender Studies may also apply. Consult
your advisor. MIT and Olin College courses may also be applicable to the major. See Department of Art
website for recommended courses at Wellesley, MIT, and Olin.
Honors in Architecture
Departmental honors in Architecture is earned by the demonstration of excellence in both coursework and in a
self-directed thesis. Students have a choice of pursuing a thesis project in history/theory or pursuing a studiobased project. In either case, the student will complete two units of independent study/thesis (ARCH 360/370)
in the Fall and Spring of their senior year. Students interested in pursuing a senior thesis should refer to the
requirements and guidelines posted on the Architecture major page of the Art Department website under
"Thesis & Independent Study."
Transfer Credit in Architecture
Although courses at MIT are not required for the major, the MIT-Wellesley exchange provides a unique
opportunity for students to elect advanced courses in design and construction. Students are also encouraged
to consider travel or international study as important aspects of their education in architecture. Normally, no
more than three units of transfer credit—two units at the 200 level and one unit taken at MIT at the 300 level—
may be applied toward the minimum requirements for the major.
Courses for Credit Toward the Architecture Major
The following courses are recommended to students designing a program of study in architecture. Additional
courses may be applicable and some courses are not offered yearly, so each student should develop her
program of study in active consultation with her advisor.
History of Art
ARTH 200
Architecture and Urban Form
1.0
ARTH 203
Iraq's Antiquities, Then and Now
1.0
ARTH 206
American Art, Architecture, and Design: 1600-1950
1.0
ARTH 209
Art and Architecture of Ancient Nubia
1.0
ARTH 217
Historic Preservation: Theory and Practice
1.0
ARTH 228
Modern Architecture
1.0
ARTH 231
Architecture and Urbanism in North America
1.0
ARTH 238
Chinese Art and Architecture
1.0
ARTH 239 / SAS 239
Art and Architecture of South Asia
1.0
ARTH 240
Asian Art and Architecture
1.0
ARTH 241
Egyptian Art and Archaeology
1.0
ARTH 242
Home by Design: Houses, Villas, and Palaces in the
Roman Empire
1.0
ARTH 245
House and Home: Domestic Architecture, Interiors, and
Material Life in North America, 1600-1900
1.0
ARTH 247
Introduction to Islamic Art and Architecture
1.0
ARTH 249
Japanese Art and Architecture
1.0
ARTH 259
The Art and Architecture of the European Enlightenment
1.0
ARTH 266
New Perspectives on the Global City
1.0
ARTH 267 / ES 267
Art and the Environmental Imagination
1.0
ARTH 289
Nineteenth-Century European Art
1.0
ARTH 304
Seminar: Villas and Country Houses from Antiquity to
Present
1.0
ARTH 309
Seminar: Spiritual Space: Modern Houses of Worship
1.0
ARTH 310
Seminar: The Extraordinary Interior
1.0
ARTH 317
Seminar: Historic Preservation: Theory and Practice
1.0
ARTH 318
Seminar: New England Arts and Architecture
1.0
ARTH 320
Seminar: Frank Lloyd Wright: Modern Architecture and
New Ways of Living
1.0
ARTH 321
Seminar. Making Space: Gender, Sexuality and the
Design of Houses
1.0
ARTH 322
Seminar: The Bauhaus
1.0
ARTH 345
House and Home: Domestic Architecture, Interiors, and
Material Life in North America, 1600-1900
1.0
ARTH 376
Seminar: Local Stories: Research in Boston-Area
Museums and Libraries
1.0
ARTS 105
Drawing I
1.0
ARTS 109
Two-Dimensional Design
1.0
ARTS 113
Three-Dimensional Design
1.0
Studio Art
ARTS 205
The Graphic Impulse: Mediated Drawing
1.0
ARTS 207
Sculpture I
1.0
ARTS 216
Spatial Investigations
1.0
ARTS 217
Life Drawing
1.0
ARTS 219
Introductory Print Methods: Lithography/Screenprint
1.0
ARTS 220
Introductory Print Methods: Intaglio/Relief
1.0
ARTS 221 / CAMS 239
Digital Imaging
1.0
ARTS 222
Introductory Print Methods: Typography/Book Arts
1.0
ARTS 255 / CAMS 255
Dynamic Interface Design
1.0
ARTS 307
Advanced Sculptural Practices
1.0
ARTS 314
Advanced Drawing
1.0
ARTS 317H
Advanced Independent Senior Projects
0.5
ARTS 318H
Advanced Independent Senior Projects
0.5
ARTS 321 / CAMS 321
Advanced New Media
1.0
ARTS 322
Advanced Print Concepts
1.0
ARTS 336 / MUS 336
From Mark to Sound, From Sound to Mark: Music,
Drawing, and Architecture
1.0
ARTS 366 / CAMS 366
Advanced Projects in Film and Architecture
1.0
MIT
The following introductory courses (200-level) may be taken for credit toward the major:
4.021* Design Studio: How to Design or 4.02A (an IAP version of the same course)
4.022* Design Studio: Introduction to Design Techniques and Technologies
4.401
Environmental Technologies in Building
4.500
Design Computation: Art, Objects and Space
The following advanced courses (300-level) may be taken for credit toward the major (one unit only):
4.023
Architecture Design Studio I
4.024
Architecture Design Studio II
4.411
D-Lab Schools: Building Technology Laboratory
4.440J Introduction to Structural Design
*Note: courses marked with * are counted “within the Department of Art”; all others are counted as courses
outside the department.
Other MIT Course 4 (Architecture) and Course 11 (Urban Studies & Planning) courses may be approved for
credit in the major. Students should speak with their advisor and petition the Co-Directors of Architecture for
approval.
Olin
ENGR 2141 Engineering for Humanity
Mathematics
MATH 115
Calculus I
1.0
MATH 116
Calculus II
1.0
MATH 120
Calculus IIA
1.0
MATH 205
Multivariable Calculus
1.0
Note: More advanced courses may also be counted toward the major.
Physics
PHYS 104
Fundamentals of Mechanics with Laboratory
1.25
PHYS 107
Principles and Applications of Mechanics with
Laboratory
1.25
Scenic Design
1.0
Theatre Studies
THST 209
ARCH Courses
Course ID: ARCH350 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Open to juniors and seniors.; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: ARCH360 Title: Senior Thesis Research
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the directors and advisory committee.; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Students enroll in
Senior Thesis Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a
faculty member. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second
semester.;
Course ID: ARCH370 Title: Senior Thesis
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: ARCH 360 and permission of the directors and the advisory
committee.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes:
Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the
supervision of a faculty member. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370)
in the second semester.;
Art History
Programs of study in the Department of Art are deeply integrated with Wellesley College's overall liberal arts
educational mission. The ability to understand the way visual information and physical space have been
constructed, presented, and construed throughout history is vital in today's world. The Department of Art is
committed to equipping students with the knowledge and skills to navigate, understand, and shape the
increasingly mediated and complex visual and physical environments around us. A critical awareness of visual
culture, a breadth of knowledge of art in its historical and global contexts, and explorations in practice enable
students to make unexpected and transformative connections among images, ideas, materials, and histories.
The Department's close relationship with the Davis Museum is critical to our goals, as are the study trips to
Boston, New York, and elsewhere that we arrange for our students.
Within the Department of Art, students may choose to major in Art History or Studio Art. Students may also
consider pursuing a major in one of the related interdepartmental majors: Architecture, Media Arts and
Sciences, and Cinema and Media Studies.
The study of art is an integral component of a strong liberal arts curriculum. Those majoring in the Department
of Art develop:
A more critical awareness of visual culture as well as enhanced visual literacy
A sophisticated understanding of art, its history, and the philosophical and cultural conditions that
shape it
An understanding of the breadth of knowledge and complexity of art and its global practices
A well-considered, original body of work, written and/or visual, in preparation for advanced study
Art History Major
Learning Goals
Art History majors will:
Acquire knowledge of major art and architectural traditions across the globe and from antiquity to the
present day
Apply interdisciplinary methodologies, critical theories, and professional ethical codes to interpret art
and architecture
Develop the skills of visual, formal, material, and spatial analysis
Conduct research in the field and in primary and secondary textual sources
Demonstrate mastery of this knowledge and these skills in persuasively argued and clearly written
essays and presentations
Requirements for the Art History Major
An Art History major consists of a minimum of ten units. Students considering a major in Art History should
choose an adviser and devise a program of study with them. The minimum major must be constructed
according to the following guidelines:
ARTH 100 or WRIT 107. Advanced Placement or transfer credit will not be accepted in fulfillment of this
requirement.
One of the following courses in Studio Art: ARTS 105, ARTS 108/CAMS 138, ARTS 109, ARTS 112,
ARTS 113, ARTS 165/CAMS 135.
A minimum of eight further units in Art History to make a total of ten units. At least two of the eight units
must be 300-level courses. Students may elect to pursue an ARTH 350, but may not substitute this
course for one of the 300-level courses. Among the eight units must be courses that satisfy the
following requirements:
1. One course in the Americas: ARTH 206, ARTH 225, ARTH 231, ARTH 234, ARTH 236, ARTH 237,
ARTH 245, ARTH 262, ARTH 267/ES 267, AFR 292/ARTH 292, ARTH 303, ARTH 309, ARTH 310,
ARTH 314, ARTH 315, AFR 316/ARTH 316, ARTH 317, ARTH 318, ARTH 320, ARTH 321, ARTH 334,
ARTH 336, ARTH 339, ARTH 345, ARTH 376, ARTH 378
2. One course in Africa, the Middle East, or Europe: ARTH 110Y, ARTH 123, ARTH 203, ARTH 209,
ARTH 212, ARTH 222/MAS 222, ARTH 224, ARTH 226/CAMS 207, ARTH 227, ARTH 228,
ARTH 229, ARTH 235, ARTH 241, ARTH 242, ARTH 243, ARTH 244, ARTH 246, ARTH 247,
ARTH 251, ARTH 256, ARTH 259, AFR 264/ARTH 264, ARTH 289, ARTH 290, AFR 292/ARTH 292,
ARTH 299, ARTH 301, ARTH 303, ARTH 304, ARTH 309, ARTH 310, ARTH 312, ARTH 315,
ARTH 321, ARTH 322, ARTH 323, ARTH 325, ARTH 326, ARTH 328, ARTH 330, ARTH 335,
ARTH 336, ARTH 343, ARTH 347, ARTH 373/CLCV 373, ARTH 397, WRIT 149
3. One course in Asia: ARTH 212, ARTH 229, ARTH 238, ARTH 239/SAS 239, ARTH 240, ARTH 248,
ARTH 249, ARTH 255, ARTH 257, ARTH 337, ARTH 341, ARTH 346, ARTH 347, ARTH 397
4. Three courses in the period before 1800: ARTH 110Y, ARTH 123, ARTH 200, ARTH 203, ARTH 206,
ARTH 209, ARTH 217, ARTH 222/MAS 222, ARTH 227, ARTH 229, ARTH 235, ARTH 236,
ARTH 238, ARTH 239/SAS 239, ARTH 240, ARTH 241, ARTH 242, ARTH 243, ARTH 244,
ARTH 245, ARTH 246, ARTH 247, ARTH 248, ARTH 249, ARTH 251, ARTH 256, ARTH 259,
ARTH 290, ARTH 304, ARTH 323, ARTH 325, ARTH 326, ARTH 328, ARTH 330, ARTH 336,
ARTH 337, ARTH 341, ARTH 343, ARTH 345, ARTH 346, ARTH 347, ARTH 373/CLCV 373, ARTH
378
5. One course in the period after 1800: ARTH 200, ARTH 206, ARTH 212, ARTH 224, ARTH 225,
ARTH 226/CAMS 207, ARTH 228, ARTH 231, ARTH 234, ARTH 237, ARTH 245, ARTH 255,
ARTH 262, ARTH 267/ES 267, ARTH 289, AFR 292/ARTH 292, ARTH 301, ARTH 303, ARTH 304,
ARTH 309, ARTH 310, ARTH 312, ARTH 314, ARTH 315, AFR 316/ARTH 316, ARTH 317,
ARTH 318, ARTH 320, ARTH 321, ARTH 322, ARTH 324/PHIL 324, ARTH 334, ARTH 335,
ARTH 339, ARTH 345, ARTH 376, ARTH 377, ARTH 390, ARTH 391, ARTH 397
ARTH 100, the Studio courses, and both 300-level courses must be taken at Wellesley. However, if approved by the Registrar and
the Department’s Transfer Credit Adviser, a maximum of two courses taken at other institutions may be used to meet other major
requirements.
Although the Department does not encourage over-specialization, by careful choice of related courses a
student may plan a field of concentration emphasizing one period or area. Students interested in such a plan
should consult their advisers as early as possible. Majors are also encouraged to take courses in the
language, culture, and history of the areas associated with their specific fields of interest.
Honors in Art History
A senior thesis in Art History involves substantial, independent, year-long research, normally resulting in a
professional paper of between 50-100 pages in length. For students who have a clear idea of what they want to
investigate, a well-considered plan of research, and a willingness to accept the responsibility of working
independently, a senior thesis can be a rewarding experience. Candidates for departmental honors in Art
History complete a senior thesis in two units of independent study/thesis (ARTH 360/ARTH 370) undertaken in
the fall and spring of the senior year. Admission to the honors program in the Department is by application for
students with a 3.5 GPA in the major and a minimum of five units in Art History above the 100 level. Four of the
five units must be taken in the Department, and one of the five units must be at the 300 level (a 350 does not
count). Further information is available on the Department website.
Graduate Study in Art History
Discuss your interest in graduate study in Art History, and how to prepare for it, with your adviser as early as
possible during your time at Wellesley. Most graduate programs require students to pass foreign language
exams in the language of their concentration within the first year, so you should take additional courses while
at Wellesley to prepare for this.
Students interested in graduate study in conservation should investigate requirements for entrance into
conservation programs. Most programs require college-level chemistry and a strong Studio Art background in
addition to Art History cousrework.
Art History Minor
Requirements for the Minor
An Art History minor consists of a minimum of six units. Students considering a minor in Art History should
choose an adviser and devise a program of study with them. The minimum minor must be constructed
according to the following guidelines:
ARTH 100 or WRIT 107. Advanced Placement or transfer credit will not be accepted in fulfillment of this
requirement.
A minimum of five further units in Art History to make a total of six units. At least two of the five units
must be 300-level courses. Students may elect to pursue an ARTH 350, but may not substitute this
course for one of the 300-level courses. Among the five units must be courses that satisfy the following
requirements:
1. One course in the Americas: ARTH 206, ARTH 225, ARTH 231, ARTH 234, ARTH 236, ARTH 237,
ARTH 245, ARTH 262, ARTH 267/ES 267, AFR 292,ARTH 292, ARTH 303, ARTH 309, ARTH 310,
ARTH 314, ARTH 315, AFR 316/ARTH 316, ARTH 317, ARTH 318, ARTH 320, ARTH 321, ARTH 334,
ARTH 336, ARTH 339, ARTH 345, ARTH 376
2. One course in Africa, the Middle East, or Europe: ARTH 110Y, ARTH 203, ARTH 209, ARTH 212,
ARTH 222/MAS 222, ARTH 224, ARTH 226/CAMS 207, ARTH 227, ARTH 228, ARTH 229,
ARTH 235, ARTH 241, ARTH 242, ARTH 243, ARTH 244, ARTH 246, ARTH 247, ARTH 251,
ARTH 256, ARTH 259, AFR 264/ARTH 264, ARTH 289, ARTH 290, ARTH 292/AFR 292, ARTH 299,
ARTH 301, ARTH 303, ARTH 304, ARTH 309, ARTH 310, ARTH 312, ARTH 315, ARTH 321,
ARTH 322, ARTH 323, ARTH 325, ARTH 326, ARTH 328, ARTH 330, ARTH 335, ARTH 336,
ARTH 343, ARTH 347, ARTH 373/CLCV 373, ARTH 397, WRIT 149
3. One course in Asia: ARTH 212, ARTH 229, ARTH 238, ARTH 239/SAS 239, ARTH 240, ARTH 248,
ARTH 249, ARTH 255, ARTH 257, ARTH 337, ARTH 341, ARTH 346, ARTH 347, ARTH 397
4. One course in the period before 1800: ARTH 110Y, ARTH 200, ARTH 203, ARTH 206, ARTH 209,
ARTH 217, ARTH 222/MAS 222, ARTH 227, ARTH 229, ARTH 235, ARTH 236, ARTH 238,
ARTH 239/SAS 239, ARTH 240, ARTH 241, ARTH 242, ARTH 243, ARTH 244, ARTH 245,
ARTH 246, ARTH 247, ARTH 248, ARTH 249, ARTH 251, ARTH 256, ARTH 259, ARTH 290,
ARTH 304, ARTH 323, ARTH 325, ARTH 326, ARTH 328, ARTH 330, ARTH 336, ARTH 337,
ARTH 341, ARTH 343, ARTH 345, ARTH 346, ARTH 347, ARTH 373/CLCV 373
5. One course in the period after 1800: ARTH 200, ARTH 206, ARTH 212, ARTH 224, ARTH 225,
ARTH 226/CAMS 207, ARTH 228, ARTH 231, ARTH 234, ARTH 237, ARTH 245, ARTH 255,
ARTH 262, ARTH 267/ES 267, ARTH 289, ARTH 292/AFR 292, ARTH 301, ARTH 303, ARTH 304,
ARTH 309, ARTH 310, ARTH 312, ARTH 314, ARTH 315, AFR 316/ARTH 316, ARTH 317,
ARTH 318, ARTH 320, ARTH 321, ARTH 322, ARTH 334, ARTH 335, ARTH 339, ARTH 345,
ARTH 376, ARTH 377, ARTH 390, ARTH 391, ARTH 397
ARTH 100 and both 300-level courses must be taken at Wellesley. However, if pre-approved by the Registrar
and the Department's Transfer Credit Adviser, a maximum of two courses at the 200-level taken at other
institutions may be used to meet the other minor requirements.
The Department does not encourage over-specialization in any one area; requirements for the major and
minor have been designed to encourage breadth and depth and expose students to art from as many times
and places as possible. Students should work with their advisers to plan their curriculum, and expect to revise
it regularly according to the specific courses offered each semester. Under exceptional circ*mstances, and
only by petition to the ARTH program director, we may consider an alternative to a specific requirement, but
there is no guarantee that petition will be successful.
Requirements for the Art History / Studio Art Double Major
A double major in Art History and Studio Art must elect ARTH 100 or WRIT 107, eight additional units in Studio
Art (following the requirements for the Studio major) and eight additional units in Art History, for a total of
seventeen units. A minimum of two courses must be taken at the 300-level in Art History, and a minimum of
two courses must be taken at the 300-level in Studio. The Art History requirements for the double major follow
the requirements of the Art History major with two exceptions: 1) two (instead of three) courses are required
that focus on the period before 1800; 2) two (instead of one) courses are required in nineteenth- to twenty-firstcentury art specifically. Therefore, the requirements are as follows:
1. One course in the Americas
2. One course in Africa, the Middle East, or Europe
3. One course in Asia
4. Two courses in the period before 1800
5. Two courses in nineteenth- to twenty-first-century art: students should consult with their advisers to
determine the courses best suited to fill these two units
Note: For the purposes of meeting the "17 units" requirement (See Academic Program, Other Requirements or
Articles of Legislation, Book II, Article I, Section 8, A), Art History and Studio Art are considered separate
departments. Courses in Studio Art are counted as units "outside the department" for Art History majors and
courses in Art History are counted as courses "outside the department" for Studio Art majors.
ARTH Courses
Course ID: AFR264/ARTH264 Title: African Art: Powers, Passages, Performances
As an introduction to the arts and architecture of Africa, this course explores the meaning and the contexts of
production within a variety of religious and political systems found throughout the continent, from Ethiopia, the
Democratic Republic of Congo, and Mali, to name a few. We will consider important topics such as the ancient
art outside the Nile Valley sphere, symbols of the power of royalty, and the aesthetic and spiritual differences in
masquerade traditions. We will pay special attention to traditional visual representations in relation to
contemporary African artists and art institutions.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Greene; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual
Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: AFR292/ARTH292 Title: African Art and the Diaspora: From Ancient Concepts to Postmodern
Identities
We will investigate the transmission and transformation of African art and culture and their ongoing significant
impact on the continent, in Europe, and in the Americas. This course explores the arts of primarily western and
central Africa, including the communities of the Bakongo, Yoruba, and Mande, among many others. The
influences of early European contact, the Middle Passage, colonialism, and postcolonialism have affected art
production and modes of representation in Africa and the African Diaspora for centuries. Documentary and
commercial films will assist in framing these representations. The study of contemporary art and artists
throughout the African Diaspora will allow for a particularly intriguing examination of postmodern constructions
of African identity.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. ARTH 100 recommended.; Instructor: Greene; Distribution
Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AFR316/ARTH316 Title: Seminar: The Body: Race and Gender in Contemporary Art
This course charts past and present artistic mediations of racial, ethnic, and gendered experiences throughout
the world, using the rubric of the body. In the struggle to understand the relation between self and other, artists
have critically engaged with the images that define our common sense of belonging, ranging from a rejection
of stereotypes to their appropriations, from the discovery of alternative histories to the rewriting of dominant
narratives, from the concepts of difference to theories of diversity. The ultimate goal of the course is to find
ways of adequately imagining and imaging various identities today. We will discuss socio-political discourses,
including essentialism, structuralism, postmodernism, and post-colonialism and we will question the validity of
such concepts as diaspora, nationalism, transnationalism, and identity in an era of global politics that
celebrates the hybrid self.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: ARTH 100 or a 200-level ARTH course or a 200-level AFR course
or a visual culture course.; Instructor: Greene; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater,
Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes:
Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking Intensive Course.;
Course ID: ARTH100 Title: The Power of Images: An Introduction to Art and its Histories
Art matters. Because images, buildings, and environments shape our ways of understanding our world and
ourselves, learning how to look closely and analyze what you see is a fundamental life skill. Within a global
frame, this course provides an introduction to art and its histories through a series of case studies from the
ancient world to the present day. Through the case studies, we will explore concepts of gender and race,
cultural appropriation, political propaganda, materials and media, questions of cultural ownership and
repatriation, and other historical issues relevant to our current art world. Site visits and assignments will
engage with the rich art and architectural resources of Wellesley's campus.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Liu, Oles (Fall); Bedell, Greene, Brey (Spring);
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall; Notes: This course is open to all students; it is
required for all Art History, Architecture, and Studio Majors.;
Course ID: ARTH110Y Title: First-Year Seminar: Michelangelo: Artist and Myth
This first-year seminar examines the Italian Renaissance artist Michelangelo Buonarroti (1474-1564). Although
he is best known as a sculptor and painter, Michelangelo was also a poet, architect, civil engineer, and
diplomat driven by complex artistic, religious, political, and economic motivations. His long career provides a
framework for understanding the Italian Renaissance, and the mythology surrounding that career provides
insight into changing perceptions of the artist and the individual during that time. We will focus on works of art
and contemporary texts, as well as real or virtual visits to Wellesley’s Special Collections, Papermaking Studio,
and Book Arts Lab, as well as Harvard's Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments and the Museum of Fine
Arts in Boston.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 13; Prerequisites: None. Open to First-Years only.; Instructor: Musacchio;
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Other Categories: FYS - First
Year Seminar; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ARTH123 Title: Ancient Jewelry from the Mediterranean to the Museum
Jewelry is art made to adorn the human body, and designs from the ancient Mediterranean have inspired
artists for thousands of years. This introductory course analyzes the creation and use of jewelry from 2,600
BCE to 800 CE. Case studies drawn from the connected Mediterranean world will compare the traditions of
neighboring peoples such as the Egyptians, Assyrians, Romans, and Celts. Readings will introduce these
communities and the meanings they gave to symbols, metals, and gemstones. Lectures will consider how
adornment expressed gender, asserted freedom, and attracted magical protection. Class discussions will
critique the history of excavating, collecting, and exhibiting this portable art now held by museums around the
world. Assignments will develop the skill of conducting research in museum databases.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. Not open to students who have taken ARTH 323.; Instructor:
Cassibry; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods
Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ARTH200 Title: Architecture and Urban Form
An introduction to the study of architecture and the built environment. This course is limited to majors or
prospective majors in architecture, art history, studio art, or urban studies, or to those students with a serious
interest in theoretical and methodological approaches to those fields.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual
Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ARTH203 Title: Iraq's Antiquities, Then and Now
This course explores the rich libraries, splendid palaces, and innovative public monuments that emerged in
ancient Iraq between 3,300 BCE and 500 BCE. The royal jewels from the cemetery at Ur, the Law Code of
Hammurabi, and the palatial sculptures from Nineveh feature among the case studies. The course also
critiques international claims to these and other Iraqi antiquities, with a focus on their excavation by European
empires and American universities; their acquisition by “encyclopedic” museums; and the digital colonialism of
current replication schemes. We conclude by looking at the work of Iraqi-American artist Michael Rakowitz,
who has recreated many antiquities to protest their varied display and ongoing destruction. Students leave the
course understanding how Iraq's ancient art and architecture have been used to negotiate power from
antiquity to the present day.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. Prior coursework in Art History, Classical Civilization, or
Middle Eastern Studies recommended.; Instructor: Cassibry; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts,
Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ARTH206 Title: American Art, Architecture, and Design: 1600-1950
This course will explore artistic expression in America from the time of European contact to the mid-twentieth
century. Proceeding both thematically and chronologically, the course will highlight the range of diverse
practices and media Americans deployed to define, shape, enact, and represent their changing experience.
We will explore mapping and the platting of towns during the 17th and 18th centuries; the role of portraiture in
colonial society; gender and domestic interiors; landscape painting and national identity; print culture,
photography and the industrialized image; utopian societies and reform; World's Fairs, city planning, and
urban culture; moving images, advertising, and mass consumption. As much as possible, the class will include
site visits to area museums and historic landscapes.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. ARTH 100 recommended.; Instructor: McNamara;
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH209 Title: Ancient Nubia
The majestic and powerful Black African empires of Ancient Nubia, located on the Nile to the south of Egypt in
present-day Sudan, have either been ignored by mainstream scholarship or subsumed under Egyptian culture.
Yet, Ancient Nubia produced more pyramids than Egypt, colossal sculpture, magnificent gold jewelry and
monumental architecture that, to date, remains unparalleled. This course will begin with the Nubian Neolithic
Period (ca. 6,000 BCE) with its sensational abstract ceramics and human sculpture and end with art of the
great cosmopolitan city of Meroe in ca. 350 CE. It will touch on aspects of colonialism, feminism and
museology. Conditions permitting, one session will meet at the Museum of Fine Arts, home to the finest
collection of Nubian Art outside Sudan.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. ARTH 100 or ANTH 103/CLCV 103 recommended.;
Instructor: Freed; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH212 Title: Modernism and Islamic Art
Beginning in the nineteenth century, the practices of artists, craftsmen, and architects throughout Muslimmajority regions were transformed by industrialization, colonialism, and the emergence of the museum as an
institution. Through the study of a variety of visual, spatial, and time-based media, students in this course
investigate the local, national, and transnational concepts that shaped the production and reception of modern
and contemporary visual cultures throughout the Islamic world. While the Middle East, North Africa, and Iran
constitute the geographic focus of the course, case studies may also consider images, objects, and
monuments produced in West Africa, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia. Key topics include visual responses to
colonialism, engagements with global centers of modernism, popular visual cultures, articulations of national
and secular identities, and the reuse of prototypes drawn from real or imagined Islamic pasts.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. ARTH 100 recommended.; Instructor: Brey; Distribution
Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Every three years;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH217 Title: Historic Preservation: Theory and Practice
This course will explore the theory and practice of historic preservation. Beginning with a focus on the history
of preservation in the United States, we will trace the development of legal, economic, public policy, and
cultural frameworks that have shaped attitudes and approaches toward preservation of the built environment.
To ground these theoretical discussions, we will use the greater Boston area as a laboratory for understanding
the benefits and challenges of historic preservation. Students will engage in both individual and group projects
that will emphasize field study of buildings and landscapes, archival research, planning, and advocacy. The
course is designed for Architecture and Art History majors, but could also be of interest to students in History,
American Studies, Environmental Studies, and Political Science.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: 200-level course in Architectural History preferred. Not open to
students who have completed ARTH 317.; Instructor: McNamara; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts,
Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Every three years; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered; Notes: This course is also offered at the 300-level as ARTH 317.;
Course ID: ARTH222/MAS222 Title: Network Analysis for Art History
In the past decade, historians of art have increasingly turned to network analysis as a tool to investigate the
production and reception of visual and material culture. Combining analytical readings with hands-on tutorials,
this course introduces students to the conceptual and technical frameworks of network analysis as they apply
to artifacts, works of art, and popular visual culture, as well as the people who made and experienced these
images, objects, and monuments. Students will learn to model and analyze networks through the lens of art
historical and material culture case studies. Topics may include social networks, geospatial networks, similarity
networks, and dynamic networks. Case studies will range from arts of the Ancient Americas to manuscript
workshops in Mughal India and Medieval France.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the
Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement. ARTH 100 recommended.; Instructor: Brey; Distribution
Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not
Offered;
Course ID: ARTH224 Title: Modern Art to 1945
An examination of modern art from the 1880s to World War II, including the major movements of the historical
avant-garde (such as cubism, expressionism, Dada, and surrealism) as well as alternate practices. Painting,
sculpture, photography, cinema, and the functional arts will be discussed. Framing the course are critical
issues, including merging technologies, colonialism, global exchange, the art market and gender, national,
and cultural identities.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. ARTH 100 recommended.; Instructor: Berman; Distribution
Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Spring;
Course ID: ARTH225 Title: Modern Art Since 1945
An analysis of art since World War II, examining painting, sculpture, photography, performance, video, film,
conceptual practices, social and intermedial practices, and the mass media. Critical issues to be examined
include the art market, feminist art practices, the politics of identity, and artistic freedom and censorship.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. ARTH 100 recommended.; Instructor: Berman; Distribution
Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH226/CAMS207 Title: History of Photography: From Invention to Media Age
Photography is so much a part of our private and public lives, and it plays such an influential role in our
environment, that we often forget to examine its aesthetics, meanings, and histories. This course provides an
introduction to these analyses by examining the history of photography from the 1830s to the present.
Considering fine arts and mass media practices, the class will examine the works of individual practitioners as
well as the emergence of technologies, aesthetic directions, markets, and meanings.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. ARTH 100 strongly recommended.; Instructor: Berman;
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Every
other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH227 Title: Art in the Age of Crusades: Visual Cultures of the Mediterranean 1000-1400
This course introduces students to the visual cultures of the Mediterranean in the centuries of the Crusades. It
approaches the distinct local, religious, and imperial visual cultures of the Mediterranean as interlocking units
within a larger regional system. Focusing on the mobile networks of patrons, merchants, objects, and artisans
that connected centers of artistic and architectural production, it covers a geographical territory that includes
Spain, North Africa, the Middle East, Anatolia, and the Italian Peninsula. Readings emphasize the theoretical
frameworks of hybridity, appropriation, hegemony, and exoticism through which Medieval Mediterranean art
and architecture have been understood. Discussions will highlight the significant connections that existed
among the Western Medieval, Byzantine, and Islamic worlds.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. ARTH 100 or WRIT 107 recommended.; Instructor: Brey;
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Every
other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ARTH228 Title: What is Modern Architecture?
This course explores modern architecture from the turn of the 20th-century to the present. What makes
architecture “modern”? We will consider fluid definitions of modernism and modernity when studying the built
environment across cultures and geographic boundaries. Rather than following a linear narrative, we will
approach modern architecture thematically by looking at topics that include urban planning, tall buildings,
domesticity, race, gender, environmentalism and sustainability. A diverse range of architects, designers, and
practitioners will be explored in the context of these themes.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. ARTH 100 recommended.; Instructor: Horowitz; Distribution
Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not
Offered;
Course ID: ARTH229 Title: Islamic Arts of the Book
This course introduces students to the central role that the book has played (and continues to play) in the
Islamic world. We will study the history of the Islamic book, from manuscripts of the Qur’an, which often feature
refined calligraphy but almost never include illustrations, to historical, astrological, and poetic works – like the
famous Shahnama (Book of Kings) – that contain images of various types and sizes. Students will learn about
the production, collection, and circulation of these books, and ask how and according to which criteria they
were conceived, used, and evaluated. In addition to traditional art-historical methods of close-looking and
socio-historical analysis, students will learn to use digital approaches to produce new knowledge about the
field. Visits to view manuscripts and related materials in local collections will supplement classroom discussion
and assigned readings.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. ARTH 100 or WRIT 107 recommended.; Instructor: Brey;
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH231 Title: Architecture and Urbanism in North America
This course will present a survey of American architecture and urbanism from prehistory to the late twentieth
century. Lectures and discussions will focus particularly on placing the American-built environment in its
diverse political, economic, and cultural contexts. We will also explore various themes relating to Americans'
shaping of their physical surroundings, including the evolution of domestic architecture, the organization and
planning of cities and towns, the relationships among urban, suburban and rural environments, the impact of
technology, and Americans' ever-changing relationship with nature.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. ARTH 100 recommended.; Instructor: McNamara;
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH234 Title: Latin American Art
This introductory survey explores Latin American and Latinx art of the 20th and 21st centuries. Through a
series of case studies we will investigate how these painters, photographers, muralists and others engaged
international currents (from symbolism to conceptual art) while also addressing local themes, such as national
and racial identity, class difference, gender inequality, political struggle, and state violence. We will also cover
the history of collecting and exhibiting Latin American and Latinx art. This course has no prerequisites;
students without an art history background are welcome. Advanced students who enroll in 334 will have
additional assignments, including a research essay.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. Not open to students who have taken ARTH 334.; Instructor:
Oles; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered:
Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: This course is also offered at the 300-level
as ARTH 334.;
Course ID: ARTH236 Title: The Arts of the Ancient Americas
This course will provide an introduction to the arts of the Ancient Americas from before the Spanish
Conquest. Rather than a survey, we will concentrate on courtly ceremonial life in major cities from the
Teotihuacan, Maya, Moche, Aztec, and Inca civilizations. We will explore specific artistic forms viewed across
time and space, including palace architecture; stone sculpture; luxury arts of gold and feathers; textiles and
costume; and manuscript painting. The course will also examine the history of collecting, with attention to
legal and ethical concerns. We will consider the roles of archaeologists, curators, collectors, and fakers in
creating our image of the Ancient American past. In-class discussion will be combined with the study of
original objects and forms of display at the Davis and area museums.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. Not open to students who have taken ARTH 338.; Instructor:
Oles; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: This course is also offered at the 300-level as ARTH 338.;
Course ID: ARTH237 Title: Seminar: Who Was Frida Kahlo?
Frida Kahlo is one of the most famous artists in the world, the subject of a vast bibliography, both academic
and popular, accurate and inaccurate. This seminar will explore how Kahlo moved from the margins to the
center of art history. We will explore her life and work in detail using a wide variety of methodologies, readings,
and assignments, in order to better understand the results of her complex self-invention. We will place her
paintings in their historical context, but we will also study how she has been interpreted by feminists,
filmmakers, and fakers. We will also use Kahlo as a jumping off point to consider broader topics, from selfportraiture to Chicano/a practice. Finally, whether you are new to art history or an advanced student, the class
will help you develop the skills necessary to research, evaluate, and present visual and written information
effectively and professionally.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. ARTH 100 or WRIT 107 recommended.; Instructor: Oles;
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: This course is also offered at the 300 level as ARTH 339.;
Course ID: ARTH238 Title: Chinese Art and Architecture
This course is a survey of the art and architecture of China from the Neolithic period to the turn of the twentieth
century in two simultaneous approaches: chronologically through time and thematically with art in the tomb, at
court, in the temple, in the life of the élite, and in the marketplace. It is designed to introduce students to the
major monuments and issues of Chinese art and architecture by exploring the interactions of art, religion,
culture, society, and creativity, especially how different artistic styles were tied to different intellectual thoughts,
historical events, and geographical locations.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Liu; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts,
Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not
Offered;
Course ID: ARTH239/SAS239 Title: Art and Architecture of South Asia
This course covers the visual culture of India from ancient Indus Valley civilization through Independence. It
follows the stylistic, technological, and iconographical developments of painting, sculpture, architecture, and
textiles as they were created for the subcontinent's major religions - Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Islam.
We will examine the relationship between works of art and the political, economic, and social conditions that
shaped their production. It will emphasize such themes as religious and cultural diversity, mythology and
tradition, and royal and popular art forms. Attention will also be paid to colonialism and the close relationship
between collecting, patronage, and empire.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. ARTH 100 or WRIT 107 recommended.; Instructor: Oliver;
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ARTH240 Title: Asian Art and Architecture
This course is a survey of the major artistic traditions of Asia including India, Southeast Asia, China, Korea, and
Japan from Neolithic times to the turn of the twentieth century. It introduces students to Asian art and
architecture by exploring the interactions of art, religion, culture, and society, especially how different artistic
styles were tied to different intellectual thoughts, political events, and geographical locations. Students are
expected to acquire visual skills in recognizing artistic styles, analytical skills in connecting art with its historical
contexts, and writing skills in expressing ideas about art. Field trips to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston,
Harvard's Art Museums, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and/or the Peabody Essex Museum in
Salem, depending on available exhibitions.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Liu; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts,
Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not
Offered;
Course ID: ARTH241 Title: Egyptian and Nubian Art and Archaeology
The greater Nile Valley has yielded some of the world's most ancient and compelling monuments. In this
course we will first survey the art and architecture of ancient Egypt and then ancient Nubia, Egypt's rival to
the south. Two class sessions will meet in the Museum of Fine Arts.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. ARTH 100 or WRIT 107 recommended.; Instructor: Freed;
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH242 Title: Home by Design: Houses, Villas, and Palaces in the Roman Empire
Romans designed the best houses, full of mosaics and frescoes, fountains and pools, sunlight and air. This
course will teach you how to live in an ancient Roman home: where to put the dining room, what to plant in
your garden, and how to hold a meeting in your office. We will analyze apartments at Italian Ostia, townhouses
at Pompeii, villas around the Bay of Naples, and palaces in Rome. We will consider what mosaics can tell us
about the empire’s networks of cultural exchange, we will compare house plans in the flourishing provinces,
and we will survey the palaces that emperors built in their hometowns.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. Prior college-level coursework in Art History, Architecture, or
Classical Studies recommended; Instructor: Cassibry; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music,
Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: ARTH 242 focuses on
domestic architecture, ARTH 243 focuses on public architecture.;
Course ID: ARTH243 Title: Building an Empire: Roman Architecture as Cultural Heritage
This is a course about the Roman Empire’s buildings; the art that once adorned them; and how these
ensembles have been preserved over time. Key themes include the ancient experience of architecture,
Mediterranean traditions of design, and the place of this complex heritage in modern politics and cityscapes.
Case studies will focus not just on Rome, but also on cities across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East,
all lands that were once within the empire’s borders. Students will leave the course knowing how to use the
Roman Empire’s roads, temples, and amphitheaters and understanding why preserving them matters.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. Prior college-level coursework in Art History, Architecture, or
Classical Civilization recommended.; Instructor: Cassibry; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music,
Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Notes: ARTH 242 focuses on
domestic architecture, ARTH 243 focuses on public architecture.;
Course ID: ARTH244 Title: Art, Patronage, and Society in Sixteenth-Century Italy
This course will examine the so-called High Renaissance and Mannerist periods in Italy. We will focus in
particular on papal Rome, ducal Florence, and republican Venice, and the work of Leonardo da Vinci,
Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, and their followers in relation to the social and cultural currents of the time.
Issues such as private patronage, female artists, contemporary sexuality, and the connections between
monumental and decorative art will be examined in light of recent scholarship in the field.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Musacchio; Distribution Requirements: ARS Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH245 Title: House and Home: Domestic Architecture, Interiors, and Material Life in North
America, 1600-1900
Domestic architecture is perceived as both a setting for private life and a means of public self-expression. This
course will explore the duality of "house and home" by paying close attention to the changing nature of
domestic environments in North America from 1600 to 1900. Topics will include the gendering of domestic
space; the role of architects, designers, and prescriptive literature in shaping domestic environments;
technological change; the marketing and mass production of domestic furnishings; the relationship of houses
to their natural environments; and visions for alternative, reform, or utopian housing arrangements. Site visits
and walking tours are a central component of the course.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. ARTH 100 or WRIT 107 recommended. Not open to
students who have taken ARTH 345.; Instructor: McNamara; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts,
Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: This course is also
offered at the 300-level as ARTH 345.;
Course ID: ARTH246 Title: Collectors, Saints, and Cheese-Eaters in Baroque Italy
This course surveys a selection of the arts in Italy from circa 1575 to circa 1750. The works of artists such as
the Carracci, Caravaggio, Bernini, Gentileschi, and Longhi will be examined within their political, social,
religious, and economic settings. Particular emphasis will be placed on Rome and the impact of the papacy on
the arts, but Bologna, Florence, and Venice will also play a part, especially in regard to the growing interest in
scientific enquiry and the production of arts in the courts and for the Grand Tour. We will focus on works
of art and contemporary texts, as well as real or virtual visits to Wellesley’s Special Collections, Papermaking
Studio, Book Arts Lab, and Botanic Gardens, Harvard's Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, and
the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Musacchio; Distribution Requirements: ARS Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH247 Title: Introduction to Islamic Art and Architecture
What, if anything, makes a work of art or architecture Islamic? Islam has formed an important context for the
production and reception of visual and material culture. This course enables students to develop a critical
vocabulary in analyzing the arts of the Islamic world. Through the study of a broad range of objects and
monuments including mosques, manuscripts, textiles, tiles, and amulets, students learn to hone their formal
analysis of both figural and non-figural works of art, as well as their close reading of historical sources that
reveal how objects and monuments were made and experienced. As students progress through a
chronological and multi-regional overview of works produced from the emergence of Islam in the seventh
century to the Early Modern empires, they also gain familiarity with methods for the study of Islamic art and
ongoing debates within the field. Throughout the course, emphasis is placed on the ways in which cultural
frameworks including politics, religion, ethnicity, science, and gender shaped the production and reception of
images, objects, and monuments within the Islamic world.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. ARTH 100 recommended.; Instructor: Brey; Distribution
Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH248 Title: Chinese Painting: Theories, Masters, and Principles
This course examines Chinese painting from early times to the turn of the twentieth century. It serves as an
introduction to theories, masters, and principles in the practice of Chinese painting. Issues of investigation
include major themes, techniques, connoisseurship, and functions of Chinese painting. Special attention is
given to (1) imperial patronage, (2) the triangle relationship between painting, calligraphy, and poetry, (3) the
tension between representation and expression, (4) between professional and literati, (5) between tradition and
creativity, and (6) the impact of the West. Trips to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and other museums.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Liu; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts,
Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ARTH249 Title: Japanese Art and Architecture
This course is a survey of the rich visual arts of Japan from the Neolithic period to the turn of the twentieth
century with emphasis on architecture, sculpture, painting, ceramics, and ukiyoe. It examines Japan's close
ties to India, China, and Korea and explores the development of a distinct Japanese artistic style and national
identity. Special attention is given to the sociopolitical forces, cultural exchanges, religious thoughts,
intellectual discourses, and commercial activities that shaped the representation and expression of these arts.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Liu; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts,
Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ARTH250 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Course ID: ARTH250H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: ARTH 100 or permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: ARTH251 Title: The Arts in Renaissance Italy Before and After the Black Death
This course surveys a selection of the arts in Italy during the period we now call the Renaissance, dating from
circa 1260 to 1500. We will examine the rise of the mendicant orders, the devastation of the Black Death, the
growth of civic and private patronage, and the connection with art and artists in northern Europe, all of which
had a profound impact on the visual arts. The work of major artists and workshops will be examined and
contextualized within their political, social, and economic settings by readings and discussions of
contemporary texts and recent scholarship.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Musacchio; Distribution Requirements: ARS Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ARTH255 Title: Twentieth-Century Chinese Art
This course examines Chinese art in the socially and politically tumultuous twentieth century,which witnessed
the end of imperial China, the founding of the Republic, the rise of the People's Republic, the calamity of Mao's
cultural revolution, the impact of the West, and the ongoing social and economic reforms. Critical issues of
examination include the encounters of East and West, the tensions of tradition and revolution, the burdens of
cultural memory and historical trauma, the interpretations of modernity and modernism, the flowering of avantgarde and experimental art, and the problems of globalization and art markets. The course is designed to
develop an understanding of the diverse threads of art and society in twentieth-century China.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Liu; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts,
Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH256 Title: Celtic Art: Agency, Ethnicity, and Empire
In 2015, the British Museum exhibit “Celts: Art and Identity” shocked the public by suggesting that Celtic
heritage was a modern invention based on ancient stereotypes. Our course follows the exhibit’s lead by first
asking “Who were the Celts?” and exploring competing definitions of this term. We then turn to analyzing the
exquisite artifacts that museums and textbooks typically label “Celtic.” Focusing on the period between 600
BCE and 800 CE, our case studies examine princely tombs from Germany, golden necklaces and coins from
France, mesmerizing mirrors and shields from England, intricate stone monuments from Scotland, and
manuscripts from Ireland. We will use this material to counter ethnic stereotypes developed by the vengeful
Greeks and Romans and to assess how modern notions of Celtic identity map onto the reality of the past.
To learn more about these issues, read this response to the exhibition “Celts: Art and Identity”
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. Prior coursework in Art History or Classical Civilization
recommended.; Instructor: Cassibry; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and
Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH257 Title: Arts of Korea
A survey of Korean arts and architecture from the Neolithic period to the mid-20th century. The first part of the
course discusses the religious and cultural transformation of the peninsula and examines selected examples of
tomb murals, ceramics, and Buddhist art and architecture from early kingdoms. The latter part of the course
will focus on the secular art and material culture of the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910) and the colonial period
(1910-1945). Topics include Neo-Confucianism as a new state ideology and its influence on the aesthetics and
tastes of the scholarly elite; the development of vernacular themes and styles of painting; the rise of popular
taste; and, the shifting concepts of art and artistic identity during the periods of political transition.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music,
Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH259 Title: The Art and Architecture of the European Enlightenment
This course will present a thematic survey of 18th-century European art and architecture from the reign of
Louis XIV to the French Revolution (1660-1789). We will examine works of art in relation to the social, political,
and cultural debates of the period, and how artistic practice engaged with new approaches to empiricism,
secularism, and political philosophy spurred by the Enlightenment. Topics include French art in the service of
absolutism, debates between classicism and the Rococo, public and private spaces of social reform, the
Grand Tour and the rediscovery of antiquity, collecting, global trade, and imperialism. We will also consider
Enlightenment and counter-Enlightenment trends in Spain, Austria, and Great Britain.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. ARTH 100 or WRIT 107 recommended.; Instructor: Oliver;
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Every
other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH262 Title: African American Art
This course will study art made by African Americans from early colonial America to the present. We will also
examine images of African Americans by artists of diverse cultural backgrounds. Throughout the course we will
analyze construction(s) of subjectivity of African-American identity (black, Negro, colored) as it relates to visual
worlds. Although the course is outlined chronologically, the readings and class discussions will revolve around
specific themes each week. The course is interdisciplinary, incorporating a variety of social and historical
issues, media, and disciplines, including music, film, and literary sources.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. Not open to students who have taken this course as a topic
of ARTH 316.; Instructor: Greene; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and
Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ARTH267/ES267 Title: Art and the Environmental Imagination
Exploring the relationship between art and the environment, this course will focus on the land of the United
States as it has been shaped into forms ranging from landscape paintings to suburban lawns, national parks,
and our own Wellesley College campus. Among the questions we will consider are: What is “nature”? What do
we value in a landscape and why? How are artists, architects, and landscape designers responding to
environmentalist concerns?
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Bedell; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual
Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Fall;
Course ID: ARTH289 Title: Nineteenth-Century European Art
This course surveys European art from the French Revolution of 1789 to the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1900.
Focusing on such major movements as Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Realism, Impressionism, and Art
Nouveau, we will examine the relationship of art to tradition, revolution, empire, social change, technology, and
identity. Emphasis is placed on the representation and experience of modern life, in paintings by David, Goya,
Turner, Manet, Seurat, and others, and in venues ranging from political festivals to avant-garde art galleries to
London's Crystal Palace. Topics include the expanded audience for art, Orientalism, gender and
representation, and the aesthetics of leisure.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. ARTH 100 or WRIT 107 recommended.; Instructor: Oliver;
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Every
other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH290 Title: Pompeii
Frozen in time by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 C.E., Pompeii's grand public baths, theatres, and
amphitheater, its seedy bars and businesses, its temples for Roman and foreign gods, and its lavishly
decorated townhomes and villas preserve extremely rich evidence for daily life in the Roman Empire. Lecture
topics include urbanism in ancient Italy; the structure and rituals of the Roman home; the styles and themes of
Pompeian wall paintings and mosaics; and the expression of non-elite identities. We conclude by analyzing
Pompeii's rediscovery in the eighteenth century and the city's current popularity in novels, television episodes,
and traveling exhibits.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Cassibry; Distribution Requirements: ARS Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH299 Title: History of the Book from Manuscript to Print
A survey of the evolution of the book, both as a vessel for the transmission of text and image and as evidence
of material culture. Through close examination of rare books in Clapp Library's Special Collections, we will
explore the social and political forces that influenced the dissemination and reception of printed texts. Lectures
will cover the principle techniques and materials of book production from the ancient scroll to the modern
codex, including calligraphy, illumination, format and composition, typography, illustration, papermaking, and
bookbinding. Weekly reading, discussion, and analysis of specimens will provide the skills needed to develop
a critical vocabulary and an investigative model for individual research. Additional sessions on the hand press
in the Book Arts Lab and in the Pendleton paper studio.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Rogers (Curator of Special
Collections); Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods
Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ARTH303 Title: Calderwood Seminar for Public Writing: Art in Public Places: Politics and Publics
One of the thornie*st issues facing artists, art historians, curators, critics, theorists, city planners, and others
who have to negotiate art in public places is the question of competing perceptions and meanings. As soon as
a work of art is proposed for or installed in a site in which numerous publics intersect, or a work is destroyed,
the question arises of “whose public” is being addressed. This seminar will bring to the table historical and
contemporary case studies in public art, in part selected by students, as the subjects of several genres of
public writing, among them reviews and Op. Ed. pieces. Students in all areas of art history will have already
confronted, and will confront in the future, the question of who has the right to make the art, install the art, or
destroy the art, in any geography at any time.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Any 200 or 300 level course in Art History. Open to Senior Art
History majors only.; Instructor: Berman; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film
and Video; Other Categories: CSPW - Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH310 Title: The Extraordinary Interior
This course focuses on case studies representing highlights in the history of 20th and 21st-century interior and
furniture design. A variety of building types and uses -- domestic, institutional, entertainment, and mixed-use -will be considered, with an emphasis on the interpretation of style, new and traditional materials, social and
cultural values, historical precedents, and the history of collecting.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: ARTH 228 or ARTH 231, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor:
Friedman; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered
this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH312 Title: Seminar: Art and Empire in the Long Nineteenth Century
What were the possibilities and limits of representing foreign lands, cultures, and peoples in the long
nineteenth century? How did discourses of empire, race, and power inform or complicate these
representations? This course examines Europe's imperial and colonial engagements with India, the Pacific,
North Africa, and the West Indies from 1750-1900 and representations of these engagements in the visual
realm. Thematically and methodologically driven, a comparative approach will be taken to theories of travel,
colonialism, and cross-cultural interactions. Such theories include, but are not limited to, Orientalism,
postcolonialism, transnationlism, and their attendant critiques.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: ARTH 100 or WRIT 107, or permission of the instructor. Not open
to First-Years.; Instructor: Oliver; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking Intensive Course.;
Course ID: ARTH314 Title: Seminar: Lorraine O'Grady '55. Writer, Artist, Archivist
In the first course to explore the biography and legacy of a living Wellesley College alumna, students build and
analyze a dynamic monographic study of one of the most important contemporary artist of our time–in real
time–Lorraine O’Grady. Coinciding with the Davis Museum opening of Lorraine O’Grady’s retrospective
exhibition, Lorraine O’Grady: Both/And, students learn directly from the exhibition and work in the College
Archives with O’Grady’s physical and digital archives. Critical topics covered include: art criticism, feminist art,
Black art of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, performance art, conceptual art, museum studies, among
others. Students contribute directly to O’Grady’s ongoing scholarship through interviews of scholars and
artists influenced by her writings, artworks, and archival collections. The course is Speaking Intensive.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: At least one 200 level ARTH, or 300 level humanities course.;
Instructor: Greene; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical
Periods Offered: Every three years; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: Ann E. Maurer
'51 Speaking Intensive Course.;
Course ID: ARTH315 Title: The Object of Performance: From Theory to Practice
This course considers a history of performance art, a genre that features time-based media, technologies, and
the archive. The curriculum covers performance art through a global lens and emphasizes queer artists and
artists of African, Latinx, Asian, and Indigenous descent. This seminar prepares students to answer critical
questions necessary for defining the field: What are the ethical, physical, and psychological quandaries that
artists face from theory to practice in performance art? How does using the body as a medium challenge the
“object-ness” of performance, and how does that impact its reception? What roles do artists, museums,
cultural institutions, and their audiences play? What are the institutions' responsibilities for fundraising, staff
support, and conservation of performance art? Students explore these questions along with key topics on
ephemerality, experimentation, documentation, and audience reception to develop performance projects of
their own.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Not open to First-Years.; Instructor:
Greene; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ARTH317 Title: Historic Preservation: Theory and Practice
This course will explore the theory and practice of historic preservation. Beginning with a focus on the history
of preservation in the United States, we will trace the development of legal, economic, public policy, and
cultural frameworks that have shaped attitudes and approaches toward the preservation of our built
environment. Students will engage in both individual and group projects that will emphasize field study of
buildings and landscapes, archival research, planning, and advocacy. The course is designed for Architecture
and Art History majors, but could also be of interest to students in History, American Studies, Environmental
Studies and Political Science.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Prior 200-level coursework in Architecture or permission of the
instructor. Not open to students who have completed ARTH 217.; Instructor: McNamara; Distribution
Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: This course is sometimes offered at the 200-level as ARTH
217.;
Course ID: ARTH318 Title: Seminar: New England Arts and Architecture
This seminar will introduce students to the visual and material culture of New England from the period of
European contact to the end of the twentieth century, with particular emphasis on Boston and environs.
Course readings, lectures, and discussion will address the broad range of artistic expression from decorative
arts to cultural landscapes, placing them in their social, political, and economic contexts as well as in the larger
context of American art and architecture. A major theme of the course will be the question of New England's
development as a distinct cultural region and the validity of regionalism as a category of analysis. The course
will include a number of required field trips to New England museums and cultural institutions.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: ARTH 100 or WRIT 107, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor:
McNamara; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods
Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH320 Title: Seminar: Frank Lloyd Wright: Modern Architecture and New Ways of Living
This seminar will examine the buildings and theories of Frank Lloyd Wright, with a particular focus on two
themes: Wright's designs for progressive and feminist clients across the long span of his career; and his
relationship to the Modern Movement in Europe and the Americas.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: ARTH 100 and one 200-level course in Art History or permission of
the instructor.; Instructor: Friedman; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and
Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH321 Title: Seminar. Making Space: Gender, Sexuality and the Design of Houses
Focusing on case studies drawn from European and American history and contemporary practice, this
discussion seminar will look at the ways in which normative notions of gender and sexuality have shaped the
conventions of domestic architecture for specific cultures and time periods. The course will also focus on
outliers, anomalies and queer spaces, examining the roles played by unconventional architects, clients, and
users of houses in changing notions of public and private space and creating new ways of living. Readings will
be drawn from feminist theory, queer studies, and architectural history. Weekly oral reports on key concepts,
texts and/or buildings and in-class discussion are required in addition to written research papers.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: ARTH 228 or a 300-level course in architectural history or urban
studies or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Friedman; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts,
Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not
Offered;
Course ID: ARTH322 Title: Seminar: The Bauhaus
This seminar considers Staatliches Bauhaus, the school of architecture, art, and design that was founded in
Weimar Germany at the end of World War I, closed under National Socialism in the mid-30s, reestablished in
Chicago in 1937, and whose practices were transmitted through institutions globally. The class considers
the historical position of the Bauhaus; examines the school's community, philosophy, and practices; studies
contemporaneous developments and contacts in the international art and design world; and examines the
legacies of the Bauhaus in the Americas and Asia. We will also consider how Bauhaus products and
pedagogies came to be synonymous with mid-century modernity and continue to resonate in
contemporary design. The seminar provides an integrative examination of visual arts disciplines, and it
brings together interdisciplinary approaches to the historical movement.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Preference will be given to senior Art
History and Architecture majors and minors.; Instructor: Berman; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts,
Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not
Offered;
Course ID: ARTH324/PHIL324 Title: Seminar: Meat: Visuals, Politics, Ethics
The scale of the meat industry and its adverse environmental and climate impacts alongside burgeoning
scientific understandings of non-human intelligence require urgent reevaluation of our relationship to animals
as food: How has visual culture (historical and contemporary), both in advertising and in popular culture,
separated meat as a food from the process of animal slaughter that produces it? How do we negotiate
between our food traditions and ethical obligation to move away from practices rooted in violence? Why do we
value some animals as companions while commodifying others as food? What is speciesism and in what ways
can it shape our understanding of animal oppression? We engage these questions and more using visual
culture and ethical frameworks to critique the prevailing political and cultural norms that desensitize us to the
implications of meat consumption.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: One course in either Philosophy or Art History.; Instructor: Oliver
and Walsh; Distribution Requirements: REP - Religion, Ethics, and Moral Philosophy; ARS - Visual Arts, Music,
Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Every three years; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Fall;
Course ID: ARTH325 Title: Seminar: Strong Women in Renaissance and Baroque Italy
This seminar will analyze women in Italy from circa 1300 to 1700 through the lens of both art and history. We
will examine a variety of sources to understand women's lives and work; with this evidence we will see that
women had a much stronger presence than previously recognized, as artists, writers, musicians, patrons,
nuns, and a wide range of professions inside and outside their homes. The seminar is linked to an exhibition at
Boston's Museum of Fine Arts, and several sessions will be held on site with museum staff. Other sessions
will include visits to Wellesley's Special Collections, Papermaking Studio, and Book Arts Lab.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 13; Prerequisites: Previous courses in European art, history, or literature
recommended.; Instructor: Musacchio; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and
Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH326 Title: Art and Plague in Early Modern Europe
This course will examine the art and history of the Second Plague Pandemic in Europe. We will trace plague
from the arrival of the so-called Black Death in port cities in 1347 through the many outbreaks of varying
severity over the next four centuries, focusing on Italy but considering additional case studies across the
continent. We will investigate how plague and the ensuing demographic crisis were represented in art and
material culture, and how those representations helped people understand, and cope with, the world around
them. Readings in primary and secondary sources, interaction with guest speakers, and visits to Wellesley's
Special Collections, Book Arts Lab, Botanic Gardens, and Davis Museum will demonstrate the myriad
reactions to plague and will give us the tools we need to better understand the COVID-19 pandemic.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Previous courses in European art, history, or literature
recommended. Not open to students who have taken ARTH 235/HIST 235.; Instructor: Musacchio; Distribution
Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH328 Title: Dining with Michelangelo: Art and Food in Renaissance Italy
This seminar will analyze the role of food in the art and life of early modern Italy. We will examine the historic
and economic context of food as the basis of our investigation of its representation in paintings, sculptures,
and works on paper from circa 1300 to 1800. This will entail a close look at food as subject and symbol, as
well as the material culture surrounding its production and consumption. The seminar will investigate
illustrated herbals and cookbooks in Special Collections, dining habits and etiquette, and food as sexual
metaphor through a wide range of interdisciplinary sources; Wellesley's Botanic Gardens will grow Italian fruits,
vegetables, and herbs for us to incorporate in Renaissance-era recipes.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Previous courses in European art, history, or literature
recommended but not required.; Instructor: Musacchio; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music,
Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ARTH330 Title: Seminar: Birth, Marriage, and Death in Renaissance Italy
During the Italian Renaissance, major family events like childbirth, marriage, and death were marked by both
works of art and oftentimes elaborate rituals. In this seminar we will examine childbirth trays, marriage chests,
painted and sculpted portraits, and funerary monuments, as well as a wide range of additional domestic
objects that surrounded people in their everyday life. These objects will be related to contemporary
monumental and public art, literature, account books, and legislation, as well as recent scholarship in art
history, social history, and women's studies, to provide insight into Renaissance art and life.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Previous courses in European art, history, or literature
recommended but not required.; Instructor: Musacchio; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music,
Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: Ann E. Maurer '51
Speaking Intensive Course.;
Course ID: ARTH331 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Fashion Across Time and Geography
Communicate your art-historical knowledge to the broadest possible public. While focusing on public writing,
we will study the history and politics of fashion. Topics will include gender and class performance, cultural
appropriation, medicine and the body; technology; and law and society. Weekly meetings will include
collaborative editing workshops, guest speakers, and a field trip. Students will build a writing portfolio
including a book review, film review, Smarthistory essay, museum labels, and a one-minute radio text, among
other projects. The Calderwood seminar model demands firm weekly deadlines, allowing classmates time to
reflect and comment on each other’s work. We build a scholarly community that shows the larger world how
the history of art intersects with fashion.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Berman; Distribution
Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Other Categories: CSPW - Calderwood
Seminar in Public Writing; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Notes: Intended for Seniors majoring or minoring in Art History Intended for Seniors majoring or minoring in Art
History;
Course ID: ARTH334 Title: Latin American Art
This introductory survey explores Latin American and Latinx art of the 20th and 21st centuries. Through a
series of case studies we will investigate how these painters, photographers, muralists and others engaged
international currents (from symbolism to conceptual art) while also addressing local themes, such as national
and racial identity, class difference, gender inequality, political struggle, and state violence. We will also cover
the history of collecting and exhibiting Latin American and Latinx art. This course has no prerequisites;
students without an art history background are welcome. Advanced students who enroll in 334 will have
additional assignments, including a research essay.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: At least two art history courses. Not open to students who have
taken ARTH 234.; Instructor: Oles; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and
Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: This
course is also offered at the 200-level as ARTH 234.;
Course ID: ARTH335 Title: Seminar: The Arts of Dissent
The visual arts play a critical role in shaping identity and formulating opinion. Recognizing the power of images
and performance, participants in social and political movements enlist the arts in support of their work. In this
case-study based seminar, we will explore ways in which the visual arts have been central features of social
protest movements in the twentieth- and twenty-first centuries. The class will take a trip to New York. In some
meetings, we will work with Studio Art instructors to create and analyze student production.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Berman; Distribution
Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not
Offered; Notes: Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking Intensive Course.;
Course ID: ARTH337 Title: Seminar: The Song Imperial Painting Academy
The Imperial Painting Academy of the Song Dynasty China (960-1279), founded in 984, was the first of its kind
in the history of world art. This seminar investigates the nature of imperial patronage and the institution and
achievements of the Painting Academy (comparable to those of the Italian Renaissance art) in relation to the
Song Empire. The seminar attempts to identify how exactly a particular imperial commission was initiated and
carried out through critical reading of primary sources (in translation) that include artists biographies and case
studies. Issues of connoisseurship and the relationship of painting/image and poetry/word are also examined.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Open to junior and senior students or by permission of the
instructor.; Instructor: Liu; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video;
Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH338 Title: The Arts of the Ancient Americas
This course runs in parallel with ARTH 236. It will provide an introduction to the arts of the Ancient Americas
from before the Spanish Conquest. Rather than a survey, we will concentrate on courtly ceremonial life in
major cities from the Teotihuacan, Maya, Moche, Aztec, and Inca civilizations. We will explore specific artistic
forms viewed across time and space, including palace architecture; stone sculpture; luxury arts of gold and
feathers; textiles and costume; and manuscript painting. The course will also examine the history of collecting,
with attention to legal and ethical concerns. We will consider the roles of archaeologists, curators, collectors,
and fakers in creating our image of the Ancient American past. In-class discussion will be combined with the
study of original objects and forms of display at the Davis and area museums.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Two 100- or 200-level art history courses. Not open to students
who have taken ARTH 236.; Instructor: Oles; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater,
Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: This course is also offered at the
200-level as ARTH 236.;
Course ID: ARTH339 Title: Seminar: Who Was Frida Kahlo?
Frida Kahlo is one of the most famous artists in the world, the subject of a vast bibliography, both academic
and popular, accurate and inaccurate. This seminar will explore how Kahlo moved from the margins to the
center of art history. We will explore her life and work in detail using a wide variety of methodologies, readings,
and assignments, in order to better understand the results of her complex self-invention. We will place her
paintings in their historical context, but we will also study how she has been interpreted by feminists,
filmmakers, and fakers. We will also use Kahlo as a jumping off point to consider broader topics, from selfportraiture to Chicano/a practice. Finally, whether you are new to art history or an advanced student, the class
will help you develop the skills necessary to research, evaluate, and present visual and written information
effectively and professionally.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Two 200 level ARTH courses. Not open to students who have
taken ARTH 237.; Instructor: Oles; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and
Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: This course is also offered at the 200 level
as ARTH 237.;
Course ID: ARTH341 Title: Seminar: The Landscape Painting of China, Korea, and Japan
Landscape painting, or more accurately, shanshui (literally "mountain-and-water/river"), rose as an
independent and major art form in the tenth century in East Asia as a great tradition in the history of world art.
How did it develop so early? What did it mean? How was it used for? How does its past serve as inspiration for
the present? And why does shanshui remain a major subject of significance in modern and contemporary
East Asian art? Following the development of shanshui from the early periods to the twentieth century, the
course explores such critical issues as shanshui and representation of nature, shanshui and
power, shanshui and national development, shanshui and environment, shanshui as images of the mind,
the tension of tradition and creativity in painting shanshui. Comparisons will be made with Dutch, English,
French, and American landscape painting to provide a global perspective.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Prior coursework in art history or permission of the instructor.;
Instructor: Liu; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH343 Title: Seminar: Roman Monuments: Memory and Metamorphosis
From triumphal arches to souvenirs, and from tombstones to public portraits, ancient Romans excelled in the
art of commemoration. Focusing on a different kind of monument each week, we will explore how Romans
negotiated power through designs and dedications. In light of current debates about contested memorials, we
will analyze ancient precedents for destroying or rewriting dedications to condemned emperors. We will also
ask how modern commissions, such as New York's Washington Square Arch, draw on the authority of
antiquity. Students will leave the course with a deeper understanding of how monuments work and how the
Roman Empire's monuments still shape how we commemorate today.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Prior coursework in Art History or Classical Civilization
recommended.; Instructor: Cassibry; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and
Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH345 Title: Seminar: House and Home: Domestic Architecture, Interiors, and Material Life in
North America, 1600-1900
Domestic architecture is perceived as both a setting for private life and a means of public self-expression. This
course will explore the duality of "house and home" by paying close attention to the changing nature of
domestic environments in North America from 1600 to 1900. Topics will include the gendering of domestic
space; the role of architects, designers, and prescriptive literature in shaping domestic environments;
technological change; the marketing and mass production of domestic furnishings; the relationship of houses
to their natural environments; and visions for alternative, reform, or utopian housing arrangements. Site visits
and walking tours are a central component of the course.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: ARTH 100 or WRIT 107 recommended. Not open to students who
have taken ARTH 245.; Instructor: McNamara; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater,
Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Every three years; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not
Offered; Notes: This course is also offered at the 200-level as ARTH 245.;
Course ID: ARTH346 Title: Seminar: Poetic Painting in China, Korea, and Japan
Poetic painting is a conspicuous visual phenomenon in East Asian art that at its best is technically superlative
and deeply moving. This seminar investigates the development of this lyric mode of painting first in China and
then in Korea and Japan from the eighth century to the twentieth through the practices of scholar-officials,
emperors and empresses, masters in and outside of the Imperial Painting Academy, literati artists, and modern
intellectuals. Literary ideals and artistic skills, tradition and creativity, patronage and identity, censorship and
freedom of expression, and other tensions between paintings and poetry/poetry theories will be examined.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Open to Juniors and Seniors with prior coursework in art history,
or by permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Liu; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater,
Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ARTH347 Title: Seminar. Beyond Iconoclasm: Seeing the Sacred in Islamic Visual Cultures
The production and use of sacred images has provoked a wide variety of responses within the Islamic world.
This class explores how sacred images have been created, viewed, destroyed, and reused within Islamic
cultural contexts ranging from the Arab-Muslim conquests of the seventh century to the present day. Rather
than progressing chronologically, it examines sacred images from thematic and theoretical perspectives.
Topics include iconoclasm and aniconism, depictions of sacred figures and places, talismans and images on
objects imbued with divine agency, and articulations of new attitudes towards images at key historical
moments.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Prior coursework in Art History or Middle Eastern Studies, or
permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Brey; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater,
Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ARTH348 Title: Seminar: The Art of Science in the Islamic World
In the medieval Islamic world, crafting scientific tools wasn't just practical—it was an art form. Artists and
builders used their knowledge of chemistry, metallurgy, geometry, astronomy, and anatomy to produce
objects and monuments that were both beautiful and crucial to the discovery of new phenomena. In this
seminar, we'll dive into the intertwined practices of artistic creation and scientific exploration, spanning the
seventh to the fifteenth centuries. You'll investigate the discoveries behind objects, images, and monuments,
such as astrolabes and zoological manuscripts. We'll cover fascinating topics like the secrets of constructing
robotic automata, the alchemy of turning plants into vibrant textile dyes, and the geometric principles guiding
the design of astronomical observatories and tile patterns. Our field trips to Special Collections and other
exhibits will bring these concepts to life. You'll learn to see the world through both an artist's and a scientist's
eyes, gaining insights into how medieval Islamic innovations continue to influence our modern world.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: ARTH 227, ARTH 229, ARTH 247, or ARTH 347, or permission of
the instructor.; Instructor: Brey; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video;
Typical Periods Offered: Every three years; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ARTH350 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: ARTH 100 or permission of the instructor. Open to juniors and
seniors.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: ARTH350H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: ARTH 100 or permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: ARTH360 Title: Senior Thesis Research
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the department.; Typical Periods Offered: Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research (360) in
the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty member. If sufficient
progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second semester.;
Course ID: ARTH370 Title: Senior Thesis
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: ARTH 360 and permission of the department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis
Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty
member. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second
semester.;
Course ID: ARTH373/CLCV373 Title: Antiquities Today: The Politics of Replication
New technologies that enable the 3D scanning and fabrication of art and architecture have become integral in
attempts to combat the decay, destruction, and disputed ownership of ancient works. Our seminar
contextualizes the development of these current approaches within the longer history of collecting and
replicating artifacts from the ancient Mediterranean. We will think critically about the role that replicated
antiquities play in site and object preservation, college and museum education, and the negotiation of
international political power. Potential case studies include the Bust of Nefertiti, the Parthenon Marbles, the
Venus de Milo, and the Arch of Palmyra, all of which now exist globally in multiple digital and material
iterations. The seminar will culminate in a critique of the digitization and replication of Wellesley’s own
antiquities collections.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Prior college-level coursework in Art History and/or Classical
Civilization.; Instructor: Cassibry; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ARTH376 Title: Seminar: Local Stories: Fieldwork in Museums and Archives
ARTH 376 is designed for students who are intrigued by direct work with historic artifacts and documents as
well as students thinking about pursuing an honors thesis, or those who may need a writing sample for
graduate school and fellowship applications. The course provides students with an opportunity to conduct
directed, independent research in Boston-area museums, libraries, and historical societies on a topic that
appeals to their particular interests. Students’ research will culminate in a project that interprets the material
they analyzed and communicates their findings through a final written or digital project. The course will include
field trips to local museums and libraries in the Boston area to learn about the diverse nature of historical
collections along with hands-on workshops on different types of material and documentary evidence.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: One 200-level course in Art History or permission of the instructor.;
Instructor: McNamara; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical
Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH377 Title: Methodologies in Art History
This seminar will offer an overview and critical examination of methodologies used in historical research in the
fields of art history and architecture. It will be structured around in-depth examination of case studies and
close readings of key writings, highlighting innovative approaches to works of art and architecture dating from
1500 to the present. In many cases, the authors of assigned readings will present and discuss their work,
providing students with a unique perspective and analysis of methodologies ranging from cultural and
economic histories to material and environmental studies. The course will also examine contemporary
strategies for "decolonization of the curriculum" and anti-racist approaches to the art historical canon through
analysis of the status of works by women, artists of color, and/or in non-traditional media.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: A minimum of two 200-level courses in Art History.; Instructor:
Friedman; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH378/LAST378 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Museums Speak:
Communication and Controversy
Art and anthropology museums tell stories about the past and its relevance to the present, but what stories
they tell, who gets to tell them, and which objects should—or should not—be considered are not always selfevident. In this writing-intensive seminar, you will learn how texts—wall labels, press releases, exhibition
reviews—engage audiences within and beyond the museum’s walls. The course consists of writing
assignments related to artworks made in the Americas before Independence, from the ancient Maya to
colonial Peru, many on exhibit at the Davis Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Through these
case studies, we will learn how to convert visual images and academic arguments into appealing, jargon-free
prose. In keeping with the structure of the Calderwood seminar, weekly deadlines in this class are firm so as to
allow classmates time to reflect on such arguments and comment on each other’s ideas. Take on the role of
museum curator and learn how texts help us navigate controversies over the acquisition, provenance, and
display of artworks from distant cultures and places.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: At least two 100- or 200-level courses in Art History or
Anthropology.; Instructor: Oles; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video;
Other Categories: CSPW - Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Every three
years; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ARTH390 Title: Decolonial Art History: Theory, Method, and Praxis
Unacknowledged colonial ideologies have for too long promulgated structures and values that reinforce a
white Euro-American privilege within the pedagogy of art history. How does one confront the legacy of
colonialism within art history—a discipline that has historically focused on and promoted Eurocentric cultural
and artistic values? How can we understand artistic movements and institutions relative to colonial legacies?
What do decolonial processes look like as they are practiced at the juncture of art history, art practice, and
critical theory? Building on postcolonial studies, critical race studies, and critical museum studies, among
other theories and methods, this seminar will evaluate the possibilities and limits of decolonizing art history.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: ARTH 100 or WRIT 107, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor:
Oliver; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered:
Every three years; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ARTH391 Title: Persuasive Images
Visual images have always been enlisted to influence individual and collective decision-making, action, and
identity. However, the rise of the mass media in the nineteenth century, the multiplication of technologies in the
twentieth century, and the media spaces of the twenty-first century have created unprecedented opportunities
for the diffusion of propaganda and persuasive images. This seminar enlists case studies to examine the uses
and functions of visual images in advertising and political propaganda. It also considers the historical interplay
between elite and popular arts. The goal of the course is to sharpen our critical understanding and reception of
the visual world.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: At least one 200-level course in Art or Media Arts and Sciences,
and permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Berman; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music,
Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH397 Title: India and the British
In less than two centuries, the British presence in India transformed from a small company of merchants into a
vast, extractive empire ruled by the Crown. This course will critically examine visual culture relating to British
colonialism in India from the mid-eighteenth century to Independence. We will consider the role of art in British
diplomacy with rival kingdoms and independent territories, photography’s use in colonial surveillance, the
impact of industrialization on Indian crafts, colonial patronage and institutions of art education, and
architecture and monuments designed to naturalize British presence on the subcontinent. We will equally
consider South Asian perspectives such as the role of photography and reproductive prints in the rise of
nationalism, the swadeshi movement, and Indian artists’ engagement with or rejection of modernism.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: At least one 200-level Art History course or permission of the
instructor recommended.; Instructor: Oliver; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film
and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Astronomy
Astronomy is the study of the universe—from planets and stars to the Milky Way and distant galaxies, from the
instant of the Big Bang to the current era of rapid expansion and beyond to the distant future. Modern
astronomers rely on careful observations of the cosmos and on their understanding of physical laws to make
sense of our often baffling, but always fascinating universe. The astronomy curriculum emphasizes hands-on
observations at the Whitin Observatory, using our small telescopes and historic telescopes in introductory
courses and the new 0.7m research telescope for advanced classes and student research. Our introductory
survey courses are appropriate for both science and nonscience majors: ASTR 100 provides a nonmathematical introduction to life in the universe, with an emphasis on exploring our sense of place in the
cosmos, both scientifically and humanistically. ASTR 107 is a more mathematical and laboratory-based survey
of astronomy, highlighting hands-on discovery-based inquiry and observations with our historic and modern
telescopes, and serving as a gateway to our more advanced 200- and 300-level courses.
Astronomy Major
Requirements for the Astronomy Major
For students intending to pursue a Ph.D. in Astronomy, we offer, jointly with the Department of Physics, a
major in Astrophysics. For students interested in other pursuits, such as a Ph.D. in Planetary Science or
careers in education, data science, scientific and technical computing, and public outreach (e.g., museum
staff, journalism), we offer a major in Astronomy.
The major consists of 11 courses. In astronomy, we require ASTR 107, ASTR 206, and another 200-level
course, and two 300-level courses (one of which may be in an affiliated field). We also require MATH 215, and
PHYS 100, PHYS 107, PHYS 108, PHYS 205, and PHYS 207.
Students should consult with faculty about choosing electives and research opportunities appropriate for their
fields of study. For example, students interested in pursuing graduate study in planetary science should elect
additional courses in geosciences and chemistry. Students working toward teacher certification might add
courses in other sciences and in education, and might coordinate their fieldwork with ASTR 350, while those
planning to enter the technical workforce might elect additional courses in computer science.
Goals for the 100 level curriculum:
1. Develop critical thinking skills to evaluate claims based on scientific standards of evidence
2. Cultivate basic scientific/physical reasoning abilities
3. Explore the constellations, the motions of the sky, and our place in the cosmic neighborhood, using
naked eye and telescopic observations
4. Understand the properties of light as a universal messenger, enabling astronomers to decipher the
physical processes that shape planets, stars, galaxies and the evolution of the universe
5. Apply the physical laws of light and gravity to stars, galaxies, and planetary systems
Goals for the 200-300 level curriculum:
1. Apply an astronomer’s toolkit, based on the properties of light, matter and gravity, to understand the
life stories of planetary worlds, planetary systems, stars, galaxies, and the origin and fate of the
universe.
2. Collaborate with peers on research projects.
3. Plan, design, organize, carry out and document hands-on observations with modern instrumentation.
4. Identify, formulate, and solve tractable scientific and technical problems.
5. Analyze and interpret astronomical and planetary data and observations, using physical and
mathematical models.
6. Read and critically evaluate primary scientific literature.
7. Develop a scientific approach to problem-solving through making observations, applying physical
theories, and iterative testing of hypotheses.
8. Communicate technical knowledge through effective scientific writing and oral presentations.
Accessibility of Astronomy Facilities
Students with disabilities are welcome in all astronomy department courses, including those with laboratories.
The Whitin Observatory has telescopes accessible to students with mobility-related disabilities, including
outdoor telescopes for 100-level courses and the computer-controlled 0.7m telescope used for upper-level
courses and independent research. Other accommodation requests can be made by contacting Disability
Services, or by meeting with the instructor.
Honors in Astronomy
To earn honors in the major, students must have a grade point average of at least 3.5 in all work in the major
field above the 100-level; the department may petition on her behalf if her GPA in the major is between 3.0 and
3.5. The student must complete a significant research project culminating in a paper and an oral examination.
The project must be conducted after the junior year and approved in advance by the department, and might
be satisfied by a thesis, a summer internship, or a 350. See Academic Distinctions.
Astronomy Minor
Requirements for the Astronomy Minor
A minor in Astronomy consists of a total of five courses in ASTR, including ASTR 107, ASTR 202 or ASTR 206,
and at least one additional ASTR course above the 100 level. The final course may be in ASTR or in a cognate
field with approval from the minor advisor.
ASTR Courses
Course ID: ASTR100 Title: Life in the Universe
This course investigates the origin of life on the Earth and the prospects for finding life elsewhere in the
cosmos, and begins with an overview of the Earth's place in the solar system and the universe. The course
examines the early history of the Earth and the development of life, changes in the sun that affect the Earth,
characteristics of the other objects in our solar system and their potential for supporting life, the detection of
planets around stars other than the sun, and the search for extraterrestrial life. Our exploration of our place in
the universe will include some nighttime observing at our on-campus observatory.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 36; Prerequisites: Fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the
Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement.; Instructor: Watters; Distribution Requirements: NPS Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: ASTR107 Title: Exploring the Cosmos: Introductory Astronomy w/Lab
This course provides an overview of the Universe through the lens of the physical principles that help us to
probe it from right here on our puny planetary perch. Topics include stars and their planetary companions, the
lives and deaths of stars, black holes, galaxies, and the origin and fate of the Universe. Class meetings include
a mix of lecture and daytime laboratory activities. Additional required weekly nighttime sessions (scheduled
according to the weather) guide students through their own observations of the sky with both naked eyes and
the historic and modern telescopes of Whitin Observatory. This course serves as a gateway to more advanced
courses in our astronomy curriculum.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 28; Prerequisites: Open to First-Years and Sophom*ores only. Fulfillment of the
Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement. High
school physics strongly recommended.; Instructor: Mowla; Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical
Modeling and Problem Solving; LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; NPS - Natural and Physical
Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: ASTR200 Title: Exoplanetary Systems
This course will focus on exoplanets and the stellar systems they inhabit. Topics include exoplanet
demographics, techniques of discovery and characterization, models of formation and evolution, and potential
for future telescopes to uncover signs of atmospheric chemistry and habitability. Students will practice
application of physical principles, build data analysis skills, and be introduced to astronomical literature.
Students will also make exoplanet transit observations with our on-campus telescope and will model the
resulting light curve to ascertain properties of a real exoplanetary system.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: ASTR 107; or ASTR 100 with permission of the instructor.;
Instructor: McLeod; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; MM - Mathematical
Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Spring;
Course ID: ASTR202 Title: Hands-on Planetary Exploration with Laboratory
Design your own planetary mission and build your own scientific probe in this project-based course about the
practice of planetary exploration! Students will learn about the science and technology of exploring extreme
environments through studying the development of a historical planetary mission and by building their own
instrumented probe to investigate a challenging environment such as the Earth's lower atmosphere or the
bottom of Lake Waban. Depending on their role in the project, students can gain experience with a wide range
of new skills, such as how to assemble and test electronic circuits, computer programming, and data analysis.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: Fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the
Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement. Any 100-level science course (including CS). High school
physics recommended.; Instructor: Watters; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences;
LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered
this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ASTR206 Title: Astronomical Techniques with Laboratory
This course provides an introduction to modern methods of astronomical observation. Students will learn to
use the Whitin Observatory's 0.7m research telescope. Topics include: planning observations, modern
instrumentation, and the acquisition and quantitative analysis of astronomical images. This course requires
substantial nighttime telescope use and culminates with an independent observing project.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: ASTR 107; Instructor: McLeod; Distribution Requirements: MM Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; LAB - Natural and Physical
Sciences Laboratory; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ASTR210 Title: Galaxies and Cosmology: 13.7 Billion Years and Counting
The 21st-century Universe is weirder than 20th-century astronomers could imagine: its matter is mostly dark,
the effects of dark energy dominate its evolution, and it is expanding at an accelerating rate. The galaxies in
our Universe come in all shapes, sizes, and colors; they are cocooned in dark matter envelopes and harbor
monster black holes at their centers. This class will explore what we think we know about our Universe's
makeup, history, and fate. We will develop some of the basic laws of physics necessary to understand
theoretical cosmology and galaxy evolution and apply them to the interpretation of modern observations.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: Either ASTR 107 and MATH 116, or PHYS 107.; Instructor:
McLeod, Mowla; Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; NPS - Natural
and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Spring;
Course ID: ASTR223/GEOS223 Title: Planetary Atmospheres and Climates
Have you wondered what Earth's climate was like 3 billion years ago? What about weather patterns on Titan
and climate change on Mars? In this course, we'll explore the structure and evolution of atmospheres and the
climate on four worlds: the Earth, Mars, Venus, and Saturn's moon Titan. We'll examine the techniques and
tools that geologists use to learn about the history of Earth's climate and that planetary scientists use to learn
about the atmospheres and surface environments on other worlds. Students will also gain experience
simulating the climate system and computing atmospheric properties. Other topics include: the super-rotation
of Venus's atmosphere and its Runaway Greenhouse climate, the destruction of atmospheres on low-gravity
worlds, and the future of Earth's climate as the Sun grows steadily brighter.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: MATH 116 and PHYS 107 and one of the following (ES 101, ASTR
100, ASTR 107, GEOS 101, or GEOS 102), or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Watters; Distribution
Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences;
Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ASTR225 Title: Seminar: Anomalies in the History of Science
Anomalies are observable phenomena that resist explanation in terms of a prevailing set of scientific beliefs. As
such, anomalies sometimes have the effect of driving upheavals in scientific thought, in some cases
overturning deeply-entrenched paradigms. Examples include: (a) the discovery that rocks fall to earth from
space, and (b) aberrations in the orbit of Mercury that required a new theory of gravity to fully understand.
Observations that at first appear anomalous sometimes turn out to be illusory, such as canal-like features
reported in early 20th century telescopic observations of Mars. This course will explore the role of anomalies in
driving scientific discovery, and in testing our critical thinking faculties, as well as our standards for what kinds
of knowledge and inquiry count as "scientific". We will address case studies from this history of astronomy and
other sciences, as well as relevant epistemological questions and social critiques of the modern scientific
enterprise. We will also examine present-day candidate anomalies from within the scientific mainstream such
as dark matter, as well as from the so-called pseudoscientific fringe, such as paranormal phenomena and
Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs).
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: Any 100-level science course taken at Wellesley.; Instructor:
Watters; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Every three
years; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ASTR250 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Course ID: ASTR250GH Title: Research or Group Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit;
Course ID: ASTR250H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and
Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: ASTR303/GEOS313 Title: Advanced Planetary Geology and Geophysics
Spacecraft observations have revealed a breathtaking diversity of geologic features in the solar system, such
as the giant impact basins on Mars, towering thrust fault scarps on Mercury, coronae structures on Venus, and
active volcanoes on Io and Enceladus. From a comparative perspective, this course examines the physical
processes that drive the evolution of the planets and small bodies in the solar system. Topics include:
planetary shape and internal structure, mechanisms of topographic support, tectonics, impacts, volcanism,
and tides. Some class sessions are reserved for seminar-style discussions of journal articles. Students will
produce a final project that involves researching a topic of their choosing.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: Any 100-level course in ASTR or GEOS in addition to at least one
of the following - PHYS 107, GEOS 203, GEOS 218, or GEOS 220. An introductory course in mechanics (e.g.,
PHYS 104 or PHYS 107) is not required but is strongly recommended.; Instructor: Watters; Distribution
Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ASTR304/PHYS304 Title: Advanced Experimental Techniques
In this course students will learn advanced techniques for experimental astronomy and planetary science.
Students will carry out term-long projects involving acquisition and analysis of data. In some cases these data
will be derived from observations performed with telescopes or instruments built by the students themselves.
In other cases students will build projects around data from space missions or ground or space-based
telescopes. Techniques may include spectroscopy, photometry, multiwavelength astronomy, remote sensing
of planetary surfaces, particle astrophysics, and gravitational wave astronomy.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 8; Prerequisites: ASTR 202, ASTR 206, PHYS 210 or prior experience with
instrumentation with permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural
and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Notes: Not offered every year.;
Course ID: ASTR311/PHYS311 Title: Advanced Astrophysics
Astrophysics is the application of physics to the study of the Universe. We will use elements of mechanics,
thermodynamics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, special relativity, and nuclear physics to investigate
selected topics such as planetary dynamics, the life stories of stars and galaxies, the interstellar medium, highenergy processes, and large scale structure in the Universe. Our goals will be to develop insight into the
physical underpinnings of the natural world and to construct a "universal toolkit" of practical astrophysical
techniques that can be applied to the entire celestial menagerie.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 16; Prerequisites: PHYS 205; pre or co-requisite PHYS 207.; Instructor: Mowla;
Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; NPS - Natural and Physical
Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ASTR350 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Open to juniors and seniors.; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: ASTR360 Title: Senior Thesis Research
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 5; Prerequisites: Permission of the department.; Typical Periods Offered: Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research (360) in the first
semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty member, sometimes in
coordination with an off-site mentor. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis
(370) in the second semester.;
Course ID: ASTR370 Title: Senior Thesis
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: ASTR 360 and permission of the department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis
Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty
member. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second
semester.;
Astrophysics
An Interdisciplinary Major
The Department of Physics and Astronomy offers an interdisciplinary major in astrophysics, which combines
the physics major with a foundation of course work in astronomy. This major should be considered by
students interested in graduate study in astronomy or astrophysics, and by those who would like a
coordinated astronomy extension to the physics major.
Astrophysics Major
Requirements for the Astrophysics Major
An astrophysics major consists of the courses required for the physics major (with one of the 300-level courses
being ASTR 311/PHYS 311), along with ASTR 107, ASTR 206, and one additional upper-level astronomy
course. All students who wish to consider a major in astrophysics are urged to complete the introductory
physics sequence (PHYS 100, PHYS 107 and PHYS 108), as well as ASTR 107, as soon as possible. In
planning the major, students should note that some of the courses have prerequisites in mathematics.
Goals for the Astrophysics Major
As an Astrophysics major, you will be able to:
1. Identify, discuss, and explain the basic laws of physics within the fields of classical mechanics,
electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, and thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, as an
underpinning to understanding astronomical phenomena.
2. Apply an astronomer’s toolkit, based on the properties of light, matter, and gravity, to understand the
life stories of planetary worlds, planetary systems, stars, galaxies, and the origin and fate of the
universe.
3. Identify, formulate, and solve tractable scientific and technical problems by placing them in context,
making appropriate estimates and simplifications, modeling the important physical processes,
quantifying predictions with analytic and computational tools, and testing the correctness of the results.
4. Plan, design, organize, carry out and document hands-on observations with modern instrumentation.
5. Interpret astronomical data and observations, using physical and mathematical models and
computational tools.
6. Read and critically evaluate primary scientific literature.
7. Collaborate with peers on research projects that address scientific and technical problems using
experiments, computer models, and analysis.
8. Propose and test hypotheses from an integrated appreciation of observations and physical theories.
9. Communicate technical knowledge through effective scientific writing and oral presentations.
Honors in Astrophysics
To earn honors in Astrophysics, students must have a minimum grade point average of at least 3.5 in all work
in the major field above the 100 level; the advisory committee may petition on the student's behalf if their GPA
in the major is between 3.0 and 3.5. The student must complete a significant research project culminating in a
paper and an oral examination. The project must be conducted after the junior year and approved in advance
by the Astrophysics Advisory Committee, and might be satisfied by a thesis, a summer internship, or a 350.
See Academic Distinctions.
Accessibility of Astrophysics Facilities
Students with disabilities are welcome in all astronomy department courses, including those with laboratories.
The Whitin Observatory has telescopes accessible to students with mobility-related disabilities, including
outdoor telescopes for 100-level courses and the computer-controlled 0.7m telescope used for upper-level
courses and independent research. Other accommodation requests can be made by contacting Disability
Services, or by meeting with the instructor.
ASPH Courses
Course ID: ASPH350 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Open to juniors and seniors.; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: ASPH360 Title: Senior Thesis Research
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the director.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research (360) in
the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty member, sometimes in
coordination with an off-site mentor. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis
(370) in the second semester.;
Course ID: ASPH370 Title: Senior Thesis
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: ASPH 360 and permission of the department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior
Thesis Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty
member. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second
semester.;
Biochemistry
An Interdepartmental Major
Biochemistry is an interdisciplinary major offered by the Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry,
allowing students to explore the chemistry of biological systems. Biochemistry includes fields we call
biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, as well as other molecular aspects of the life sciences. It deals with
the structure, function, and regulation of cellular components and biologically active molecules, such as
proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids. Expertise in biochemistry is central to breakthroughs in DNA
technology, drug discovery and design, and molecular approaches to disease.
Biochemistry Major
Goals for Biochemistry Majors
Analyze biological systems through the lens of the three unifying themes defined by the American
Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB):
Energy is required and transformed
Macromolecular structure determines function and regulation
Information storage and flow are dynamic and interactive
Formulate biochemical hypotheses and test them utilizing well-designed experiments, critical
evaluation of data, and appropriate statistical analyses
Safely use appropriate instrumentation, laboratory techniques, and computational methods to solve a
given problem
Apply, develop, and critically evaluate qualitative and quantitative models
Synthesize biological, chemical, physical, and mathematical knowledge to solve problems at the
interfaces between these disciplines
Communicate sophisticated biochemical concepts to technical and general audiences orally and in
writing
Retrieve, examine, analyze, interpret, and critique the primary biochemical literature
Work effectively as a member and leader of diverse groups to solve scientific problems
Articulate the centrality of biochemistry in addressing societal issues, evaluate ethical and public policy
issues of biochemical significance, and engage in respectful discourse
Practice high standards of professional conduct, including data integrity, proper attribution of work, and
reproducibility
Requirements for the Biochemistry Major
100 Level Requirements:
CHEM: Either CHEM 105, CHEM 105P, CHEM 116, or CHEM 120.
BISC: Either BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC 112, BISC 112Y, or BISC 116.
PHYS: Either PHYS 100, PHYS 104, PHYS 106, PHYS 107, PHYS 108, PHYS 109 or equivalent. This
requirement may be satisfied by students passing the physics exemption exam for one of these courses.
Students planning to take PHYS 100 should consult with the program chair and their advisor, preferably
prior to registration, to ensure their major plan includes sufficient laboratory contact courses.
MATH: Either MATH 116, MATH 120 or equivalent. This requirement can be satisfied by earning
Wellesley credit from the AP Calculus BC exam or placement into MATH 205 or a higher level course by
the Department of Mathematics.
200 Level Requirements:
CHEM: CHEM 205 (if CHEM 120 was not taken) and CHEM 211.
BIOC: BIOC 219, BIOC 220, and BIOC 223.
300 Level Requirements:
BISC: two 300-level courses from among the following: BISC 303; BISC 311; BISC 314; BISC 316; BISC
318; BISC 328;
BISC 329; BISC 330; BISC 333; BISC 334; BISC 335; BISC 336; BISC 337;
NEUR 332 or other course if relevant to the major and approved by the director.
BIOC: BIOC 331 and one course from among BIOC 320, BIOC 323, BIOC 324 or BIOC 325.
Lab/Research Requirement: The BIOC major requires sufficient laboratory work at the 300-level or sufficient
independent research experience. To fulfill this requirement:
(i) Any two 300-level courses counting toward the major must have a laboratory component OR
(ii) Any one of the 300-level courses counting toward the major must have a laboratory component AND
the student must also carry out an independent research experience and write a paper based on it. The
independent research experience can be fulfilled in any of the following ways:
- One unit in total of BIOC 250,BIOC 350, BIOC 250H, or BIOC 350H
- Completion of at least one semester of a senior thesis (BIOC 355 of BIOC 360)
- Completion of an approved, off campus or on campus research experience with a minimum of
130 hours, including pair experiences such as the Wellesley Summer Research Program or the
Sophom*ore Early Research Program. Any such experience must be approved by a BIOC Program
faculty member.
In all cases for option (ii), the student must complete a paper (of at least 8-10 pages in length) on the
research. The paper must contain substantial literature references, and a copy of the paper must be
submitted to the Biochemistry Program Director as partial fulfillment of this requirement. A student who
completes a thesis does not need to write an additional paper.
Other Notes: Students should be sure to satisfy the prerequisites for 300-level courses. Students planning
graduate work in biochemistry should consider taking additional courses in chemistry, such as analytical,
inorganic, or the second semester of organic. Students planning graduate work in molecular or cell biology
should consider taking additional advanced courses in these areas. Independent research (BIOC 250, BIOC
250H, BIOC 350, BIOC 350H, BIOC 355 & BIOC 365, BIOC 360 & BIOC 370) is highly recommended,
especially for those considering graduate studies.
The following BIOC courses are cross-listed in either BISC or CHEM: BIOC 219; BIOC 220; BIOC 223, BIOC
227; BIOC 320; BIOC 323; BIOC 324; BIOC 325, BIOC 331.
One potential sequence of required courses could be as follows:
Year 1: Fall: Either (1) CHEM 105, CHEM 105P or CHEM 120 and Math or Physics, or (2) BISC 116 and
CHEM116; Spring: CHEM 205 or CHEM 211 and either BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC 112 or BISC 112Y (if BISC
116 not taken in the Fall), Math or Physics (if neither taken in the Fall).
Year 2: Fall: BIOC 219 and either CHEM 205 or CHEM 211; Spring: BIOC 223 and BIOC 220; Math and/or
Physics taken either semester as needed.
In Years 3 and 4, students may elect to complete the following requirements in whatever order suits them:
(a) BIOC 331;
(b) BIOC 320, BIOC 323, BIOC 324 or BIOC 325;
(c) two approved 300-level BISC courses (and independent study if needed for lab requirement).
For additional examples of current and previous Biochemistry majors’ four year schedules, please see the
BIOC Major Course Planning Guide on the Biochemistry website.
Please discuss your program with the director or another member of the advisory committee as early as
possible, especially if you are planning on international study.
Independent Research in Biochemistry
BIOC 250, BIOC 250H, BIOC 350, BIOC 350H, BIOC 355/BIOC 365 are open to any student. The research
should focus on some aspect of the molecular biosciences and may be advised by any member of the
Biochemistry Advisory Committee, or by another member of the faculty upon approval by the Advisory
Committee. BIOC 360 and BIOC 370 are open only to Biochemistry majors (see "Honors," below).
Honors in Biochemistry
Honors work may be advised by any member of the Biochemistry Advisory Committee or by another member
of the faculty upon approval by the Advisory Committee. To be admitted to the Honors thesis program, a
student must have a GPA of at least 3.5 in approved (non-independent study) work in the major field above the
100 level. Students will be initially enrolled in BIOC 360 after approval by the advisory committee. Upon
completion of BIOC 360, students will be enrolled in BIOC 370 contingent on evidence of satisfactory research
progress, GPA, and approval by the advisory committee.
Students with a GPA in the major below 3.5 should consult the thesis director and will be registered for BIOC
355. Upon completion of BIOC 355, the department may petition on the student's behalf to register for BIOC
370 contingent on evidence of satisfactory research progress, approved GPA, and approval by the advisory
committee.
Double-Counted Courses in Biochemistry
The College does not allow a course to double-count toward two majors or toward both a major and a minor.
Therefore, if a student wishes to count a course that could count toward the BIOC major toward another major
or a minor, the student must take an additional course toward their BIOC major that has been approved by
their advisor.
Requirements for the Biochemistry Minor
A minor in Biochemistry includes:
CHEM: Either CHEM 105, CHEM 105P, CHEM 116, or CHEM 120.
BISC: Either BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC 112, BISC 112Y, or BISC 116.
CHEM 205 (if CHEM 120 was not taken) and CHEM 211.
BIOC 219 or BIOC 220
BIOC 223
One 300-level unit from the following courses: BIOC 320, BIOC 323, BIOC 324, BIOC 325, BIOC 331,
BISC 303, BISC 311, BISC 314, BISC 316, BISC 318, BISC 328, BISC 329, BISC 330, BISC 333, BISC
334, BISC 335, BISC 336, BIOC 337, NEUR 332 or other 300-level courses if relevant to the major and
approved by the director.
The minor in biochemistry is not open to students with a major in Biological Sciences or Chemistry.
The College does not allow a course to double-count toward both a major and a minor. Therefore, if a student
wishes to count a course that could count toward the BIOC minor toward their major, the student must take an
additional course toward their BIOC minor that has been approved by their minor advisor.
BIOC Courses
Course ID: BIOC219/BISC219 Title: Genetics with Laboratory
The goal of the course is to develop an understanding of the fundamental principles of genetics at the
molecular, cellular, organismal, and population levels. The course establishes a link between the generation of
genetic variants through mutation and recombination, their patterns of inheritance, interactions between genes
to produce complex phenotypes, and the maintenance of such genetic variation in natural populations. The
course also explores principles of genome organization and the mechanisms that regulate gene expression.
Other topics include: DNA sequencing and the use of genomic data to address questions in genetics,
comparing and contrasting genetic regulation strategies across the three domains of life, and exploring
experimental approaches for addressing genetic questions. Laboratory investigation will expose students to
the fundamentals of genetics including transmission, molecular, and computational techniques for genetic
analysis. Students must attend lab during the first week in order to continue in the course. During certain
weeks, students are required to come in outside of scheduled lab time for approximately one hour 3-4 days
after the scheduled lab. Please plan your schedule accordingly.
This course has a required co-requisite laboratory: BIOC 219L/BISC 219L.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 60; Prerequisites: BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC 112, BISC 112Y or BISC 116. One
unit of college chemistry is recommended. Not open to First-Year students.; Instructor: Beers, Biller, Carmell,
Okumura, Sequeira; Distribution Requirements: LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; NPS - Natural
and Physical Sciences; LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences;
Typical Periods Offered: Summer; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Fall;
Course ID: BIOC219L/BISC219L Title: Laboratory: Genetics
This is a required co-requisite laboratory for BIOC 219/BISC 219.
The grading option chosen for the lecture (BIOC 219/BISC 219) - either Letter Grade or Credit/Non Credit - will
apply to the lab as well; the final grade is a single unified grade for both lecture and lab and is based on the
grading option you choose for the lecture section.
Units: 0; Max Enrollment: 12; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Fall;
Course ID: BIOC220/BISC220 Title: Cell Biology with Laboratory
Examines structure-function relationships in eukaryotic cells. We will explore the operation and regulation of
molecular mechanisms that carry out processes central to life. Considerable emphasis is placed on
experimental approaches for investigating the following topics: protein structure and function, biological
membranes and transport, cytoskeletal assembly and function, protein biogenesis and trafficking, cell
communication and signaling, the cell cycle, and intercellular interactions. Laboratory investigations will
provide students with experience in classical and modern approaches to examine and quantify cellular
processes. Students must attend lab during the first week in order to continue in the course.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 48; Prerequisites: One of the following (BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC 112, or BISC
112Y) and two units of college chemistry; or BISC 116 and CHEM 116 and one unit of college chemistry. Not
open to First-Year students.; Instructor: Darling, Okumura, Roden; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural
and Physical Sciences; LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: BIOC223/CHEM223 Title: Fundamentals of Biochemistry with Laboratory
This course brings together the fundamental multidisciplinary concepts governing life at the molecular level
and opens a gateway to advanced biochemistry offerings. Grounded in an understanding of aqueous
equilibria, thermodynamic, kinetic, and spectroscopic principles, the course will emphasize the structure and
function of proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids. The laboratory introduces modern laboratory
techniques for the study of biomolecules and develops experimental design and critical data analysis skills.
The laboratory component can be of particular value to students planning or engaged in independent research
and those considering graduate level work related to biochemistry. This course counts toward Chemistry or
Biochemistry major requirements.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: (CHEM 205 or CHEM 120) and CHEM 211 and one of the
following (BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC 112, BISC 112Y, BISC 116, CHEM 212), and permission of the
instructor.; Instructor: Elmore, Hall, Tantama; Distribution Requirements: LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences
Laboratory; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Course ID: BIOC227/CHEM227 Title: Principles of Biochemistry
A survey of the chemical foundations of life processes, with focus on theory and applications relevant to
medicine. Topics include bioenergetics, metabolism, and macromolecular structure. Essential skills such as
data analysis and understanding of the primary literature will be approached through in-class discussions and
application to current biomedical problems. This course is suitable for students wanting an overview of
biochemistry, but it will not contain the experimental introduction to biochemical methods and laboratory
instrumentation required for the Chemistry and Biochemistry majors.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: (CHEM 205 or CHEM 120) and CHEM 211 and one of the following
(BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC 112, BISC 112Y, BISC 116). Not open to students who have completed BIOC
223/CHEM 223.; Instructor: Kress; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Does not count
toward the minimum major in Chemistry.;
Course ID: BIOC250 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: BIOC250H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Winter; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Winter; Spring;
Course ID: BIOC320/CHEM320 Title: Advanced Biochemistry Laboratory
An intensive laboratory course offering a multiweek independent team research project and training in
experimental applications of physical chemistry and biochemistry. Topics will include spectroscopy and
chemical thermodynamics of biomolecules. This course will emphasize independent hypothesis development
and experimental design skills as well as public presentation of results. Students will read primary literature,
construct a research proposal, develop their own laboratory protocols manual, conduct experiments using a
variety of instrumentation, and present their research. One class period per week plus one lab and mandatory
weekly meetings with instructor.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 16; Prerequisites: BIOC 223/CHEM 223; Instructor: Oakes; Distribution
Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Notes: Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking
Intensive Course.;
Course ID: BIOC323/CHEM323 Title: Seminar: Chemical Biology
Many critical research advances result from applying basic chemical principles and tools to biological systems.
This approach has opened up exciting new areas of study, such as the development of bio-orthogonal
reactions, the engineering of cells to incorporate “unnatural” biomolecules, selective modifications to cellular
surfaces, and the synthesis of peptidomimetics and other bio-inspired materials. These approaches have
allowed for important advances in developing novel therapeutics, engineering modern materials, and the
studying biological processes in vivo. In this course, students will explore contemporary research
breakthroughs in chemical biology through reading, analysis and discussion of the primary literature. Students
will also propose novel research directions through the preparation of independent research proposals.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: BIOC 223/CHEM 223 or BIOC 227/CHEM 227, or permission of
instructor.; Instructor: Elmore, Woodford; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences;
Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: BIOC324/CHEM324 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Can Biochemistry Help Address
Societal Problems?
Researchers increasingly attempt to harness biochemical approaches as a way to address pressing societal
problems. For example, recent work has focused on topics including the effective production of biofuels,
remediation of environmental pollutants and developing new treatments for antibiotic resistant pathogens. In
this course, juniors and seniors will explore contemporary research aimed at solving these problems through
readings in the primary literature, invited lectures, interviewing researchers and developing independent
research proposals. Students will analyze and interpret research findings through weekly writing assignments
targeted towards broad audiences, such as research summaries for the scientific press, textbook sections,
executive summaries and proposals accessible to non-specialists. Class sessions will be structured as
workshops to analyze core chemical and biological concepts and provide structured critiques of writing
assignments.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: BIOC/CHEM 223 or BIOC/CHEM 227 or BIOC/BISC 220 or (CHEM
205 and CHEM 211 and (BISC 110 or BISC 112 or BISC 116)), or permission of the instructor. ; Instructor:
Elmore; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Other Categories: CSPW Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Typical Periods Offered: Every three years; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: BIOC325/CHEM325 Title: Seminar: Biosensors & Optogenetics
Biosensors and optogenetics are important tools used to understand the physiology of living systems across
the molecular, cellular, tissue, and organismal levels. Luminescent biosensors emit light during a
measurement while optogenetics are activated by light to control and manipulate signaling and metabolism in
living cells. In this course, students will explore the chemistry and biology of these tools, focusing on the
principles of their design, strategies for their construction, and their applications in the life and physical
sciences. Students will engage the subject matter with group work, peer-to-peer editing, and individual
assignments through a combination of active-learning lectures, current literature analysis, and oral
presentations. The course will culminate in the writing and presentation of an NIH-style original research
proposal. This course will provide foundations for thinking about protein engineering as well as hypothesisdriven biological questions, and it is appropriate for students across the spectrum of chemical, physical, and
biological interests.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: BIOC/CHEM 223 or BIOC/CHEM 227 or BIOC/BISC 220 or (CHEM
205 and CHEM 212 and (BISC 110 or BISC 112 or BISC 116)); Instructor: Tantama; Distribution Requirements:
NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Not Offered;
Course ID: BIOC331/CHEM331 Title: Physical Chemistry of Biological Systems: The Fundamental Models of
Biological Molecules and Processes
Provides a survey of fundamental principles in physical chemistry and how they relate specifically to the
study of biological molecules and processes. Emphasis is placed on empowering students to understand,
evaluate, and use models as approximations for the biomolecular world. Models are mathematically
represented and provide both qualitative and quantitative insight into biologically relevant systems.
Commonly used experimental techniques such as spectroscopy and calorimetry are explained from first
principles with quantum mechanical and statistical mechanical models, and computational applications such
as protein structure prediction and molecular design are explained through physical models such as
molecular mechanics and dynamics.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: BIOC 223/CHEM 223 and MATH 116 or equivalent.; Instructor: M.
Radhakrishnan; Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; NPS - Natural
and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Notes:
Does not count toward the chemistry major but counts toward the biochemistry major and the chemistry
minor. Students are strongly encouraged to complete one course in physics in addition to the stated
prerequisites before enrolling; ;
Course ID: BIOC350 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Open to juniors and seniors.; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: BIOC350H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Open to juniors and seniors.;
Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Winter; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Winter; Spring;
Course ID: BIOC355 Title: Biochemistry Thesis Research
The first course in a two-semester investigation of a significant research problem, culminating in the
preparation of a thesis and defense of that thesis before a committee of faculty from the Biochemistry program.
Students will discuss their research progress informally with faculty and student colleagues and gain familiarity
with contemporary research through presentations by outside seminar speakers. This route does not lead to
departmental honors.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Open only to Seniors with permission of the instructor.; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: BIOC360 Title: Senior Thesis Research
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the department.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall; Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research
(360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty member. If
sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second semester.;
Course ID: BIOC365 Title: Thesis
The second course in a two-semester investigation of a significant research problem, in the preparation of a
thesis and defense of that thesis before a committee of faculty from the Biochemistry program. Students will
discuss their research progress informally with faculty and student colleagues and gain familiarity with
contemporary research through presentations by outside seminar speakers. This route does not lead to
departmental honors.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 10; Prerequisites: BIOC 355 and permission of the department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Course ID: BIOC370 Title: Senior Thesis
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: BIOC 360 and permission of the department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior
Thesis Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty
member. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second
semester.;
Biological Sciences
Biology, the study of life, is a dynamic science that interfaces with many other disciplines. Biologists examine
life at all levels of organization: from molecules to ecosystems. The patterns and processes of evolution
provide a unifying theme for our knowledge and investigation of the astounding variety of living organisms,
past and present. Biological Sciences majors will develop the problem-solving skills and intellectual flexibility
to contribute to and participate in a rapidly changing world.
Biological Sciences Major
As a Biological Sciences major you will be able to:
Articulate the relevance of biology in your life and the lives of others and evaluate ethical and public
policy issues of biological significance.
Collaborate successfully to solve problems in an interdisciplinary team.
Identify, discuss and explain the fundamental principles and concepts of biology from molecules to
ecosystems.
Recognize and explain the evolutionary basis of biology and the dynamic nature of life.
Summarize and assess new biological problems and use critical thinking and problem-solving skills to
arrive at defensible conclusions within the framework of current knowledge.
Frame focused biological questions, to formulate hypotheses and test them through well-designed
experiments, to quantitatively analyze and interpret data, and to model, simulate, and statistically
evaluate data.
Effectively communicate both orally and in writing about biological topics with the general public and
with discipline specific audiences.
Examine, analyze, interpret and critique the primary biological literature.
Implement and safely apply a broad array of experimental research skills.
Requirements for the Biological Sciences Major
Overview The Biological Sciences Major includes nine Biological Sciences courses (at least seven of which
must be taken at Wellesley) and two Chemistry courses. Below is detailed information about the
requirements.
Nine Biological Sciences Courses
1. Two Introductory Courses
One course in Cellular and Molecular Biology (BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC 112, BISC 112Y, BISC
116);
One course in Organismal Biology (BISC 111, BISC 111T, BISC 113, BISC 113Y)
2. Four 200-Level Courses* (Note the 200-level courses are grouped.)
At least one course in Group I Cell Biology (BISC 219, BISC 220);
At least one course in Group II Systems Biology (BISC 203, BISC 207, BISC 216);
At least one course in Group III Community Biology (BISC 201, BISC 202, BISC 204, BISC 209, BISC
210, BISC 214, BISC 247/ES 247);
Another 200-level BISC course (any listed above).
3. Two 300-Level Courses* (At least one course must include a laboratory and this course must be taken at
Wellesley College.)
4. One Elective Course* This ninth course can be any level BISC course; with additional course options EXTD
225, EXTD 226.
*Please note Independent Research for credit is encouraged, but is not counted towards the major
requirements (BISC 250, BISC 250H, BISC 350, BISC 350H, BISC 355, BISC 360, BISC 365, BISC 370).
Two Chemistry Courses
A first course is typically CHEM 105, CHEM 105P, CHEM 116, or CHEM 120.
A second CHEM course typically at the 200-level
(Additional chemistry beyond the two required units is strongly recommended or required for certain 300level BISC courses.)
Other Notes
Several courses can be counted towards the major requirement and fulfill the College distribution
requirements: BISC 104, BISC 106, BISC 107, BISC 108, BISC 109, BISC 198, ANTH 274/BISC 274,
BISC/PHIL 232. (BISC 107, BISC 108, and BISC 109 as laboratory science courses; all other electives
in the list, as non-laboratory science courses.)
The following courses can be counted towards the major requirement and fulfill the Data Literacy
component of the Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement (formerly referred to as the QR
overlay). Data literacy courses are: BISC 107, BISC 109, BISC 111, BISC 111T, BISC 113, BISC 113Y,
BISC 198, BISC 201.
Independent Research and Honors in Biological Sciences
The Biological Sciences Department strongly encourages students to get involved in independent research.
Such opportunities can serve to improve skills in conducting laboratory or field based studies. Data analysis,
scientific writing, and oral communication are likely components of independent research projects. For details
on non-credit research opportunities, please see the Research tab on the Biological Sciences Department
website. Research opportunities for credit in the biological sciences major can be fulfilled in the following
ways:
1. Independent Study in Biological Sciences (BISC 250, BISC 250H or BISC 350, BISC 350H): Independent
research projects may be supervised by a member of the faculty of the Department of Biological Sciences or
an off-campus director. Please note that off-campus independent research experiences require active
participation of a department faculty member throughout the research period. Advisor approval is required for
acceptance into a research program. Students are expected to devote 10-12 hours to their projects per week
for BISC 250 and BISC 350 and 5-6 hours per week for BISC 250H and BISC 350H. (Note: Paid internships
are not eligible for BISC 250, BISC 250H, BISC 350, BISC 350H.)
2. Thesis in the Biological Sciences (BISC 355, BISC 365): The thesis program is a two-semester investigation
of a significant research problem, culminating in the preparation of a written thesis and defense of that thesis
before a faculty committee. The primary goals of the thesis project are the development of independent
research capabilities, the improvement of scientific writing skills, and oral communication of scientific data.
Independent research projects may be supervised by a member of the faculty of the Department of Biological
Sciences or an off-campus director. Please note that off-campus independent research experiences require
active participation of a department faculty member throughout the research period. Advisor approval is
required for acceptance into the thesis program.
3. Honors thesis in the Biological Sciences (BISC 360, BISC 370): Honors in the Biological Sciences is earned
by the demonstration of excellence in both course work and a thesis research project. All junior majors are
invited to apply for the honors program. Advisor approval is required for acceptance into the thesis program
and final acceptance is contingent upon a vote of the department faculty and a grade point average of 3.5 or
higher in courses in the major above the 100 level. The primary goals of the thesis program are the
development of independent research capabilities, the improvement of scientific writing skills, and oral
communication of scientific data. Honors candidates prepare a written thesis and defend their thesis before an
examination committee. After the oral examination, the thesis committee evaluates the candidate's
performance and may recommend approval of the degree with honors in the major.
For more information regarding any of the above options, please see the Department's "Guide to Independent
Research."
Graduate Study in Biological Sciences
Students planning graduate work are advised to take calculus, statistics, organic chemistry, and two units of
physics. They should consult the catalogs of the graduate schools of their choice for specific requirements.
Advanced Placement Policy in Biological Sciences
AP credit does not replace any course offered in the Department of Biological Sciences and does not count
toward a major or minor. No exemption exams are given. With the exception of BISC 110P, all courses require
the fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning requirement as a prerequisite.
Transfer Credit and International Study in Biological Sciences
In order to obtain Wellesley credit for any biology course taken at another institution during the summer or the
academic year, approval must be obtained from the chair of the department. After a student has enrolled at
Wellesley, courses from two-year colleges will not be accepted at any level. Transfer students wishing to
obtain credit for biology courses taken prior to enrollment at Wellesley should consult the chair of the
department. Students wishing to apply courses taken overseas toward their major at Wellesley should also
consult the chair.
Double-Counted Biological Sciences Course
The College requires that no course is double-counted between two majors or between a major and a minor.
When any Biological Sciences course is counted toward a non-Biological Sciences minor, the students need
to make up for the course by taking an additional Biological Sciences course towards their Biological Sciences
major. The elective course must be approved by the advisor.
Interdepartmental Majors
Students interested in an interdepartmental major in Biochemistry can refer to the sections of the course
catalog where those programs are described. They should consult with the director of the appropriate
program.
Courses for Credit Toward the Biological Sciences Major
EXTD 225
Biology of Fishes
1.0
EXTD 226
Biology of Whales
1.0
Biological Sciences Related Courses - Attention Called
CS 112
Computation for the Sciences
1.0
ES 212 / GEOS 212 /
RAST 212
Lake Baikal: The Soul of Siberia
1.0
EXTD 128
Coastal Zone Management
1.0
GEOS 200
Evolution of Earth Systems through Time with
Laboratory
1.25
PE 205
Sports Medicine-Lower Extremity
1.0
PHIL 249
Medical Ethics
1.0
Biological Sciences Minor
Requirements for the Biological Sciences Minor
A minor in Biological Sciences (five courses) consists of the following:
1. Two Introductory Courses
One course in Cellular and Molecular Biology (BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC 112, BISC 112Y, BISC 116)
One course in Organismal Biology (BISC 111, BISC 111T, BISC 113, BISC 113Y)
2. Two 200-level courses, each of which must be in a different group as described in the first paragraph above
under major requirements
3. One 300-level course, excluding BISC 350, BISC 350H, BISC 355, BISC 360, BISC 365, and BISC 370
Four of the five courses for a minor must be taken at Wellesley. Chemistry is recommended.
Double-Counted Biological Sciences Course
The College requires that no course is double-counted between two majors or between a major and a minor.
When any Biological Sciences course is counted toward a non-Biological Sciences major, the students need
to make up for the course by taking an additional Biological Sciences course towards their Biological Sciences
minor. The elective course must be approved by the advisor.
BISC Courses
Course ID: ANTH274/BISC274 Title: Anthropological Genetics
This course will provide an introduction into the core concepts of population genetics, with special focus on
their application to human and nonhuman primate evolution. Population genetics is the branch of evolutionary
biology concerned with how genetic variation is patterned within and between populations and how these
patterns change over time. Though the theory is applicable to all organisms, specific examples drawn from the
human and nonhuman primate literature will be used as case studies. Topics will also include the genetic
basis for disease, pedigree analysis, and personal genomics. The course will be structured around lectures
and discussion with regular computer labs to provide firsthand experience working with anthropological
genetic topics and analyses of genetic data sets.
Note: This course can fulfill the elective course requirement for the BISC major, but does not fulfill the core 200
level course requirement for the major.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Instructor: Van Arsdale; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical
Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Every three years; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: BIOC219/BISC219 Title: Genetics with Laboratory
The goal of the course is to develop an understanding of the fundamental principles of genetics at the
molecular, cellular, organismal, and population levels. The course establishes a link between the generation of
genetic variants through mutation and recombination, their patterns of inheritance, interactions between genes
to produce complex phenotypes, and the maintenance of such genetic variation in natural populations. The
course also explores principles of genome organization and the mechanisms that regulate gene expression.
Other topics include: DNA sequencing and the use of genomic data to address questions in genetics,
comparing and contrasting genetic regulation strategies across the three domains of life, and exploring
experimental approaches for addressing genetic questions. Laboratory investigation will expose students to
the fundamentals of genetics including transmission, molecular, and computational techniques for genetic
analysis. Students must attend lab during the first week in order to continue in the course. During certain
weeks, students are required to come in outside of scheduled lab time for approximately one hour 3-4 days
after the scheduled lab. Please plan your schedule accordingly.
This course has a required co-requisite laboratory: BIOC 219L/BISC 219L.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 60; Prerequisites: BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC 112, BISC 112Y or BISC 116. One
unit of college chemistry is recommended. Not open to First-Year students.; Instructor: Beers, Biller, Carmell,
Okumura, Sequeira; Distribution Requirements: LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; NPS - Natural
and Physical Sciences; LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences;
Typical Periods Offered: Summer; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Fall;
Course ID: BIOC219L/BISC219L Title: Laboratory: Genetics
This is a required co-requisite laboratory for BIOC 219/BISC 219.
The grading option chosen for the lecture (BIOC 219/BISC 219) - either Letter Grade or Credit/Non Credit - will
apply to the lab as well; the final grade is a single unified grade for both lecture and lab and is based on the
grading option you choose for the lecture section.
Units: 0; Max Enrollment: 12; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Fall;
Course ID: BIOC220/BISC220 Title: Cell Biology with Laboratory
Examines structure-function relationships in eukaryotic cells. We will explore the operation and regulation of
molecular mechanisms that carry out processes central to life. Considerable emphasis is placed on
experimental approaches for investigating the following topics: protein structure and function, biological
membranes and transport, cytoskeletal assembly and function, protein biogenesis and trafficking, cell
communication and signaling, the cell cycle, and intercellular interactions. Laboratory investigations will
provide students with experience in classical and modern approaches to examine and quantify cellular
processes. Students must attend lab during the first week in order to continue in the course.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 48; Prerequisites: One of the following (BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC 112, or BISC
112Y) and two units of college chemistry; or BISC 116 and CHEM 116 and one unit of college chemistry. Not
open to First-Year students.; Instructor: Darling, Okumura, Roden; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural
and Physical Sciences; LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: BISC104 Title: Science or Science Fiction?
This course will examine the scientific facts behind phenomena portrayed in a variety of Hollywood and foreign
movies. We will cover topics ranging from the definition and recreation of life, genetics and behavior to
evolution and environmental issues. The course will include weekly screenings of movies outside of class time
as well as lectures, assigned readings and discussions. While obtaining an introduction to key concepts in
biology, students will also explore misconceptions about science and scientists that are perpetuated by these
movies.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 16; Prerequisites: Fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the
Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement.; Instructor: Königer; Distribution Requirements: NPS Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Summer; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not
Offered;
Course ID: BISC107 Title: Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine with Laboratory
In this course we will focus on the cellular, evolutionary, and developmental biology of stem cells, how these
cells contribute to development, regeneration, and aging in animals and plants, and how stem cells have been
harnessed as novel patient therapies. Questions to be addressed include: How were stem cells discovered?
Where do stem cells come from, and how can they be used to study and cure human diseases? What are the
similarities and differences between embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells, and induced pluripotent stem
cells? How does the capacity to regenerate vary across the plant and animal kingdom and why? We will also
discuss the scientific, bioethical and political controversies associated with regenerative medicine and recent
stem cell research. Students will be able to explain how translational research, basic research, science policy,
and the layman's perspective all impact how that science is done and where it could lead. In the lab, students
will observe and track stem cells in developing embryos, visualize stem cells in a variety of organisms, and
design experiments to test the limits of regeneration.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 14; Prerequisites: Fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of
the Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement.; Instructor: Beers, Laslo; Distribution Requirements:
LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: BISC108 Title: Environmental Horticulture with Laboratory
What can we learn from plants and ecosystems to sustainably grow food, source energy, and support people
in a changing climate? This course will deepen your appreciation of plants and explore how plants grow,
respond to change, and create resilient biological communities. We will apply an ecological lens toward
understanding how humans can cultivate plants responsibly, whether caring for a houseplant, growing
vegetables, or managing forests. Students will learn from diverse plants in the campus greenhouses and
gardens, building scientific and horticultural skills through observation, experimentation and collaborative
projects.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 32; Prerequisites: Fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of
the Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement.; Instructor: Jones, Nickles; Distribution Requirements:
NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: BISC109 Title: Human Biology with Laboratory
This course focuses on human anatomy, physiology, and evolution. Lecture topics will include: human origins
and evolution; the structure and function of the major physiological systems; exercise physiology; and human
genetics. Laboratories explore human physiology, focusing on the development and application of skills in
experimental design, statistical analysis, and scientific writing.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 28; Prerequisites: Fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of
the Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement.; Instructor: Skow; Distribution Requirements: LAB Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: BISC110 Title: Introductory Cellular and Molecular Biology with Laboratory
A foundation course that focuses on the study of life at the cellular and molecular level, including eukaryotic
and prokaryotic cell structure, function of biological macromolecules, molecular genetics, cellular metabolism,
and key topics in cell biology. This course will provide the fundamental tools for exploration of cellular and
molecular biology with the aim of enhancing conceptual understanding. Laboratories focus on experimental
approaches to these topics and are shared with BISC 112. One year of high school chemistry or equivalent is
strongly recommended. Either BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC 112, BISC 112Y, or BISC 116; or BISC 111, BISC
111T, BISC 113, or BISC 113Y may be taken first. Students must attend lab during the first week in order to
continue in the course.
When considering swapping labs, please be aware that there is no guarantee you will receive a seat offer in
another lab section even if you are already registered for a different section. Therefore, we encourage you to
make initial registration choices carefully and wisely.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 32; Prerequisites: Fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of
the Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement. Not open to students who have taken BISC 112, BISC
112Y, or BISC 116.; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences
Laboratory; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: BISC110P Title: Introductory Cellular and Molecular Biology with Laboratory
A foundation course that focuses on the study of life at the cellular and molecular level, including eukaryotic
and prokaryotic cell structure, function of biological macromolecules, molecular genetics, cellular metabolism,
and key topics in cell biology. This course will provide the fundamental tools for exploration of cellular and
molecular biology with the aim of enhancing conceptual understanding. Laboratories focus on experimental
approaches to these topics. This course is intended for students who, because of their previous biology,
chemistry or math preparation, would benefit from additional academic support for the study of introductory
biology, or who do not meet the prerequisites to enroll in BISC 110. Includes two additional class meetings per
week. Students in BISC 110P must enroll in BISC 110P lab. Students must attend lab during the first week in
order to continue in the course.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 16; Prerequisites: Open by permission of the instructor to students regardless of
high school background or of whether they have already completed the Quantitative Reasoning (QR)
component of the Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement. Not open to students who have taken
(BISC 110, BISC 112, BISC 112Y, or BISC 116).; Instructor: Okumura, Roden; Distribution Requirements: NPS
- Natural and Physical Sciences; LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; Typical Periods Offered:
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: BISC111 Title: Introductory Organismal Biology with Laboratory
A study of life, ranging from the physiology of organisms to the structure of ecosystems. The main themes of
the course are evolution and biodiversity, form and function in plants and animals, and ecological interactions
among organisms. The course provides the fundamental tools for exploration of organismal biology with the
aim of enhancing conceptual understanding. Laboratories focus on experimental approaches to these topics
and are shared with BISC 113 and BISC 113Y. Either BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC 112, BISC 112Y, or BISC
116; or BISC 111, BISC 111T, BISC 113, or BISC 113Y may be taken first. Students must attend lab during the
first week in order to continue in the course.
This course has a required co-requisite laboratory: BISC 111L.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 32; Prerequisites: Fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of
the Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement. Not open to students who have taken BISC 111T,
BISC 113, or BISC 113Y.; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences
Laboratory; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Course ID: BISC111L Title: Laboratory: Introductory Organismal Biology
BISC 111L is the co-requisite laboratory course for BISC 111.
Units: 0; Max Enrollment: 16; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Fall; Spring; Notes: BISC 111L is the laboratory course for BISC 111. Students must register for a lab section
of BISC 111L when registering for a lecture section of BISC 111.;
Course ID: BISC111T Title: Introductory Organismal Biology with Laboratory (Tropical Island)
Introduction to the central questions, concepts, and methods of experimental analysis in selected areas of
organismal biology with a focus on tropical island biology. Topics include evolution, ecology, and plant and
animal structure and physiology. Lectures and discussions during the Spring semester will prepare students
for the field laboratory taught at the Central Caribbean Marine Institute in Little Cayman. Laboratory work will
be carried out primarily in the field and includes introductions to the flora and fauna of the island and the coral
reefs, as well as group projects. The nine-day field portion of the class will take place in mid-May.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: Fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of
the Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement. Not open to students who have taken BISC 111, BISC
113, or BISC 113Y. Contact instructor for the application in early October.; Instructor: Königer, Sequeira;
Distribution Requirements: LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; NPS - Natural and Physical
Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: BISC112 Title: Exploration of Cellular and Molecular Biology with Laboratory
Seminar-style introduction to life at the cellular and molecular level, designed as an alternative to BISC 110 for
students with strong high school preparation (such as AP, IB, or other). The course will include eukaryotic and
prokaryotic cell structure, function of biological macromolecules, molecular genetics, cellular metabolism,
molecular genetics, and mechanisms of growth and differentiation, with an emphasis on experimental
approaches to investigating these topics. This course will aim to develop students' skills in data analysis and
scientific writing along with building foundational knowledge in the field. Lab sections are shared with BISC
110. This course differs from BISC 110 in its small class size and discussion-based format; it meets for one
discussion and one lab session per week. One year of high school chemistry or equivalent is strongly
recommended. BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC 112, BISC 112Y, or BISC 116; or BISC 111, BISC 111T, BISC 113,
or BISC 113Y may be taken first. Students must attend lab during the first week in order to continue in the
course.
When considering swapping labs, please be aware that there is no guarantee you will receive a seat offer in
another lab section even if you are already registered for a different section. Therefore, we encourage you to
make initial registration choices carefully and wisely.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 16; Prerequisites: Biology AP score of 4 or 5, or IB HL Biology score of 6 or 7, or
permission of the instructor. Fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the Quantitative
Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement. Not open to students who have taken BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC
112Y or BISC 116.; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences
Laboratory; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: BISC112Y Title: First-Year Seminar: Exploration of Cellular and Molecular Biology with Laboratory
Seminar-style introduction to life at the cellular and molecular level, designed as an alternative to BISC 110 for
students with strong high school preparation (such as AP, IB, or other). The course will include eukaryotic and
prokaryotic cell structure, function of biological macromolecules, molecular genetics, cellular metabolism,
molecular genetics, and mechanisms of growth and differentiation, with an emphasis on experimental
approaches to investigating these topics. This course will aim to develop students' skills in data analysis and
scientific writing along with building foundational knowledge in the field. Lab sections are shared with BISC
110. This course differs from BISC 110 in its small class size and discussion-based format; it meets for one
discussion and one lab session per week. One year of high school chemistry or equivalent is strongly
recommended. BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC 112, BISC 112Y, or BISC 116; or BISC 111, BISC 111T, BISC 113,
or BISC 113Y may be taken first. Students must attend lab during the first week in order to continue in the
course.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 16; Prerequisites: Open to First-Year students only. Biology AP score of 4 or 5/IB HL
Biology score of 6 or 7, or permission of the instructor. Fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR)
component of the Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement. Not open to students who have taken
BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC 112 or BISC 116.; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: LAB - Natural and
Physical Sciences Laboratory; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Other Categories: FYS - First Year
Seminar; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: BISC113 Title: Exploration of Organismal Biology with Laboratory
An exploration of the central questions, concepts, and methods of experimental analysis in selected areas of
organismal biology, designed as an alternative to BISC 111 for students with strong high school preparation
(such as AP, IB, or other). Topics include: the evolution and diversification of life, the form and function of
plants and animals, and ecological interactions among organisms, with an emphasis on laboratory methods,
data analysis, and science writing. Lab sections are shared with BISC 111. This course differs from BISC 111 in
its smaller class size, a seminar-style format, and a focus on discussion of landmark scientific studies that
shape this field; it meets for one discussion and one lab session per week. Either BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC
112, BISC 112Y, or BISC 116 or BISC 111, BISC 111T, BISC 113, or BISC 113Y may be taken first. Students
must attend lab during the first week in order to continue in the course.
This course has a required co-requisite lab - BISC 113L.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 16; Prerequisites: Biology AP score of 4 or 5, or IB HL Biology score of 6 or 7, or
permission of the instructor. Fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the Quantitative
Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement. Not open to students who have taken BISC 111, BISC 111T, or BISC
113Y.; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; LAB - Natural and
Physical Sciences Laboratory; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Fall; Spring; Notes: Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking Intensive Course, Fall sections only.;
Course ID: BISC113L Title: Laboratory: Exploration of Organismal Biology
BISC 113L is the co-requisite laboratory course for BISC 113.
Units: 0; Max Enrollment: 16; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Fall;
Course ID: BISC113Y Title: First-Year Seminar: Exploration of Organismal Biology with Laboratory
An exploration of the central questions, concepts, and methods of experimental analysis in selected areas of
organismal biology, designed as an alternative to BISC 111 for students with strong high school preparation
(such as AP, IB, or other). Topics include: the evolution and diversification of life, the form and function of
plants and animals, and ecological interactions among organisms, with an emphasis on laboratory methods,
data analysis, and science writing. Lab sections are shared with BISC 111. This course differs from BISC 111 in
its smaller class size, a seminar-style format, and a focus on discussion of landmark scientific studies that
shape this field; it meets for one discussion and one lab session per week. Either BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC
112, BISC 112Y, or BISC 116; or BISC 111, BISC 111T, BISC 113, or BISC 113Y may be taken first. Students
must attend lab during the first week in order to continue in the course.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 16; Prerequisites: Open to First-Year students only. Biology AP score of 4 or 5, or IB
HL Biology score of 6 or 7, or permission of the instructor. Fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR)
component of the Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement. Not open to students who have taken
BISC 111, BISC 111T, or BISC 113.; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: LAB - Natural and Physical
Sciences Laboratory; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Other Categories: FYS - First Year Seminar;
Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: BISC116 Title: Fundamentals of Chemistry and Molecular/Cellular Biology with Lab: An Integrated
Approach
A foundation course that provides an integrated introduction to the application of chemical principles to
understand biological systems and covers the content of both (BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC 112, or BISC 112Y)
and CHEM 105. It is designed for students whose interests lie at the interface of chemistry and biology and
must be taken concurrently with CHEM 116. Students will learn how structure and function of biological
systems are shaped by principles of atomic properties and chemical bonding. Cellular metabolism and
molecular genetics are integrated with quantitative introductions to thermodynamics, equilibrium, and kinetics.
Other topics motivated by the application of chemistry to biology include nuclear chemistry and cellular growth
and differentiation. The laboratory is a hands-on introduction to spectroscopy, microscopy, and other
experimental techniques, as well as quantitative analysis, experimental design, and scientific writing.
Successful completion of this course enables a student to take any course for which either CHEM105 or (BISC
110, BISC 110P, BISC 112, or BISC 112Y) is a prerequisite.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 32; Prerequisites: One year of high school chemistry, math equivalent to two
years of high school algebra, and fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the Quantitative
Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement. Not open to students who have taken BISC 110 , BISC 110P, BISC
112, BISC 112Y, CHEM 105, CHEM 105P, or CHEM 120. Students must attend lab during the first week to
continue in the course.; Instructor: A. Matthews (Biological Sciences), J. Woodford (Chemistry); Distribution
Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; LAB Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Fall; Notes: CHEM 116-01 and BISC 116-01 are co-requisite courses and students must register for both
sections at the same time. Students must also register simultaneously for a lab section (either BISC 116 L01 or
BISC 116 L02). Students must attend the first lab session in order to continue in the course. Students with AP
or IB credit in chemistry who elect this course forfeit the AP or IB credit.;
Course ID: BISC198 Title: Applied Statistics and Data Science in Biology
This course applies statistical theory to problems in ecology and experimental biology to illustrate some of
the more common techniques of experimental design and data analysis. Students will learn how to plan an
experiment and consider the observations, measurements, and potential statistical tests before data are
collected and analyzed. The course will enable students to work with complex datasets and distill them into
meaningful information from which they can draw reasoned conclusions and communicate their
findings. Specific topics include best practices in data visualization, probability distributions and their
applications, one- and two-way ANOVA and t-tests, regression and correlation, goodness-of-fit tests, and
nonparametric alternatives. The course will be run as a studio with combined lecture and hands-on data
analysis using the open-source computing software R.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the
Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement and one course in biology, chemistry, ES 100 or ES 101.;
Instructor: Selden; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered:
Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: BISC201 Title: Ecology with Laboratory
An introduction to the scientific study of the interrelationships among organisms and their interactions with the
environment. Topics include evolutionary adaptation in dynamic environments, behavioral ecology and lifehistory strategies, population dynamics, interactions among organisms, and the structure and function of
biological communities and ecosystems. Emphasis is placed on the development of quantitative skills and
reading the primary scientific literature to address issues such as the stability and resilience of ecosystems
with climate change, conservation of endangered species, and the dynamics of infectious disease.
Laboratory will focus on applying ecological concepts to observational and experimental field data collection,
data organization, and statistical analysis.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 28; Prerequisites: BISC 108 or (BISC 111, BISC 111T, BISC 113, or BISC 113Y) or
ES 100 or ES 101 or by permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: LAB - Natural
and Physical Sciences Laboratory; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: BISC202 Title: Evolution with Laboratory
Examination of evolution, the central paradigm of biology, at the level of populations, species, and lineages.
Topics include the genetics of populations, the definition of species, the roles of natural selection and chance
in evolution, the reconstruction of phylogeny, the evolution of sex, the impact of sexual selection, the
importance of evolutionary thinking in medicine, and patterns in the origination of diversity, and extinction of
species over time. Class work emphasizes collaborative work and reading and interpreting primary literature.
Labs include hands-on assessments of genetic variation in populations using DNA and protein based
analyses; exploration of computer simulations to understand the effects of genetic drift and student-designed
experiments to assess the effects of natural selection in populations.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: (BISC 111, BISC 111T, BISC 113, or BISC 113Y) or by
permission of the instructor. (BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC 112, or BISC 112Y is strongly recommended.);
Instructor: Sequeira, Okumura; Distribution Requirements: LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory;
NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Spring;
Course ID: BISC203 Title: Comparative Physiology and Anatomy of Vertebrates with Laboratory
How do animals work? This course addresses the structure, systems of physiology, and energetics of
vertebrate animals, with comparisons of the adaptations of animals of different thermal regime, body size,
lifestyle, and environment. The laboratories include projects in diversity, respirometry, digestion, muscle
energetics, study of comparative anatomy through dissections of vertebrate specimens, and the use of
statistics and graphing.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: BISC 109 or (BISC 111, BISC 111T, BISC 113, or BISC 113Y) or
permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences;
LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: BISC204 Title: Biological Modeling with Laboratory
Can we anticipate the effects that genetic variation will have on the future of a species? How can we predict the
spread of an impending epidemic? How many fish will be in the ocean next year? Mathematical models
liberate biologists from only being able to draw inferences from what we can directly observe, and these
models allow us to develop a deeper understanding of complex systems. In this course students will develop
skills in conceptualizing, writing, programming, and interpreting results from biological models through
theoretical examples and laboratory exercises.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 14; Prerequisites: (BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC 112, BISC 112Y, or BISC 116) or
(BISC 111, BISC 111T, BISC 113, or BISC 113Y) and MATH 116 (or equivalent); or permission of the
instructor.; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving;
LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: BISC207 Title: The Biology of Plants with Laboratory
An overview of the physiology and development of land plants from the cell/molecular level to the whole
organism. Topics include photosynthesis, transport systems, patterns and regulation of growth and
development, and interactions with the environment – both biotic (pathogens, animals, other plants) and
abiotic (light, water, temperature). Applied aspects including medicinal plants and the potential for
biotechnology to increase food production in the face of climate change will be addressed. The investigative,
exploratory laboratory sessions will provide an introduction to techniques currently employed in answering
research questions ranging from the cellular to the organismal level.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: (BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC 112, BISC 112Y, or BISC 116) or
(BISC 111, BISC 111T, BISC 113, or BISC 113Y) or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Peterman, Beers;
Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences
Laboratory; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: BISC209 Title: Microbiology with Laboratory
Comprehensive overview of the microbial world, with emphasis on bacteria. Topics include microbial cell
structure and function, diversity, metabolism, evolution, genetics, and ecology. Also covered are applied
aspects of microbiology with a focus on the food industry, biotechnology, human health, and the role microbes
play in environmental processes. Labs encompass inquiry-based projects exploring microbial ecology,
metabolism and interactions between microbes, production of antibiotics, and sequence-based identification
of microbes and microbial communities. Students will have the opportunity to design and conduct an
experiment on microbes. Students must attend both lecture and lab during the first week in order to continue
in the course.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: ((BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC 112, or BISC 112Y) and one unit
of college chemistry) or BISC 116.; Instructor: Klepac-Ceraj, Roden; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural
and Physical Sciences; LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; Typical Periods Offered: Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: BISC210 Title: Marine Biology with Laboratory
Oceans cover more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface and are our planet’s primary life support system.
This course examines adaptations and interactions of plants and animals in a variety of marine habitats. Focal
habitats include the photic zone of the open ocean, the deep-sea, subtidal and intertidal zones, estuaries, and
coral reefs. Emphasis is placed on the dominant organisms, food webs, and experimental studies conducted
within each habitat. Laboratories will emphasize diversity of species in marine habitats and will highlight local
coastal ecosystems. Partnerships with other marine scientists around the country and globe will be leveraged
for comparative study. The course will include projects on phase shifts and alternative stable states, harmful
algae blooms, coral reef resilience, seabird foraging, deep sea biodiversity, sea level rise, and local seafood
markets.
This course has a required co-requisite laboratory - BISC 210L.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 14; Prerequisites: One of the following (BISC 111, BISC 111T, BISC 113, BISC
113Y) or ES 101; or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Nickels, Selden; Distribution Requirements: NPS Natural and Physical Sciences; LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; Typical Periods Offered: Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: BISC210L Title: Laboratory: Marine Biology
This is a required co-requisite laboratory for BISC 210.
Units: 0; Max Enrollment: 14; Prerequisites: One of the following (BISC 111, BISC 111T, BISC 113, BISC 113Y)
or ES 101; or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Nickles; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered
this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: BISC214 Title: Animal Behavior with Laboratory
In meeting the challenges of survival and reproduction, animals have evolved behaviors that can be
spectacular and sometimes unpleasant. With the goal of understanding how behaviors ultimately shape an
animal's fitness, we will explore the aspects of life that make each animal's strategy unique, including
communication, finding mates, parental care, and sociality. Laboratories will expose students to the challenges
of experimental design and collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and presenting data on animal behavior.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: BISC 109 or (BISC 111, BISC 111T, BISC 113, or BISC 113Y) or
permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Mattila, Skow; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical
Sciences; LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: BISC216 Title: Developmental Biology with Laboratory
In this course, we will explore animal development beginning with the process of fertilization. We will consider
how a single cell gives rise to the many specialized cell types of the adult and how the development of tissues
is coordinated. The mechanisms that determine cell fate during embryonic development will be discussed.
Topics will include: embryonic induction, pattern formation, organ development, regeneration, stem cells, and
aging. Laboratory sessions will focus on experimental approaches to development. This course does not have
a waitlist, we know enrollments shift and spaces open up, so check back regularly for spots.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: One of (BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC 112, BISC 112Y, or BISC
116) and one of (BISC 111, BISC 111T, BISC 113, or BISC 113Y) or permission of the instructor.; Instructor:
Suzuki, Beers; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; LAB - Natural and Physical
Sciences Laboratory; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: BISC232/PHIL232 Title: Agency, Ethics, and Biology
This is a team-taught Babson-Olin-Wellesley course. This course investigates the ethics of biological science,
technology, and innovation. Topics include: the costs and benefits of scientific progress, recombinant DNA
and DNA sequencing, the ethics of clinical trials, trust relationships between scientists and their communities,
and the intersections between science and non-human animals/the environment. We will examine these topics
through both biological and philosophical lenses, develop an understanding of core principles of biology in
context, and use the concepts of agency, trust, and progress to shape our discussions. Our guiding questions
include: What is the relationship between a scientific innovation being technically feasible and morally
permissible? What if anything do scientists owe the public? Is a person’s tissue still theirs even if it has been
removed from their body? How much modification of our genetic code is morally permissible? Is the suffering
and death of non-human animals an acceptable cost of doing scientific research? What are the moral
responsibilities of the scientists and engineers who develop and build new technologies?
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Walsh, Jean Huang (Olin, Biology); Distribution
Requirements: REP - Religion, Ethics, and Moral Philosophy; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical
Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: This course can
fulfill the elective course requirement for the BISC major, but does not fulfill the core 200 level course
requirement for the major.;
Course ID: BISC247/ES247 Title: Plant Diversity and Ecology with Laboratory
This course is a combination of “What's that wildflower?” and “Why does it grow over there and not here?” We
begin by examining large-scale patterns of plant diversity from an evolutionary and phylogenetic perspective
and then shift to an ecological perspective. Along the way, we zoom in to specific concepts and processes that
help us understand overall patterns. Laboratories will primarily be taught in the field and greenhouses and will
include plant identification, observational and experimental studies, and long-term study of forest communities
on the Wellesley campus. Laboratories will also include aspects of experimental design and data analysis. The
goal of the course is not only to train students in botany and plant ecology, but to engage them in the world of
plants every time they step outside.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 14; Prerequisites: One of the following - ES 100, ES 101, BISC 108, BISC 111,
BISC 111T, BISC 113, BISC 113Y; or permission of the instructor. Not open to students who have taken BISC
347/ES 347.; Instructor: Griffith; Distribution Requirements: LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory;
NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: The course
is offered at the 300-level as BISC 347/ES 347.;
Course ID: BISC250 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: BISC250G Title: Research or Group Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: BISC250H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Course ID: BISC302 Title: Human Physiology with Laboratory
This course takes an integrated approach to the study of organ system function in humans. We will examine
control mechanisms that allow the body to maintain a constant balance in the face of environmental
challenges, such as exercise, temperature change, and high altitude. Our particular focus will be recent
findings in the areas of neural, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, and muscle physiology. In the laboratory,
students gain experience with the tools of modern physiological research at both the cellular and organismal
levels.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: (BISC 111, BISC 111T, BISC 113, BISC 113Y or NEUR 100) and
(BISC 203 or NEUR 200).; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences
Laboratory; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: BISC303 Title: Seminar in Reproductive Medicine: From Bench to Bedside
In some countries, 3-5% of births are achieved with assisted reproductive technologies, and this number is
projected to grow as societies become increasingly interested in beating the biological clock. This class will
introduce the basic biology behind fertility and explore the etiology and diagnosis of infertility. We will cover the
latest developments in reproductive science and consider the clinical challenges of translating research
findings into medical treatments. We will discuss gonadal stem cells and their use for rejuvenation of fertility,
oocyte and embryo cryopreservation, and mouse models with abnormal reproductive phenotypes. This class
will highlight open questions in reproductive biology, familiarize students with both tried-and-true and
emerging reproductive technologies, and explore the advantages and pitfalls of each. A major goal of the class
is to teach students to read and critically evaluate the primary research literature. Student participation in
discussions will be emphasized.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: One of the following (BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC 112, BISC 112Y,
BISC 116) and two of the following three courses (BISC 219/BIOC 219, BIOC 220/BISC 220, BISC 216), or
permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Carmell; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical
Sciences; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: BISC307/ES307 Title: Ecosystem Ecology with Laboratory
The emergent structure and function of ecosystems are regulated by feedbacks between biological and
physical systems from the microscopic to the global scale. We will study how ecosystems cycle carbon and
nutrients and how the energy balance of ecosystems influences climate. We will also examine the role that
humans play in managing, creating, and using services from ecosystems in our current era of rapid global
change. Synthesizing these concepts, we consider the role of protected areas in preserving ecosystem
functioning. Students will develop statistical skills working with authentic long-term ecosystem ecology
datasets. Students in this course will develop independent data analysis projects that include scientific
communication through presentations, writing, and visual displays of data.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: One of the following - BISC 201, BISC 202, BISC 209, BISC 210,
BISC 247/ES 247, ES 220; or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: LAB Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered:
Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Notes: Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking Intensive Course.
Wendy Judge Paulson '69 Ecology of Place Living Laboratory course.;
Course ID: BISC308 Title: Tropical Ecology with Laboratory
Tropical forests and coral reefs are among the most fascinating and diverse ecosystems, but unfortunately
face an ever increasing number of threats. In this discussion based class, students present and analyze
papers that illustrate how these ecosystems function, why they are struggling and what can be done to prevent
further decline and to hopefully restore them. We will pay attention to the observational, experimental and
analytical approaches that are used in this field of study. The week-long laboratory part takes place at the
Central Caribbean Marine Institute in Little Cayman in mid-May. Students will have the opportunity to carry out
their own research projects that they designed during the semester. To receive more information including the
application form, please reach out to Prof. Königer.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: One of the following courses - BISC 201, BISC 202, BISC 207,
BISC 210, BISC 214, or permission of the instructors.; Instructor: Königer, Sequeira; Distribution
Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: BISC309/ES309 Title: Seminar: Tropical Ecology
Tropical forests and coral reefs are among the most fascinating and diverse ecosystems, but unfortunately
face multiple threats. In this seminar, brief lectures will provide a baseline understanding of these ecosystems
and the key processes that shape them. However, the main focus will be the discussion of important papers in
the field. Students will present papers from the primary literature that illustrate how these ecosystems function,
why they are struggling and what can be done to preserve and restore them. We will pay particular attention to
the observational, experimental and analytical approaches that are used in this field of study, and how the
science informs conservation decisions. The final project involves writing a research proposal.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: BISC 201, BISC 202, BISC 207, BISC 210, BISC 214.; Instructor:
Koniger; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: BISC310/ES310 Title: Seminar: Climate Change Impacts on Marine Ecosystems
This course will focus on the impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems. As greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere have increased, the oceans have absorbed more than 93% of the excess heat and roughly ¼ of
the carbon dioxide. The triple threat of warming temperatures, depletions in oxygen, and drops in ocean pH
have led to dramatic effects on ocean ecosystems. Students will analyze the primary literature to examine 1)
how these stressors are affecting physiology, demography, phenology, and distributions of marine species
separately and when acting together, 2) the potential for adaptation/evolution, 3) what lessons can be learned
from the paleorecord, and 4) the impacts on coastal communities and nations. The course incorporates
student-led seminar-style discussions, and a final synthetic project where teams will present evidence for the
impacts of climate change on a particular marine ecosystem.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: One of the following courses - BISC 201, BISC 202, BISC 209,
BISC 210, BISC 214, BIOC 219/BISC 219, ES 201, ES 220, EXTD 225, EXTD 226 or permission of the
instructor.; Instructor: Selden; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Notes: Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking
Intensive Course.;
Course ID: BISC311 Title: Evolutionary Developmental Biology with Laboratory
The diversity of organismal forms has fascinated human beings for centuries. How did butterflies get
eyespots? What is the evolutionary origin of bird feathers? How did snakes get to be so long? How did
humans evolve? The field of evolutionary developmental biology, or evo-devo, integrates the long-separate
fields of evolutionary biology and developmental biology to answer these questions. In this course, we will
explore topics such as the evolution of novelties, body plan evolution, developmental constraints, convergent
evolution, and the role of environmental changes in evolution. Through reading of original papers, we will
examine recent advances made in evo-devo and critically analyze the role of evo-devo in biology and the
implications beyond biology. Students will have the opportunity to design and conduct an independent
research project using molecular tools in arthropods.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: BISC 202, or BISC 216, or BISC 219/BIOC 219, or permission of
the instructor.; Instructor: Suzuki; Distribution Requirements: LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory;
NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Fall;
Course ID: BISC312 Title: Evolutionary Medicine
Evolution is the foundation for all biology. We have long been able to recognize its contributions to
understanding infectious disease and genetics, but we are yet far from realizing its full potential in the medicine
field. We often think of the human body as an efficient machine. We view disease as a defect arising in an
otherwise perfect device. An evolutionary perspective offers a more realistic view of the body as a product of
natural selection: functional and remarkable in many ways, but also flawed in many ways, for good
evolutionary reasons. In this course we will explore the premise that the human body and its pathogens are not
perfectly designed machines but evolving biological systems shaped by selection under the constraints of
tradeoffs that produce specific compromises and vulnerabilities. Through primary literature analysis, group
presentations, student designed activities, and collaborative work, we will explore fundamental evolutionary
principles such as arms races, maladaptation, evolutionary mismatch, and evolutionary theories of
senescence, and their connections to medicine.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: One of the following (BISC 111, BISC 111T, BISC 113, BISC 113Y)
and either (BISC 202 or BISC 219/BIOC 219), or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Sequeira; Distribution
Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: BISC313 Title: Advances in Human Microbiome Research
This course delves into the rapidly evolving field of human microbiome research, an area significantly
transformed by the advent of next-generation sequencing technologies. We will learn about microorganisms
and microbial ecosystems within the human body and their impact on human health. Key topics include an
overview of the human microbiome, advances in technologies, microbial diversity and function and its role in
health and disease, the gut-brain axis and microbiome’s impact on neurocognitive development and mental
health, microbiome and metabolic disorders, and other topics. Through a combination of lectures, critical
analysis of recent research papers, and discussions, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the
human microbiome's complexity and its significance in health and disease. This course aims to equip students
with the knowledge to critically evaluate current research and contemplate the future direction of this exciting
field, with an emphasis on ethical and responsible scientific practice.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: CHEM 105 and any of the following - BISC 201, BISC 202, BISC
209, BISC 210, BISC 219/BIOC 219 or BISC 220/ BIOC 220, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Klepac-
Ceraj; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Every other
year; Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: BISC314 Title: Environmental Microbiology with Laboratory
The availability of next generation sequencing in the last two decades has revolutionized the field of
environmental microbiology. Although most of the microbial world remains to be discovered and explored, we
are now starting to find answers to some central ecological questions such as: What microbes are present in
various ecosystems? What is the distribution of each type of organism? What are their roles (functions)? How
does each role relate to the magnitude of microbial activity? What factors influence microbial activity and
interactions? We will explore the questions in the context of the human and fermented foods microbiomes. The
topics will include microbial diversity, microbial evolution, phylogeny, physiology, metabolism, community
ecology, genomics, metagenomics and proteomics. Through reading of original papers on the human
microbiome, we will examine recent advances made in microbial ecology and critically analyze the role of
microorganisms on human health and beyond. Students will have the opportunity to design and conduct an
independent research project to explore the cheese microbiome.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: CHEM 211 and any of the following - BISC 201, BISC 202, BISC
209, BISC 210, BISC 219/BIOC 219 or BISC 220/ BIOC 220, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: KlepacCeraj; Distribution Requirements: LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; NPS - Natural and Physical
Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: Ann E.
Maurer '51 Speaking Intensive Course.;
Course ID: BISC315/NEUR315 Title: Neuroendocrinology
Hormones act throughout the body to coordinate basic biological functions such as development,
differentiation, and reproduction. This course will investigate how hormones act in the brain to regulate
physiology and behavior. We will study how the major neuroendocrine axes regulate a variety of functions,
including brain development, reproductive physiology and behavior, homeostasis, and stress. The regulation
of these functions by hormones will be investigated at the molecular, cellular, and behavioral levels.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: NEUR 200; or one of the following (BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC
112, or BISC 112Y) and BISC 203; or BISC 116, CHEM 116 and BISC 203; or permission of the instructor.
Open to Juniors and Seniors only.; Instructor: Tetel; Distribution Requirements: EC - Epistemology and
Cognition; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: BISC316 Title: Molecular Genetics with Laboratory
Molecular genetic techniques, which allow us to identify, analyze and manipulate genes, have revolutionized
our understanding of how organisms develop and function. This course focuses on the use of molecular
genetic and genomic approaches to dissect and manipulate complex biological systems. In this semester-long
project-based course, students will use these approaches to pursue an original research question in a genetic
model organism. Seminar-style class sessions will focus on critical analysis, presentation and discussion of the
primary literature relevant to the research project. In the laboratory, students will gain experience with a variety
of current molecular genetic methods (e.g. DNA cloning and sequencing, PCR, genomic analysis, RNAi, gene
knock-outs, mutagenesis, bioinformatics) with an emphasis on experimental design and data analysis.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: BIOC 219/BISC 219 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor:
Peterman; Distribution Requirements: LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; NPS - Natural and
Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes:
Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking Intensive Course.;
Course ID: BISC317 Title: Seminar: Environmental Physiology
Animals are found in nearly every habitat on Earth, but not all environments are suitable or hospitable to
humans. Unlike people, some animals can live without liquid water, endure being frozen, withstand immense
pressure, and even live months in the complete absence of oxygen. Our goal for this course is to address a
singular question: What adaptations do animals possess that enable them to survive under conditions lethal to
humans? By comparing and contrasting the different ways animals overcome stressors in their biotic and
abiotic environment, we will both broaden and deepen our understanding of how animals survive. We will
consider the physiology of vertebrate and invertebrate animals, with an emphasis on the basic principles of
physiology, and explore how adaptations to extreme environments are conserved or have diverged among
phylogenetically diverse groups. The goal of this course is to introduce students to current topical questions in
environmental physiology, through a combination of lectures, invited seminars, review of the primary literature,
class discussions, individual projects, and oral presentations.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: One of the following - BISC 201, BISC 202, BISC 203, BIOC
219/BISC 219; or permission of the instructor. Not open to First-Year students.; Instructor: Staff; Distribution
Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: BISC318 Title: Seminar: CRISPR Gene Editing – A New Revolution in Biology
CRISPR gene editing is at the center of an ongoing revolution in biology. This system for precise and efficient
gene editing has led to numerous applications in medicine, agriculture and the environment. This course will
examine the molecular genetic, cellular and biochemical principles that govern CRISPR and its myriad uses.
Topics will include the microbial adaptive immune system and its modification for use as a gene editing tool,
applications of CRISPR to the study and treatment of cancer and human diseases — both genetic and
infectious, the use of CRISPR to engineer food crops that thrive in the face of climate change, CRISPR gene
drives as tools to control disease-spreading insects and invasive species in wild populations, and CRISPR as a
powerful tool to study model organisms and probe biological functions. We will also evaluate ethical and legal
issues surrounding this revolutionary genome engineering system.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: BISC 219/BIOC 219 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor:
Peterman; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Notes: Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking Intensive Course.;
Course ID: BISC327/ES327 Title: Seminar: Current Topics in Ecology
Topic for 2023-2024: Biodiversity in the Built Environment
How do other species interact with landscapes and habitats that people have modified or even completely
restructured? Which species live in human-dominated environments, and how does the diversity of species in
these habitats affect the function and health of these ecosystems? In this course we will build our scientific
understanding of biodiversity and its consequences, and explore how this understanding can inform the
design and management of spaces we occupy. We will consider habitats from agricultural landscapes to
suburban parks to buildings, with special attention to the opportunities afforded by Wellesley’s remarkable
campus, including the Global Flora greenhouse.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 16; Prerequisites: Two courses from the following - BISC 201, BISC 202, BISC 204,
BISC 207, BISC 209, BISC 210, BISC 214, ES 201, ES 220, or ES 247/BISC 247; or permission of the
instructor.; Instructor: Jones; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: This is a topics course and can be taken more than once for
credit as long as the topic is different each time.;
Course ID: BISC327H/ES327H Title: Seminar: Current Topics in Ecology
Topic for 2021-22: Biodiversity in the Built Environment
How do other species interact with landscapes and habitats that people have modified or even completely
restructured? How does biodiversity in human-dominated habitats affect the function and health of these
ecosystems, and resilience with respect to climate change? In this course we will build our understanding of
biodiversity and its consequences, and explore how this understanding can inform the design and
management of spaces we occupy. We will consider habitats from agricultural landscapes to suburban parks
to buildings.
Not open to students who have taken BISC 327/ES 327 with the same topic.
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 16; Prerequisites: Two of the following course - BISC 201, BISC 207, BISC 209,
BISC 210, ES 220, BISC 247/ES 247; or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Jones; Distribution
Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: This is a topics course and can be taken more than once for credit as long
as the topic is different each time. Mandatory Credit/Non Credit. Students taking BISC 327H/ES 327H in the
academic year 2021-2022 may combine with BISC 150H/ES 150H, BISC 350H or BISC 350 taken any year to
fulfill either the 300-level course without lab requirement or the elective course requirement for the BISC major.;
Course ID: BISC328 Title: Seminar: Modern Biological Imaging
This course will take an interdisciplinary approach to examine how scientists address physiologically
significant questions in cell and molecular biology using imaging-based techniques and modalities. We will
examine the development and utilization of both qualitative and quantitative optical microscopy techniques,
focusing on fluorescent microscopy. Student exploration and analysis of review and primary literature will be
integral to this course along with a hands-on fluorescence microscopy project. The course incorporates a
combination of introductory lectures, seminar-style discussions, practical experience, and student
presentations throughout the semester.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: Two 200-level BISC or BIOC courses, one of which should be
BISC 219/BIOC 219 or BISC 220/BIOC 220, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: L. Darling; Distribution
Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: BISC329 Title: Biological Microscopy with Laboratory
Cell biology was born in the microscope, which now allows us to visualize the dynamic processes of life inside
cells. This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to examine how scientists address physiologically
significant questions using microscopy and imaging approaches. The course’s main goal is to empower
students to explore and evaluate the use of microscopy in cell and molecular biology. We study the
development and utilization of qualitative and quantitative optical microscopy techniques, focusing on
fluorescence microscopy. Theoretical and practical fundamentals are discussed, and student analysis of
review and primary literature is integral to this course. Class meetings may include a combination of
introductory lectures, literature discussions, student presentations throughout the semester, and hands-on
experience in the laboratory where students work with research-grade microscopes. Student-designed
investigations will incorporate the expression and assessment of fluorescent protein tags in mammalian cell
model systems with an emphasis on experimental design and image analysis. Assignments and activities are
designed to help students learn to collaborate successfully to solve problems in an interdisciplinary team.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: Two 200-level BISC or BIOC courses, one of which is BISC
219/BIOC 219 or BISC 220/BIOC 220, or permission of the instructor. Not open to students who have taken
BISC 328.; Instructor: L. Darling; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; LAB Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Fall;
Course ID: BISC329L Title: Laboratory: Biological Microscopy
This course is a required co-requisite laboratory for BISC 329.
Units: 0; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: Two 200-level BISC or BIOC courses, one of which is BISC
219/BIOC 219 or BISC 220/BIOC 220, or permission of the instructor. Not open to students who have taken
BISC 328.; Instructor: L. Darling; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: BISC330 Title: Seminar: Mechanisms of Emerging Therapeutics in Neurodegeneration
Neurodegeneration affects millions of people in the U.S. Both domestically and internationally,
neurodegeneration is increasingly burdening healthcare systems as life expectancies are increasing and
populations in many nations are aging. Fortunately, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of several
neurodegenerative diseases is improving. In this course, we will explore the current understanding of several
neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s Disease, ALS, and Parkinson’s Disease as well as a few
rare diseases. We will also explore the molecular mechanisms of emerging therapeutics in these diseases
including deep brain stimulation, small molecules, and biologics. We will consider both approved drugs and
drugs in the clinical pipeline. All course content will be supported by primary literature. Class sessions will
include mini-lectures, student discussions, and group work.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: Two 200-level BISC/BIOC courses. At least one of these must be
BISC 219/BIOC 219 or BISC 220/BIOC 220.; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and
Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: BISC333 Title: Genomics and Bioinformatics with Laboratory
Computational analyses of large-scale datasets have become central to modern biology. In this class, students
will learn how 'omics' techniques such as genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics can help to answer
questions in diverse fields ranging from cell biology to ecology and evolution. Lectures and discussions of
primary literature will utilize examples from microbiology to introduce students to the design, analysis, and
interpretation of 'omics'-based studies. We will explore the theory behind key bioinformatic algorithms and gain
hands-on experience applying these tools to real datasets. The laboratory will culminate in an original research
project utilizing genomic data to study microbial ecosystems. Topics covered include genome sequencing,
assembly and interpretation; comparative genomics; metagenomics; transcriptomics; metabolic models;
network analysis; and machine learning.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 14; Prerequisites: BISC 219/BIOC 219 or BISC 209; or permission of the
instructor.; Instructor: Biller; Distribution Requirements: LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; NPS Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Spring; Notes: Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking Intensive Course.;
Course ID: BISC334 Title: Seminar: The Biology of Stem Cells
In this course, we will study stem cells in terms of molecular, cellular, and developmental biology. We will focus
on different types of stem cells, particularly embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells, and induced pluripotent
stem cells. More specifically, we will explore how stem cells develop, the criteria by which stem cells are
defined, and stem cell characteristics under investigation. Current research in the areas of disease, potential
stem cell therapies, and regenerative medicine will also be discussed. Bioethical issues related to stem cell
biology will be described. Students will present and discuss original literature throughout the course.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: BISC 216 or BISC 219/BIOC 219 or BISC 220/BIOC 220.;
Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: BISC335 Title: Seminar: Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Disease
This course will explore the underlying mechanisms of a variety of human diseases whose causes have been
heavily studied at the cellular and molecular level. We will take a research-oriented approach to the material
through critical reading and analysis of primary literature on each topic and we will explore how this knowledge
informs the design, development and implementation of treatments. Topics of study may include diseases
related to: metabolism, genetics, protein folding, cytoskeleton, membrane trafficking, inflammation, and/or
pathogenic infection. This course will utilize a combination of lectures to introduce general concepts, seminarstyle discussions of primary literature articles, and student presentations throughout the semester.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: BIOC 220/BISC 220; Instructor: Goss; Distribution Requirements:
NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Not Offered; Notes: Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking Intensive Course.;
Course ID: BISC336 Title: Seminar: Immunology
In this course, we will analyze the molecular, cellular, and biochemical mechanisms involved in the
development and function of the immune system. We will also explore the immunological basis of infectious
diseases (e.g. influenza and tuberculosis), allergic disorders, autoimmune diseases (e.g. multiple sclerosis and
rheumatoid arthritis), immunodeficiency syndromes (e.g. AIDS), transplantation, and cancer. This course will
utilize a combination of lectures to introduce new material, seminar-style discussions of primary research
articles, and student presentations.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: Two 200-level BISC/BIOC courses. At least one of these 200-level
courses must be either BISC 219/ BIOC 219 or BISC 220/ BIOC 220.; Instructor: Matthews; Distribution
Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Spring; Notes: Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking Intensive Course.;
Course ID: BISC337 Title: Seminar: Cellular Stress Response
Maintaining cellular homeostasis in the face of environmental stress is paramount to cell survival. In this course
we will examine the cellular and molecular responses of eukaryotic cells to stress at the levels of DNA, RNA,
and protein, with consideration of organelle-specific responses. Topics will include heat shock, osmotic stress,
hypoxia, starvation, and oxidative stress. This course focuses primarily on conserved and mammalian
mechanisms activated in response to macromolecular strain, rather than stress responses unique to
organisms adapted to environmental extremes. Throughout the course, we will discuss the evolution and
conservation of the cellular stress response, connections to disease, as well as the challenges and future
directions of the field. This course will consist of lectures, invited seminars from researchers in the field, and
discussion of scientific reviews and primary articles. Articles will showcase classic stress response research as
well as new findings and methods in the field.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: Two 200-level BISC/BIOC courses. At least one of these must be
BISC 219/BIOC 219 or BISC 220/BIOC 220.; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and
Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: BISC338 Title: Seminar: The Biology of Social Insects
Warfare, communication, agriculture, and caring for family are phenomena that are typically attributed to
human societies, but social insects do these same things. In this course, we will explore the weird and
wonderful world of social insects to discover why sociality is the most successful animal strategy on the planet.
We will learn about how conflict and selfishness have shaped the cooperative effort that characterizes these
seemingly utopian communities, and why human survival depends on their ecosystem services. Using social
insects as a lens for major themes in biology, we will discuss biodiversity, invasions, animal communication
and cognition, self-organized systems and the evolution of biological oddities. The course will focus on
discussion of classic literature, groundbreaking research, and topical writing for the sciences and general
public. Group activities will also include excursions outdoors and a book club.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: BISC 201, BISC 202, or BISC 214 or permission of the instructor.;
Instructor: Mattila; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered:
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: BISC340 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Biology in the News
Scientists have made great progress revealing intricate details of many biological processes. They understand
the importance of their work like the back of their hands. The scientific literacy of the general public, however,
has not kept pace. This seminar aims to equip students with the writing skills necessary to communicate
important ideas from a breadth of biological disciplines in an exciting, clear and relevant manner to a range of
audiences. The body of work created in this class will include short pieces on articles from the primary
literature, reviews of presentations and magazine articles by experts, as well as op-eds on scientific issues of
interest and a profile of a scientist of choice. Peer editing and writing workshops play a large part, aiding
students as they write multiple drafts of each assignment.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: Any two BISC 200-level courses or permission of the instructor.
Open to Juniors and Seniors only.; Instructor: Königer; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical
Sciences; Other Categories: CSPW - Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Typical Periods Offered: Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: BISC347/ES347 Title: Advanced Plant Diversity and Ecology with Laboratory
This course meets along with BISC 247/ES 247 and offers an opportunity for students to engage more deeply
with the material and perform independent research. Students will be expected to more thoroughly review and
reference peer-reviewed literature and assist in leading in-class discussions. Additionally, each student will
develop and conduct an experiment (or observational study) over the course of the semester that examines
mechanisms of plant diversity and coexistence.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 14; Prerequisites: One of the following - BISC 201, ES 220, BISC 207, or
permission of the instructor. Not open to students who have taken BISC 247/ES 247.; Instructor: Griffith;
Distribution Requirements: LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; NPS - Natural and Physical
Sciences; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: This course is also offered at the 200level as BISC 247/ES 247.;
Course ID: BISC350 Title: Research or Individual Study
Independent research supervised by a member of the faculty of the Department of Biological Sciences or an
off-campus director. Off-campus projects require an on-campus advisor from the department. Students will be
expected to devote 10-12 hours per week to their research.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. ; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: BISC350H Title: Research or Individual Study
Independent research supervised by a member of the faculty of the Department of Biological Sciences or an
off-campus director. Off-campus projects require an on-campus advisor from the department. Students will be
expected to devote 5-6 hours per week to their research.
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: BISC355 Title: Biological Sciences Thesis Research
The first course in a two-semester investigation of a significant research problem, in the preparation of a thesis
and defense of that thesis before a committee of faculty from the Department of Biological Sciences. This route
does not lead to departmental honors.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Open only to Seniors with permission of the instructor.; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Course ID: BISC360 Title: Senior Thesis Research
Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the
supervision of a faculty member. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370)
in the second semester. This route can lead to departmental honors.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the department.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: BISC365 Title: Thesis
The second course in a two-semester investigation of a significant research problem, culminating in the
preparation of a thesis and defense of that thesis before a committee of faculty from the Department of
Biological Sciences. This route does not lead to departmental honors.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: BISC 355 and permission of the department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Course ID: BISC370 Title: Senior Thesis
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: BISC 360 and permission of the department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall; Notes: Students enroll in Senior
Thesis Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty
member. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second
semester.;
Calderwood Seminars in Public Writing
Calderwood Seminars in Public Writing are typically advanced-level, writing-intensive courses that engage
students in a review of their majors or areas of special interest. These seminars challenge students to integrate
what they have learned in other courses and to communicate this knowledge to a broad audience.
Calderwood Seminars rotate among departments and programs. Class sizes are small and enrollment,
ordinarily, will be limited to juniors and seniors. The Seminars may fulfill major requirements.
The Calderwood Seminars in Public Writing are named after Stanford Calderwood, a patron of the arts and
benefactor of Wellesley College. Throughout his career, Mr. Calderwood realized the value of written
communication. To improve the capabilities of Wellesley College students as public writers, the Calderwood
Charitable Foundation has endowed this program.
Key elements for the Calderwood Seminars in Public Writing:
Seminars typically targeted at juniors and seniors that draw on skills learned in prior courses and that
empower a student’s “voice” in her major field or area of study
Seminars that offer a reflective overview of a major or area by covering topics central to the field or that
explore a defining theme
Seminars that emphasize public writing, rather than writing for a specialized and professional audience.
Public writing—the ability to translate complex arguments and professional jargon to a broad audience
—is a central feature of a liberal arts education
Seminars that encourage a collaborative experience, with students writing frequently and rewriting their
work in response to comments from classmates and professors
CSPW Courses
Course ID: AFR330 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Black Diaspora, Political Experiences in
Pandemics
The ongoing global pandemic and elections have revived conversations on race and the marginalization of the
Black Diaspora. In this course, we will engage with the various ways in which black people practice politics in
Africa and elsewhere in the diaspora. We will pay special attention to the ongoing impact of national politics on
the global pandemic. Scholars taking the course will each week respond to a reading by writing public facing
work such as blogs, editorials and/or opinion pieces, and other forms of public writing. A primary goal in this
course is to learn how to bring academic arguments to the general public.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: At least one Africana Studies or Political Science course.;
Instructor: Dendere; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Other Categories:
CSPW - Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring; Semesters Offered
this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: AMST355 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Critiquing American Popular Culture
To what extent do contemporary streaming services include queer people and people of color? How do
contemporary children's books accommodate progressive ideas in the face of conservative backlash? How
have networks like HBO, Netflix, or Amazon promoted or undercut LGBTQ civil rights or racial justice?
American Studies often focuses on the appraisal, interpretation, and critique of historical and contemporary
popular culture. Designed for juniors and seniors, this seminar will explore how American Studies
multidisciplinary perspectives can be adapted to reviews, critiques, opinion pieces, and other forms of
journalistic, literary, and public writing. Students will consider a variety of historical and contemporary
American cultural products, including television, film, books, literature, websites, exhibitions, performances,
and consumer products, in order to enter the public conversation about the cultural meanings, political
implications, and social content of such culture.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: AMST 101 or another AMST 100- or 200-level course.; Instructor:
P. Fisher; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Other Categories: CSPW Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH303 Title: Calderwood Seminar for Public Writing: Art in Public Places: Politics and Publics
One of the thornie*st issues facing artists, art historians, curators, critics, theorists, city planners, and others
who have to negotiate art in public places is the question of competing perceptions and meanings. As soon as
a work of art is proposed for or installed in a site in which numerous publics intersect, or a work is destroyed,
the question arises of “whose public” is being addressed. This seminar will bring to the table historical and
contemporary case studies in public art, in part selected by students, as the subjects of several genres of
public writing, among them reviews and Op. Ed. pieces. Students in all areas of art history will have already
confronted, and will confront in the future, the question of who has the right to make the art, install the art, or
destroy the art, in any geography at any time.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Any 200 or 300 level course in Art History. Open to Senior Art
History majors only.; Instructor: Berman; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film
and Video; Other Categories: CSPW - Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH331 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Fashion Across Time and Geography
Communicate your art-historical knowledge to the broadest possible public. While focusing on public writing,
we will study the history and politics of fashion. Topics will include gender and class performance, cultural
appropriation, medicine and the body; technology; and law and society. Weekly meetings will include
collaborative editing workshops, guest speakers, and a field trip. Students will build a writing portfolio
including a book review, film review, Smarthistory essay, museum labels, and a one-minute radio text, among
other projects. The Calderwood seminar model demands firm weekly deadlines, allowing classmates time to
reflect and comment on each other’s work. We build a scholarly community that shows the larger world how
the history of art intersects with fashion.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Berman; Distribution
Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Other Categories: CSPW - Calderwood
Seminar in Public Writing; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Notes: Intended for Seniors majoring or minoring in Art History Intended for Seniors majoring or minoring in Art
History;
Course ID: ARTH378/LAST378 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Museums Speak:
Communication and Controversy
Art and anthropology museums tell stories about the past and its relevance to the present, but what stories
they tell, who gets to tell them, and which objects should—or should not—be considered are not always selfevident. In this writing-intensive seminar, you will learn how texts—wall labels, press releases, exhibition
reviews—engage audiences within and beyond the museum’s walls. The course consists of writing
assignments related to artworks made in the Americas before Independence, from the ancient Maya to
colonial Peru, many on exhibit at the Davis Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Through these
case studies, we will learn how to convert visual images and academic arguments into appealing, jargon-free
prose. In keeping with the structure of the Calderwood seminar, weekly deadlines in this class are firm so as to
allow classmates time to reflect on such arguments and comment on each other’s ideas. Take on the role of
museum curator and learn how texts help us navigate controversies over the acquisition, provenance, and
display of artworks from distant cultures and places.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: At least two 100- or 200-level courses in Art History or
Anthropology.; Instructor: Oles; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video;
Other Categories: CSPW - Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Every three
years; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: BIOC324/CHEM324 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Can Biochemistry Help Address
Societal Problems?
Researchers increasingly attempt to harness biochemical approaches as a way to address pressing societal
problems. For example, recent work has focused on topics including the effective production of biofuels,
remediation of environmental pollutants and developing new treatments for antibiotic resistant pathogens. In
this course, juniors and seniors will explore contemporary research aimed at solving these problems through
readings in the primary literature, invited lectures, interviewing researchers and developing independent
research proposals. Students will analyze and interpret research findings through weekly writing assignments
targeted towards broad audiences, such as research summaries for the scientific press, textbook sections,
executive summaries and proposals accessible to non-specialists. Class sessions will be structured as
workshops to analyze core chemical and biological concepts and provide structured critiques of writing
assignments.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: BIOC/CHEM 223 or BIOC/CHEM 227 or BIOC/BISC 220 or (CHEM
205 and CHEM 211 and (BISC 110 or BISC 112 or BISC 116)), or permission of the instructor. ; Instructor:
Elmore; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Other Categories: CSPW -
Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Typical Periods Offered: Every three years; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: BISC340 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Biology in the News
Scientists have made great progress revealing intricate details of many biological processes. They understand
the importance of their work like the back of their hands. The scientific literacy of the general public, however,
has not kept pace. This seminar aims to equip students with the writing skills necessary to communicate
important ideas from a breadth of biological disciplines in an exciting, clear and relevant manner to a range of
audiences. The body of work created in this class will include short pieces on articles from the primary
literature, reviews of presentations and magazine articles by experts, as well as op-eds on scientific issues of
interest and a profile of a scientist of choice. Peer editing and writing workshops play a large part, aiding
students as they write multiple drafts of each assignment.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: Any two BISC 200-level courses or permission of the instructor.
Open to Juniors and Seniors only.; Instructor: Königer; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical
Sciences; Other Categories: CSPW - Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Typical Periods Offered: Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CAMS327 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Public Writing on Film and TV
This course will explore a wide range of writing on current film and television, thinking about the forms of
contemporary discourse on the moving image and ways our own writing can join the conversation. We will
read and write reviews, trend pieces, and star studies, bringing our specialized knowledge as moving image
enthusiasts to bear on pieces intended to speak to and engage a broad reading public. Students will develop
and present their writing in workshop discussions, and serve as editors to their peers. Readings from classic
and contemporary writers on film and television will help us refine our sense of what makes writing on media
illuminating, accessible, and compelling.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: CAMS 202 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Shetley;
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Other Categories: CSPW Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CPLT362/ES362 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: From Farm to Table to Print
When we talk about food, we think about personal passions, individual diets and eating behaviors, but we
might also think about cultural traditions, consumption disparities and food insecurities, about public health
and sustainability, animal rights, deforestation, and genome edited crops. Clearly, the topic challenges us to
address difficult questions of intersectionality (of the personal and the political, the local and the global, the
human and the non-human). In this seminar we will learn to translate academic discourses into public writing
formats that might include op-eds, social media posts, (cook) book reviews, Wikipedia entries, restaurant
reviews, and portraits of food activists.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: Open to Juniors and Seniors, or by permission of the instructor.
Not open to students who have taken GER 362.; Instructor: Nolden; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language
and Literature; Other Categories: CSPW - Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Typical Periods Offered:
Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: This course meets with GER
362.;
Course ID: ECON335 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Economic Journalism
Students will combine their knowledge of economics, including macro, micro, and econometrics, with their
skills at exposition, in order to address current economic issues in a journalistic format. Students will conduct
independent research to produce bi-weekly articles. Assignments may include coverage of economic lectures
by well-known economists, book reviews, economic data releases, and recent journal articles. Students also
may write an op-ed and a blog post. Class sessions will be organized as workshops devoted to critiquing the
economic content of student work.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: All of the following - ECON 201, ECON 202, ECON 203.; Instructor:
Sichel; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Other Categories: CSPW Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Spring;
Course ID: EDUC324/PSYC324 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Adolescent Sexual Health
Communication in the Real World
Thoughtful communication about adolescents’ sexual health is a complex and often fraught issue. Many
people have strong feelings and deeply held beliefs about what is right and wrong, what should be taught, and
why. In this Calderwood Seminar, we will utilize small groups and collaborative editing to tackle how to
communicate effectively with a wide range of audiences. We will explore ways to translate evidence-based
research for a general population. All course assignments will consist of writing for public audiences, such as
an op-ed, newspaper article, a blog for a teen or parent magazine, and an interview profile of a professional in
the field. Students will learn about psychological research and evidence-based practice in health-promoting
and developmentally appropriate communication with adolescents about sex and relationships.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: This course is limited to juniors and seniors. Students must have
completed at least two 200-level courses in Psychology, Education, or Women's and Gender Studies.;
Instructor: Grossman; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Other Categories:
CSPW - Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Fall;
Course ID: EDUC328/PSYC322 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Social Technologies &
Adolescent Development
Adolescents are developing socially, cognitively, and civically in their online and offline worlds, transforming
how formal and informal learning takes place. Students in this course will digest research findings and reflect
on their own experiences about how social technologies (e.g., Instagram, gaming, mobile phones) can
influence wellbeing during the tween and teen years. Harnessing personal narratives that appeal to different
stakeholders, we will develop timely and accessible strategies to inform adolescents, educators, families,
youth workers, and policymakers about the implications of these findings. This interdisciplinary course
spanning education, psychology, media studies, and health communication fields involves transforming
research into digestible, brief, non-academic pieces intended for the general public and provides opportunities
for students to explore their own interests. Sample assignments include a policy brief, op-ed, e-newsletter, 2
minute podcast, social media messaging campaign, and strategic writing for UX design. Each week, fellow
classmates critique each other’s work in a friendly, constructive environment while guest writing coaches and
industry professionals provide useful tips to hone each piece to its creative potential.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: Open to Sophom*ores, Juniors and Seniors.; Instructor:
Charmaraman; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; SBA - Social and Behavioral
Analysis; Other Categories: CSPW - Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; CSPW - Calderwood Seminar in
Public Writing; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Fall;
Course ID: ENG316 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Dead Poetry Society
This Calderwood seminar in public writing will show that there is no such thing as dead poetry. In a series of
weekly writing and editing exercises ranging from movie reviews to op-eds, we will explore the many ways that
the great poetry of centuries past speaks directly to modern experience. We will be taught both by the poets
themselves (whose eloquence will rub off on us) and each other, as each student will pick a poet whose
writing she will become expert at relaying to a lay audience. By the end of the semester, not only will you be
able to persuade a newspaper reader that blank verse matters as much as Twitter; you will also learn how to
articulate the value of your English major to a prospective employer--and how to transmit your excitement
about the latest discoveries in your field to friends and parents.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: Open to all students who have taken at least two literature courses
in the department, at least one of which must be 200 level, or by permission of the instructor to other qualified
students.; Instructor: Lynch; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Other Categories: CSPW
- Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ENG389 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: How We Write When We Write about
Literature
While literary criticism might seem like an esoteric or unworldly pursuit, it has relevance and consequence
beyond the narrow world of academic journals. It shapes reading lists at the high school, college, and
graduate level and contributes to cultural conversations about expanding the canon. It also has the potential to
create connections between academic scholarship and the larger world it inhabits. In this Calderwood
seminar, we will read selected works of contemporary literary criticism (and a few short stories) and consider
the place of published criticism in the wider culture. Over the course of the semester, students will produce
several short pieces exploring criticism’s significance and present their work to the class as part of our weekly
writing workshops. Assignments -- including op-eds, reviews of public talks, memoranda, podcasts, and blog
posts -- will target a non-specialist reading audience. This course will give students the opportunity to build
on their own experiences as readers of literature and writers of literary criticism as they engage with the
questions and controversies that criticism raises.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: Open to all students who have taken two literature courses in the
department, at least one of which must be 200 level, or by permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Rodensky;
Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Other Categories: CSPW - Calderwood Seminar in
Public Writing; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ES399 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Environmental Synthesis and Communication
Tax carbon? Label genetically modified crops? Ban endocrine disruptors? In this course, an interdisciplinary
capstone experience for the ES major, we will engage with such questions and related environmental
sustainability issues as public writers. Students will choose one environmental issue, which will be the focus of
their environmental “beat” during the semester. They will draw on an interdisciplinary toolset from
environmental studies to analyze and communicate the scientific, economic, political, and ethical dimensions
of pressing policy issues. Students will conduct independent research to produce weekly articles, such as opeds, blog posts, press releases, book reviews, policy memos, and interviews with environmental professionals.
Class sessions will be organized as writing workshops focused on the interdisciplinary analysis and content of
student work.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: A declared major in environmental studies and completion of six
courses that count toward the ES major, or permission of the instructor. Open to Juniors and Seniors only.;
Instructor: Turner; Other Categories: CSPW - Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: FREN336/WGST336 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Feminisms in the Wake of the
Global #MeToo Movement (in English)
From Hollywood’s casting couches, to the Copenhagen City Hall and the highest echelons of the French
media establishment, to the feminists in Mexico and Argentina and the demands of those in Japan, Iran, and
Egypt, the #MeToo movement has raised a global wave of protests against sexual abuse. The expression of
women’s voices has been undeniably transformed since the hashtag's emergence, but the aims and results of
the movement, and the consequences faced by those accused, have varied from place to place. Students will
consider #MeToo from a comparative and multilingual perspective, analyzing texts and media from around the
globe, in a collective effort to grasp how culture, language, and nation condition the international struggle for
women’s rights.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: At least one Language & Literature course at the 200-level in any
modern language department or by permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Bilis; Distribution Requirements:
LL - Language and Literature; Other Categories: CSPW - Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Typical
Periods Offered: Every three years; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: MATH340 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Explaining Mathematics
In this course, students will leverage their prior mathematical knowledge to communicate complex
mathematical ideas to audiences ranging from the general public to other mathematicians. Each week,
students will research a new topic and produce a piece of writing explaining this topic in a specific context.
Assignments may include research abstracts, book reviews, interviews with mathematicians, newspaper
articles, and technical documentation. Class time will be devoted to discussing the mathematical content
behind each assignment as well as workshopping students' writing. This course will give students the
opportunity to ground (and expand on) the mathematics they have learned and make connections across the
discipline. Moreover, this course's unique format will help students develop their research and independent
learning skills.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: MATH 302 and MATH 305, or permission of the instructor.;
Instructor: Lange; Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Other
Categories: CSPW - Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: MUS301 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: The Power of Music
This course challenges students to think critically about music, and writing about music, in the public sphere.
Students explore the relationship between their specialized academic knowledge and their experiences as
day-to-day consumers of music. The core material of the course consists of a series of writing and editing
exercises for an imagined audience of non-specialists—including reviews of recordings and lectures, program
notes for concerts, an interview with a prominent musician—and discussions of controversial issues in
academic music. This course addresses a variety of issues, such as how to write about the experience of live
performance or how to assess music as a kind of social activism. By translating the technical vocabulary of
academic music into a language accessible to the public, students find that they listen and think musically in
new and unanticipated ways.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: MUS 100. Open to Juniors and Seniors.; Instructor: Fontijn;
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Other Categories: CSPW Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Spring;
Course ID: PHIL331 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Philosophy in the First Person
Philosophical writing is often thought to be impersonal and abstract, focused on rigorous argument and high
theory to the exclusion of personal narrative, voice, humor, and literary style. But not all philosophy takes that
form. This seminar explores the alternative mode of more personal philosophical writing, as it appears in
contemporary personal essays on philosophical themes and pieces of public philosophy with a personal slant
philosophy (in, e.g., The New York Times, The Point, Aeon, and The New Yorker.) The course is structured as
a writing workshop, and centrally aims to develop students’ confidence and skill in writing their own pieces of
autobiographical philosophy. Students will create a portfolio of writing and workshop it closely with their peers
and professor throughout the semester.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor required. Intended for Philosophy
majors and minors, but students with at least two courses in Philosophy will be considered.; Instructor: de
Bres; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; REP - Religion, Ethics, and Moral Philosophy;
Other Categories: CSPW - Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: POL1333 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Perspectives on American Politics
This course will teach students to effectively communicate to the public political science research on American
politics. This will require students to step back from the details of their coursework to examine how political
science has shaped their understandings of political phenomena. How are the perspectives of political
scientists different from those of practitioners and the public? How can these perspectives contribute to public
debates on politics? Through a series of writing assignments--for example Op/eds, book reviews and
interviews--students will learn how to translate expert knowledge and perspectives into everyday language, but
perhaps even more importantly, how to draw on that knowledge to address the concerns of citizens about the
political world.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: At least one POL1 course or by permission of the instructor.;
Instructor: Burke; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Other Categories: CSPW Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Not Offered;
Course ID: PSYC343 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Psychology in the Public Interest
Take a step back from your psychology major and learn how to transfer your expertise to the public. This
Calderwood Seminar challenges upper-class students in an intimate workshop setting to grow as
psychologists and writers. Throughout the semester, students will build a writing portfolio that might include
op-eds, book reviews, journal article reviews, coverage of public talks, Wikipedia entries, articles for middle
school STEM magazines, and interviews with research psychologists. Classes will include collaborative editing
workshops, guest lectures from experts, and activities to build a strong writing foundation. In keeping with the
structure of the Calderwood seminar, students choose areas of psychology to study in depth, and weekly
deadlines are firm so as to allow classmates time to reflect and comment on each others' work. You have
learned how to write for college, now learn how to write for life.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: Open to Junior and Senior Psychology majors who have taken two
200-level courses, excluding PSYC 205, PSYC 250, and PSYC 299, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor:
Gleason; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Other Categories: CSPW Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: WRIT346 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Data for Humans
The growing field of data humanism recognizes data as foundational to our economic, political, and social
systems, while also seeking to recenter people in the process of its curation. In this course, we will explore the
use of data through a humanistic lens, not only to better understand the critical role data plays in our lives, but
also to discover how we can use data to become more humane. We will ask: if the word data comes from the
Latin root for “the thing given,” by and to whom is it given? When exactly did data get “big”? What do we mean
when we identify projects as “data-driven”? How can data intersect with social justice activism? And with art
and storytelling? Students will engage these questions by drawing on the work of historians, cultural critics,
journalists, social scientists, data analysts and designers, performing their own data tracking, and using their
research to craft opinion pieces, reviews, reports, and other forms of public writing.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: Open to juniors and seniors, or by permission of the instructor.;
Instructor: Brubaker; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Other Categories:
CSPW - Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: WRIT391 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: A Word After a Word After a Word is Power:
Women Writing the 21st Century
Margaret Atwood professes that, “A word after a word after a word is power.” Propelled by the #MeToo
movement, LeanIn, and the women’s march, women are baring their truths, beliefs, and experiences in an
explosion of public words. In this seminar students will become immersed in the dynamic contemporary
landscape of women’s writing, spanning memoir, poetry, journalism, and political commentary. Within an
intimate workshop setting, students will develop their own voices through assignments that will include book
reviews, op-eds, social media analyses, and interviews. By taking turns as writers and editors, students will
become skilled in evaluating and fostering their own writing as well as the writing of others. This course takes
as its premise the intensive Calderwood format of having students regularly produce, critique, and revise their
and their peers' writing by alternating being writers and editors throughout the semester.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: This course is open only to juniors and seniors; all students must
have taken at least one 200-level course in the study of literature.; Instructor: H. Bryant; Distribution
Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Other Categories: CSPW - Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing;
Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Chemical Physics
An Interdisciplinary Area of Scholarship, Research, and Employment
The Departments of Chemistry and Physics offer an interdepartmental major in Chemical Physics, an
interdisciplinary field of study at the intersection of chemistry and physics. The major incorporates the core
elements of the Chemistry and Physics degrees that relate to the structure and properties of atoms, molecules,
and materials. It offers a richer foundation in physics than the standard Chemistry major and significantly more
experience in experimental and theoretical chemistry than the usual Physics major.
Chemical physics is an interdisciplinary field at the crossroads of chemistry and physics that applies the
quantitative methods usually associated with physics to systems of chemical interest. While these systems
range in size and complexity, from atomic nuclei to nano-materials and biological molecules, the unifying
theme of chemical physics is the development of a quantitative understanding of a system’s structural and
dynamical properties. Core elements of both chemistry and physics inform experimental, theoretical, and
modeling work in the discipline. The interdisciplinary nature of Chemical Physics makes it appropriate that this
major should not reside in just one department.
Chemical Physics Major
Goals for the Chemical Physics Major
Develop solid foundations in, and reliable facility with, the principles of chemistry and physics.
Recognize the physical situations each field is suited to address, and the interconnections between the
two fields.
Develop the ability to integrate concepts and techniques from chemistry and physics in the context of
interdisciplinary problems associated with systems ranging from atomic nuclei to biological molecules.
Develop strong quantitative skills and facility with the mathematical and computational techniques at
the center of modern science. Learn to apply those skills in problem-solving contexts in chemistry and
physics.
Gain experience with laboratory practices throughout the curriculum with an emphasis on applying the
scientific method, learning the skills of thoughtful experimental design, and exploring independent
experimentation.
Be prepared for postgraduate study and/or public/private sector employment in fields informed by the
principles and methods of chemistry and physics.
Requirements for the Chemical Physics Major
A major in Chemical Physics includes:
CHEM 105/CHEM 105P/CHEM 116 and CHEM 205, or CHEM 120
PHYS 107 and PHYS 108 (1.0 unit)
PHYS 205 (Introduction to Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics with Computation, with
Laboratory)
MATH 215 (MATH 205 is a prerequisite for PHYS 208)
PHYS 207 (Classical Dynamics) (includes wave phenomena)
PHYS 208 (Intermediate Electromagnetism)
PHYS 210 (Experimental Techniques) or CHEM 361
CHEM 211 and CHEM 341
CHEM 330 and CHEM 335
One from among PHYS 302 (Quantum Mechanics), PHYS 305 (Statistical Mechanics and
Thermodynamics), PHYS 308 (Electromagnetic Theory), PHYS 310 (Experimental Physics), PHYS
323H (Adv. Topics in Quant. Mech) (0.5 units), PHYS 331 (Modern Materials).
Students are encouraged to participate in research projects via CHPH 250 or CHPH 350 or CHPH 355/CHPH
365 or CHPH 360/CHPH 370.
Students planning to take the Chemistry GRE in their senior year should consider taking CHEM 212 and
CHEM 361 in their junior year.
Students planning to take the Physics GRE in their senior year should consider taking PHYS 308 and PHYS
305 in their junior year.
If a student is considering pursuing graduate-level chemical theory/modeling, she is encouraged to take
CHEM 309 in addition to the standard requirements.
Honors in Chemical Physics
To be admitted to the Honors Program, a student must have a minimum grade point average of 3.5 in all work
in the major field above the 100 level not counting grades in independent research courses; students with a
GPA below the cut-off should register for CHPH 355. If that course is completed successfully, a petition may be
made on the student's behalf if her GPA in the major is between 3.3 and 3.5. The student must complete a
significant research project culminating in an honors thesis and an oral examination (CHPH 370). See
Academic Distinctions.
CHPH Courses
Course ID: CHPH250 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CHPH350 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Open to juniors and seniors.; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CHPH355 Title: Thesis Research
The first course in a two-semester investigation of a significant research problem, culminating in the
preparation of a thesis and defense of that thesis before a committee of faculty from the Departments of
Chemistry and Physics. This route does not lead to departmental honors.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Open to Seniors only. Permission of the instructor required.;
Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CHPH360 Title: Senior Thesis Research
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the department.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research
(360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty member. If
sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second semester.;
Course ID: CHPH365 Title: Thesis
The second course in a two-semester investigation of a significant chemistry/physics research problem,
culminating in the preparation of a thesis and defense of that thesis before a committee of faculty from the
chemistry and physics departments. This route does not lead to honors.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: CHPH 355 and permission of the department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Fall and Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CHPH370 Title: Senior Thesis
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: CHPH 360 and permission of the department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior
Thesis Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty
member. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second
semester.;
Chemistry
Chemistry has often been referred to as “The Central Science.” Knowledge of the properties and behavior of
atoms and molecules is crucial to our understanding of medicine, biological systems, neuroscience,
nanotechnology, environmental science, and myriad other areas. All of the traditional subfields of chemistry —
analytical chemistry, biochemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and physical chemistry, as well as
environmental chemistry, computational chemistry, astrochemistry, and nanochemistry — are represented in
the course offerings and opportunities for student-faculty collaborative research.
Learning Goals for Chemistry Students
Our learning goals for chemistry students are focused on six major areas:
Knowledge
Predict the properties of atoms, molecules, and materials from information about their structure.
Characterize (quantitatively and qualitatively) interactions of light with matter.
Predict and explain the outcome of chemical reactions by applying kinetic and thermodynamic
principles.
Problem Solving
Develop testable hypotheses, design and execute experiments, analyze data, and draw appropriate
conclusions.
Evaluate and report data using appropriate visual and statistical methods.
Utilize appropriate instrumentation to solve chemical problems.
Apply, develop, and critically evaluate the validity of models (computational, mathematical, and
abstract) to make predictions.
Integrate theory and experiments to explain chemical phenomena.
Scientific Literacy
Retrieve, critically evaluate, and properly cite technical articles from the chemical literature.
Communicate effectively through formal and informal means to chemists and to the broader
population.
Connect chemical principles to contemporary issues.
Safety
Understand, and practice safe laboratory techniques to minimize risk in the lab.
Critically evaluate safety protocols and suggest improvements.
Ethics
Demonstrate high standards of professional conduct, including data integrity, proper attribution of
work, and reproducibility.
Appreciate the impact of chemists in contributing to and addressing societal problems.
Engage in respectful discourse regarding controversial topics related to science.
Teamwork
Work effectively in diverse groups to solve scientific problems.
Gain proficiency in serving as a leader and as an effective team member.
Chemistry Major
Requirements for the Chemistry Major
We invite any student who plans to take chemistry courses to consult one or more members of the Chemistry
Department faculty. The department website (www.wellesley.edu/chemistry) contains specific suggestions
about how to structure academic programs and deals with a variety of topics including preparation in
mathematics and physics, graduate programs, and careers of former majors.
The major consists of the following courses:
CHEM 105 or CHEM 105P or CHEM 116 and CHEM 205, or CHEM 120
CHEM 211 and CHEM 212
CHEM 330
Three from among CHEM 223; CHEM 334; CHEM 335; CHEM 341; CHEM 361
Completion of the independent research in chemistry requirement as described below.
One additional chemistry course at the 300 level, excluding research courses, thesis courses, and
CHEM 331.
Additionally, the following courses outside of the Chemistry Department are required for the major:
MATH 215 or MATH 205 or equivalent
PHYS 104 or PHYS 107 or equivalent
PHYS 106 or PHYS 108 or equivalent
We recommend that students consult with their major advisors about whether additional coursework in
chemistry or other related areas would be useful to support particular career or graduate study plans. More
information on careers in chemistry and graduate school requirements can be found on the Chemistry
Department website.
In particular, students planning to go to graduate school in chemistry are encouraged to take MATH 215,
BIOC/CHEM 223, CHEM 335, CHEM 341 and CHEM 361 to obtain a wide breadth in chemistry. Students
planning to study physical chemistry in graduate school should consider taking CHEM 335 in their junior year
and PHYS 320 in their senior year, and consult with faculty about potential additional math courses.
Early completion of the mathematics and physics requirements is strongly encouraged. Students may satisfy
the physics requirements by passing the exemption exam given by the Physics Department for the relevant
course(s). Students planning a major or minor in physics or mathematics should consult with those
departments to understand how course requirements for those majors are impacted by the chemistry
requirements in math and physics.
Normally no more than three courses of chemistry taken at another institution may be counted toward the
major.
Students interested in the interdepartmental major in Biochemistry are referred to the section of the catalog
where that major is described. They should also consult with the director of the Biochemistry program.
Students interested in the interdepartmental major in Chemical Physics are referred to the section of the
catalog where that major is described. They should also consult with a faculty member involved in that
program.
Independent Research in Chemistry
The chemistry major requires one semester or summer of research. As Chemistry is a very multidisciplinary
field, a wide range of research can fulfill this requirement, including work with faculty members in many
science departments at Wellesley. Students should ask their major advisor or the department chair if they
have any questions about whether a particular research project is appropriate to fulfill this requirement. The
research requirement for the chemistry major can be fulfilled in any of the following ways. Paid research
experiences or internships can count for this requirement.
1. Research at Wellesley: On-campus research projects can be supervised by a member of the Wellesley
College Chemistry Department or other Wellesley faculty performing research that considers systems on the
molecular level or builds in some manner upon coursework in the major. This on-campus research could
involve one of the following:
a. Independent Study in Chemistry, equivalent of 1.0 units total of CHEM 250, CHEM 250H, CHEM 350 or
CHEM 350H.
b. Thesis in Chemistry, CHEM 355 & CHEM 365 or CHEM 360 & CHEM 370. Off-campus theses require
active involvement by a Wellesley faculty member throughout the research period.
c. Participation in the Wellesley Summer Research Program.
d. Other research equivalent to at least 10 hours per week for one semester, including experiences such
as the Sophom*ore Early Research Program.
2. Research off-campus: A student may participate in an approved off-campus research program during the
academic year (at least 10 hours per week minimum for one semester) or an approved summer research
program (normally eight weeks minimum length). Students electing to use an off-campus research experience
to fulfill the research requirement must have the research project approved, ideally in advance, by a faculty
member in the Chemistry Department. Off-campus research may be performed at an academic institution, a
government lab, or in the private sector.
In all cases, in order to fulfill the research requirement for the major, the student must complete a paper of at
least 8-10 pages on the research and give an approved presentation on campus. The paper must contain
substantial literature references, demonstrating a familiarity with searching the chemical literature. A copy of
the paper must be submitted to the chair of the Chemistry Department.
Honors in Chemistry
The only route to honors in the major is writing a thesis and passing an oral examination (CHEM 360 and
CHEM 370). To be admitted to the thesis program, a student must have a grade point average of at least 3.5 in
all work in the major field above the 100 level. Students with a GPA below the cut-off should register for CHEM
355. If that course is completed successfully, the department may petition on the student's behalf if her GPA in
the major is between 3.3 and 3.5. See Academic Distinctions.
Placement
Students typically begin their study of chemistry in CHEM 105, CHEM 105P, CHEM 116 (BISC 116), or CHEM
120, according to their previous preparation. Students who have taken one year of high school chemistry
should elect CHEM 105, CHEM 105P, or CHEM 116 followed by either CHEM 205 or CHEM 211. Students with
a 4 or 5 on the Chemistry AP exam (or C or better on the A-level or 5 or higher on the higher level IB exam)
typically elect CHEM 120. They may elect CHEM 211 if they demonstrate sufficient mastery of material from
CHEM 120. Additional information on choosing a first chemistry course can be found on our departmental
website: https://www.wellesley.edu/chemistry/choosing-a-first-chemistry-course
Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate Credit in Chemistry
Students who score a 5 on the AP exam or 5 or higher on the IB higher level examination who complete CHEM
120 may count one unit of AP or IB course credit toward graduation.
Transfer Credit in Chemistry
Transfer students wishing to obtain credit for chemistry courses taken prior to enrollment at Wellesley should
consult the chair of the department as soon as possible.
All other enrolled Wellesley students must obtain prior approval from the chair of the department via the
Wellesley College Registrar’s Office in order to obtain Wellesley credit for any chemistry course taken at
another institution during the summer or the academic year. Students, especially those taking chemistry
courses abroad, may be required to contact the course professor to obtain specific details about the course
because the online course description may be insufficient to make an informed decision. In general, courses
from two-year colleges taken as part of a high school program or after enrollment at Wellesley will not be
accepted.
Withdrawal from Courses with Laboratory in Chemistry
Students who withdraw from a course that includes laboratory and then elect that course in another semester
must complete both the lecture and laboratory portions of the course the second time.
American Chemical Society Accreditation
The American Chemical Society has established a set of requirements in various areas that it considers
essential for providing breadth and depth in the training of undergraduate chemists. Students who complete
CHEM 211, CHEM 212, BIOC/CHEM 223, CHEM 330, CHEM 341, CHEM 361 and at least three
additional courses at the 200 or 300 level (one of which can be independent study research), will fulfill the
chemistry requirements for an ACS certified degree.
Teacher Certification in Chemistry
The Chemistry Department strongly supports our students who are interested in obtaining certification to teach
chemistry in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or elsewhere. We encourage students to consult jointly with
us and the chair of the education department to determine the best undergraduate preparation for that goal.
Chemistry Minor
Requirements for the Chemistry Minor
A minor in chemistry includes:
CHEM 105 or CHEM 105P or CHEM 116 and CHEM 205, or CHEM 120
CHEM 211
Two courses from the following: BIOC 223/CHEM 223, CHEM 330, BIOC/CHEM 331, CHEM 341, or
CHEM 361. Note that students cannot complete both CHEM 330 and BIOC/CHEM 331 for minor
requirements.
One additional 200- or 300- level course, excluding research courses (CHEM 250, CHEM 350, CHEM
355, CHEM 365)
Normally no more than one unit in chemistry from another institution may be counted toward the minor.
CHEM Courses
Course ID: BIOC223/CHEM223 Title: Fundamentals of Biochemistry with Laboratory
This course brings together the fundamental multidisciplinary concepts governing life at the molecular level
and opens a gateway to advanced biochemistry offerings. Grounded in an understanding of aqueous
equilibria, thermodynamic, kinetic, and spectroscopic principles, the course will emphasize the structure and
function of proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids. The laboratory introduces modern laboratory
techniques for the study of biomolecules and develops experimental design and critical data analysis skills.
The laboratory component can be of particular value to students planning or engaged in independent research
and those considering graduate level work related to biochemistry. This course counts toward Chemistry or
Biochemistry major requirements.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: (CHEM 205 or CHEM 120) and CHEM 211 and one of the
following (BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC 112, BISC 112Y, BISC 116, CHEM 212), and permission of the
instructor.; Instructor: Elmore, Hall, Tantama; Distribution Requirements: LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences
Laboratory; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Course ID: BIOC227/CHEM227 Title: Principles of Biochemistry
A survey of the chemical foundations of life processes, with focus on theory and applications relevant to
medicine. Topics include bioenergetics, metabolism, and macromolecular structure. Essential skills such as
data analysis and understanding of the primary literature will be approached through in-class discussions and
application to current biomedical problems. This course is suitable for students wanting an overview of
biochemistry, but it will not contain the experimental introduction to biochemical methods and laboratory
instrumentation required for the Chemistry and Biochemistry majors.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: (CHEM 205 or CHEM 120) and CHEM 211 and one of the following
(BISC 110, BISC 110P, BISC 112, BISC 112Y, BISC 116). Not open to students who have completed BIOC
223/CHEM 223.; Instructor: Kress; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Does not count
toward the minimum major in Chemistry.;
Course ID: BIOC320/CHEM320 Title: Advanced Biochemistry Laboratory
An intensive laboratory course offering a multiweek independent team research project and training in
experimental applications of physical chemistry and biochemistry. Topics will include spectroscopy and
chemical thermodynamics of biomolecules. This course will emphasize independent hypothesis development
and experimental design skills as well as public presentation of results. Students will read primary literature,
construct a research proposal, develop their own laboratory protocols manual, conduct experiments using a
variety of instrumentation, and present their research. One class period per week plus one lab and mandatory
weekly meetings with instructor.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 16; Prerequisites: BIOC 223/CHEM 223; Instructor: Oakes; Distribution
Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Notes: Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking
Intensive Course.;
Course ID: BIOC323/CHEM323 Title: Seminar: Chemical Biology
Many critical research advances result from applying basic chemical principles and tools to biological systems.
This approach has opened up exciting new areas of study, such as the development of bio-orthogonal
reactions, the engineering of cells to incorporate “unnatural” biomolecules, selective modifications to cellular
surfaces, and the synthesis of peptidomimetics and other bio-inspired materials. These approaches have
allowed for important advances in developing novel therapeutics, engineering modern materials, and the
studying biological processes in vivo. In this course, students will explore contemporary research
breakthroughs in chemical biology through reading, analysis and discussion of the primary literature. Students
will also propose novel research directions through the preparation of independent research proposals.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: BIOC 223/CHEM 223 or BIOC 227/CHEM 227, or permission of
instructor.; Instructor: Elmore, Woodford; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences;
Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: BIOC324/CHEM324 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Can Biochemistry Help Address
Societal Problems?
Researchers increasingly attempt to harness biochemical approaches as a way to address pressing societal
problems. For example, recent work has focused on topics including the effective production of biofuels,
remediation of environmental pollutants and developing new treatments for antibiotic resistant pathogens. In
this course, juniors and seniors will explore contemporary research aimed at solving these problems through
readings in the primary literature, invited lectures, interviewing researchers and developing independent
research proposals. Students will analyze and interpret research findings through weekly writing assignments
targeted towards broad audiences, such as research summaries for the scientific press, textbook sections,
executive summaries and proposals accessible to non-specialists. Class sessions will be structured as
workshops to analyze core chemical and biological concepts and provide structured critiques of writing
assignments.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: BIOC/CHEM 223 or BIOC/CHEM 227 or BIOC/BISC 220 or (CHEM
205 and CHEM 211 and (BISC 110 or BISC 112 or BISC 116)), or permission of the instructor. ; Instructor:
Elmore; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Other Categories: CSPW Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Typical Periods Offered: Every three years; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: BIOC325/CHEM325 Title: Seminar: Biosensors & Optogenetics
Biosensors and optogenetics are important tools used to understand the physiology of living systems across
the molecular, cellular, tissue, and organismal levels. Luminescent biosensors emit light during a
measurement while optogenetics are activated by light to control and manipulate signaling and metabolism in
living cells. In this course, students will explore the chemistry and biology of these tools, focusing on the
principles of their design, strategies for their construction, and their applications in the life and physical
sciences. Students will engage the subject matter with group work, peer-to-peer editing, and individual
assignments through a combination of active-learning lectures, current literature analysis, and oral
presentations. The course will culminate in the writing and presentation of an NIH-style original research
proposal. This course will provide foundations for thinking about protein engineering as well as hypothesisdriven biological questions, and it is appropriate for students across the spectrum of chemical, physical, and
biological interests.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: BIOC/CHEM 223 or BIOC/CHEM 227 or BIOC/BISC 220 or (CHEM
205 and CHEM 212 and (BISC 110 or BISC 112 or BISC 116)); Instructor: Tantama; Distribution Requirements:
NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Not Offered;
Course ID: BIOC331/CHEM331 Title: Physical Chemistry of Biological Systems: The Fundamental Models of
Biological Molecules and Processes
Provides a survey of fundamental principles in physical chemistry and how they relate specifically to the
study of biological molecules and processes. Emphasis is placed on empowering students to understand,
evaluate, and use models as approximations for the biomolecular world. Models are mathematically
represented and provide both qualitative and quantitative insight into biologically relevant systems.
Commonly used experimental techniques such as spectroscopy and calorimetry are explained from first
principles with quantum mechanical and statistical mechanical models, and computational applications such
as protein structure prediction and molecular design are explained through physical models such as
molecular mechanics and dynamics.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: BIOC 223/CHEM 223 and MATH 116 or equivalent.; Instructor: M.
Radhakrishnan; Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; NPS - Natural
and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Notes:
Does not count toward the chemistry major but counts toward the biochemistry major and the chemistry
minor. Students are strongly encouraged to complete one course in physics in addition to the stated
prerequisites before enrolling; ;
Course ID: CHEM100H Title: Chemistry in Context
This course is designed to deepen students' understanding of the skills and topics taught in introductory
chemistry. Enrollment is by invitation only and will draw from students concurrently enrolled in CHEM 105. The
class will link the skills and concepts covered in CHEM 105 to topics of current interest including food science,
environmental pollution and remediation, nuclear power, and alternative fuels. Students will gain a better
understanding of the ways the tools they are learning in introductory chemistry can be applied to real world
situations.
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Students must be simultaneously
enrolled in CHEM 105.; Instructor: Miwa; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered; Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit.;
Course ID: CHEM103/ES103 Title: Elements and the Environment
Elements and molecules interact with the environment producing global challenges such as climate change,
ozone depletion, and heavy metal pollution. This course is a general introduction to the chemistry of such
environmental problems, focusing on the chemical principles that regulate the effect, fate, and transport of
chemicals in the environment. It explores how the structure of a chemical relates to its environmental impact
and how interactions can be predicted through chemistry. Assignments will include working with real data-sets
of elements in the environment, such as records of carbon in forests, oxygen in the ocean, and heavy metals in
soils. Chem 103 is intended for students with very little prior chemistry experience. This course does not count
towards the chemistry major or minor.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the
Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement.; Instructor: Stanley; Distribution Requirements: NPS Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CHEM105 Title: Fundamentals of Chemistry with Laboratory
This course is designed for students majoring in the physical and biological sciences as well as those wishing
an introduction to modern molecular science. Core principles and applications of chemistry are combined to
provide students with a conceptual understanding of chemistry that will help them in both their professional
and everyday lives. Topics include principles of nuclear chemistry, atomic and molecular structure, molecular
energetics, chemical equilibrium, and chemical kinetics. The laboratory work introduces students to synthesis
and structural determination by infrared and other spectroscopic techniques, periodic properties,
computational chemistry, statistical analysis, and various quantitative methods of analysis. This course is
intended for students who have taken one year of high school chemistry and have a math background
equivalent to two years of high school algebra. Students who have AP or IB credit in chemistry, and who elect
CHEM 105, forfeit the AP or IB credit.
This course has a required co-requisite laboratory - CHEM 105L.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 28; Prerequisites: One year of high school chemistry. Fulfillment of the
Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement. Not open
to students who have taken CHEM 105P, CHEM 116, or CHEM 120.; Instructor: Oakes, Tantama, Verschoor,
Doe, Mavros; Distribution Requirements: LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; MM - Mathematical
Modeling and Problem Solving; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CHEM105L Title: Laboratory: Fundamentals of Chemistry
This is a required co-requisite laboratory for CHEM 105.
Units: 0; Max Enrollment: 14; Prerequisites: One year of high school chemistry. Fulfillment of the Quantitative
Reasoning (QR) component of the Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement. Not open to students
who have taken CHEM 105P, CHEM 116, or CHEM 120.; Instructor: Oakes, Tantama, Verschoor, Doe, Mavros;
Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CHEM105P Title: Fundamentals of Chemistry with Laboratory
This course is designed for students interested in pursuing further study in the physical and biological
sciences, as well as those wishing an introduction to modern molecular science. Core principles and
applications of chemistry are combined to provide students with a conceptual understanding of chemistry that
will help them in both their professional and everyday lives. Topics include principles of nuclear chemistry,
atomic and molecular structure, thermodynamics, chemical equilibrium, and chemical kinetics. The laboratory
work introduces students to synthesis and structural determination by infrared and other spectroscopic
techniques, periodic properties, computational chemistry, statistical analysis, and various quantitative methods
of analysis. This course is intended for students who do not meet the prerequisites for CHEM 105 or for
students who, because of their previous chemistry and math experiences, would appreciate additional
academic support for the study of introductory chemistry. Includes two additional class meetings each week.
Students in CHEM 105P must enroll in CHEM 105P lab.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 16; Prerequisites: Open by permission of the instructor to students regardless of
high school background or whether the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the Quantitative
Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement has been fulfilled. Not open to students who have taken CHEM 105,
CHEM 116, or CHEM 120; Instructor: Miwa, McCarthy; Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical
Modeling and Problem Solving; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences
Laboratory; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CHEM116 Title: Fundamentals of Chemistry and Molecular/Cellular Biology with Lab: An
Integrated Approach
This gateway course provides an integrated introduction to the application of chemical principles to
understand biological systems and covers the content of both BISC 110/BISC 110P/BISC 112/BISC 112Y and
CHEM 105. It is designed for students whose interests lie at the interface of chemistry and biology and must be
taken concurrently with BISC 116. Students will learn how structure and function of biological systems are
shaped by principles of atomic properties and chemical bonding. Cellular metabolism and molecular genetics
are integrated with quantitative introductions to thermodynamics, equilibrium, and kinetics. Other topics
motivated by the application of chemistry to biology include nuclear chemistry and cellular growth and
differentiation. The laboratory is a hands-on introduction to spectroscopy, microscopy, and other experimental
techniques, as well as quantitative analysis, experimental design, and scientific writing. Successful completion
of this course enables a student to take any course for which either CHEM105 or BISC 110/BISC 110P/BISC
112/BISC 112Y is a prerequisite.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 32; Prerequisites: One year of high school chemistry, math equivalent to two
years of high school algebra, and fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the Quantitative
Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement. Not open to students who have taken BISC 110/BISC 110P, BISC
112/BISC 112Y, CHEM 105, CHEM 105P, or CHEM 120. Students must attend lab during the first week to
continue in the course.; Instructor: Woodford, Matthews (Biological Sciences); Distribution Requirements: MM
- Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; NPS - Natural
and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Notes:
CHEM 116-01 and BISC 116-01 are co-requisite courses and students must register for both sections at the
same time. Students must also register simultaneously for a lab section (either BISC 116 L01 or BISC 116 L02).
Students must attend the first lab session in order to continue in the course. Students with AP or IB credit in
chemistry who elect this course forfeit the AP or IB credit.;
Course ID: CHEM120 Title: Intensive Introductory Chemistry with Laboratory
A one-semester course for students who have completed more than one year of high school chemistry,
replacing CHEM 105 and CHEM 205 as a prerequisite for more advanced chemistry courses. It presents the
topics of nuclear chemistry, atomic structure and bonding, periodicity, kinetics, thermodynamics,
electrochemistry, equilibrium, acid/base chemistry, solubility, and transition metal chemistry. All of these topics
are presented in the context of both historical and contemporary applications. The laboratory includes
experiments directly related to topics covered in lecture, an introduction of statistical analysis of data,
molecular modeling and computational chemistry, instrumental and classical methods of analysis,
thermochemistry, and solution equilibria. The course meets for four periods of lecture/discussion and one 3.5hour laboratory.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 32; Prerequisites: Open to students who have a score of 4 or 5 on the Chemistry
AP exam or an IB Chemistry higher level score of 5 or above. Fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR)
component of the Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement. Not open to students who have
completed CHEM 105, CHEM 105P, CHEM 116 and/or CHEM 205.; Instructor: Arumainayagam, McCarthy;
Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; LAB - Natural and Physical
Sciences Laboratory; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered
this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CHEM205 Title: Chemical Analysis and Equilibrium with Laboratory
This course builds on the principles introduced in CHEM 105, with an emphasis on chemical equilibrium and
analysis, and their role in the chemistry of the environment. Topics include chemical reactions in aqueous
solution with particular emphasis on acids and bases; solubility and complexation; electrochemistry; modeling
of complex equilibrium and kinetic systems; statistical analysis of data; and solid state chemistry. The
laboratory work includes additional experience with instrumental and noninstrumental methods of analysis,
sampling, and solution equilibria.
This course has a required co-requisite laboratory - CHEM 205L.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 28; Prerequisites: CHEM 105 or CHEM 105P or CHEM 116 and fulfillment of the
Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement (formerly
QR-Basic Skills). Not open to students who have taken CHEM 120; Instructor: Flynn, M. Hall, Oakes, Stanley,
Tantama, Wax; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; MM - Mathematical Modeling
and Problem Solving; LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CHEM205L Title: Laboratory: Chemical Analysis and Equilibrium
This is a required co-requisite laboratory for CHEM 205.
Units: 0; Max Enrollment: 14; Prerequisites: CHEM 105 or CHEM 105P or CHEM 116 and fulfillment of the
Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement (formerly
QR-Basic Skills). Not open to students who have taken CHEM 120.; Instructor: Flynn, M. Hall, Oakes, Stanley,
Tantama, Wax; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CHEM211 Title: Organic Chemistry I with Laboratory
Topics covered include: stereochemistry, synthesis and reactions of alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, alkyl halides,
alcohols and ethers, nomenclature of organic functional groups, polarimetry, IR, C-NMR, and GC/MS.
This course has a required co-requisite laboratory - CHEM 211L.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: CHEM 105, CHEM 105P, CHEM 116, or CHEM 120.; Instructor:
Miwa, Woodford, Doe, McCarthy, Wenny; Distribution Requirements: LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences
Laboratory; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; NPS Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Fall; Spring; Spring; Fall;
Course ID: CHEM211L Title: Laboratory: Organic Chemistry I
This is a required co-requisite laboratory for CHEM 211.
Units: 0; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: CHEM 105, CHEM 105P, CHEM 116, or CHEM 120.; Instructor:
Miwa, Woodford, Doe, McCarthy, Wenny; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CHEM212 Title: Organic Chemistry II with Laboratory
A continuation of CHEM 211. Includes NMR spectroscopy, synthesis, reactions of aromatic and carbonyl
compounds, amines, and carbohydrates. In addition, students are expected to study the chemical literature
and write a short chemistry review paper.
This course has a required co-requisite laboratory - CHEM 212L
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: CHEM 211.; Instructor: McCarthy, Miwa, Vellucci, Woodford,
Doe; Distribution Requirements: LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; NPS - Natural and Physical
Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CHEM212L Title: Laboratory: Organic Chemistry II
This is a required co-requisite laboratory for CHEM 212.
Units: 0; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: CHEM 211.; Instructor: McCarthy, Miwa, Vellucci, Woodford, Doe;
Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CHEM250 Title: Research or Individual Study
Research is supervised by a member of the Wellesley College chemistry department. Off-campus research
requires active participation of a Wellesley faculty member throughout the research period. Course fulfills the
research requirement for the major only upon completion of a paper of 8-10 pages on the research and a
presentation to the chemistry department during one of the two research seminar presentation periods. A copy
of the paper must be submitted to the chair of the department.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Open by permission to students who have taken at least one
chemistry course and are not eligible for CHEM 350.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered
this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CHEM250H Title: Research or Individual Study
Research is supervised by a member of the Wellesley College Chemistry Department. Students will be
expected to devote 10-12 hours per week for CHEM 250 and five to six hours for CHEM 250H.
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Open by permission to students who have taken at least one
chemistry course and are not eligible for CHEM 350 or 350H.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CHEM302/EDUC317 Title: Seminar: Communicating and Teaching Chemistry
Making scientific discoveries is clearly important, but it is also vital to be able to communicate science
effectively to non-expert audiences. How do people learn? And in particular, how do inquiry-based learning
techniques improve the learning experience? This course provides students the opportunities to explore and
apply current research on learning and instructional strategies by developing a series of hands-on in-class
chemistry activities. Students will read primary literature on pedagogical approaches from a range of sources,
including chemical education journals. Students will synthesize and apply numerous chemical concepts that
they have learned in-depth in previous chemistry classes in order to design and teach a chemistry lesson at a
local elementary school. Additionally, students will communicate and teach chemistry to non-expert audiences
at a museum or science cafe. This class will be useful to students considering careers in the medical
profession, so that they can clearly explain science to their patients; careers in research science, so they can
inform the public of their discoveries; and careers in education, so they can teach science in an exciting and
meaningful fashion.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: CHEM 205 or CHEM 120.; Instructor: Stanley; Distribution
Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CHEM303 Title: Seminar: Aquatic Chemistry
Chemical reactions govern the interactions of molecules in oceans, lakes and rivers and regulate the
biogeochemical cycles of many elements including carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and trace metals. This course will
enable students to predict and understand chemical reactions occurring in aquatic systems and the fate of
environmental pollutants and natural compounds. Topics include the environmental applications of
thermodynamics and kinetics, acid-base reactions in natural waters, precipitation-dissolution reactions, and
photochemical reactions of organic and inorganic compounds. The course has a heavy emphasis on reading
and interpreting primary literature, including both classic and recent papers, and students will write a research
proposal on an aquatic chemical topic of their choosing. Additionally, we will interact with current researchers
in aquatic chemistry and participate in a field trip to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 16; Prerequisites: One of the following - CHEM 120, CHEM 205, CHEM 211, GEOS
203; or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Stanley; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical
Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Every four years; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CHEM304 Title: Seminar. Photochemistry: Lights, Camera, Action!
Photochemistry involves reactions of electronically-excited species that are produced by the absorption of
non-ionizing photons. Photochemistry is of tremendous importance in natural processes (e.g., vision,
photosynthesis, atmospheric chemistry, synthesis of prebiotic molecules in space) and a myriad of
technologies (photography, photolithography to fabricate miniature transistors that are central to cell phones,
and photopolymerization). In this course, we will see that gas-phase photochemistry experimental techniques
(e.g., velocity map imaging and table-top based attosecond laser sources) may be used to extract exquisite
details with unprecedented temporal and spatial resolution across the entire reaction path. However, such
detailed information cannot be obtained for condensed-phase photochemistry, which involves greater
complexity, including the production of excitons, excimers, and exciplexes. Students will be provided with a
qualitative understanding of quantum mechanical principles (e.g., Franck-Condon principle and the BornOppenheimer approximation) critical to the molecular-level understanding of photochemistry. The seminar will
include guest lectures by experts, group discussions, readings from the primary and review literature, field
trip(s), movies, weekly writing assignments, and a final paper.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: One of the following - CHEM 105, CHEM 116, CHEM 120; or
permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Arumainayagam; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and
Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Every three years; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Not Offered;
Course ID: CHEM305/PHYS331 Title: Modern Materials
Optical and electronic materials, ranging from solar cells to superconductors, are central to our modern lives
and will be crucial in solving the technological challenges of our future. For students interested in engineering
applications of fundamental physics phenomena, this interdisciplinary course will introduce the science behind
the development of modern materials and devices. Through hands-on projects, students will explore the
development of optical and electronic materials from their atomic origins, to their implementation in
semiconductor devices, and finally their long term environmental impact. This course connects topics often
covered in separate physics, chemistry, and engineering courses. Previous experience with concepts from
introductory physics is strongly recommended.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: PHYS 108 and either PHYS 210 or CHEM 361, or permission of
the instructor.; Instructor: Belisle; Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem
Solving; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Fall; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CHEM307 Title: Nanoscience
“Why cannot we write the entire 24 volumes of the Encyclopedia Britannica on the head of a pin?” When the
physicist Richard Feynman first asked that question a half century ago, the word nanoscience had yet to be
used. Today, nanoscience and nanotechnology have created a great deal of interest from scientists and
engineers and also from the general public. Questions we will address include: What is the nature of
nanoscience and nanotechnology? What are the principles that enable us to predict behavior over nanometer
length scales? How are nanomaterials made and organized? How is nanotechnology likely to impact our lives?
We will use the primary literature, popular portrayals, and interactions with researchers in nanoscience as
avenues to explore the field.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: CHEM 205 or CHEM 120, and CHEM 211.; Instructor: Flynn;
Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Every three
years; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CHEM309 Title: Computational Chemistry
Computational chemistry now plays a crucial role in both the design and the analysis of molecules and
systems across industries including pharmaceuticals, materials, and manufacturing. This course will provide
students with a conceptual understanding of computational modeling techniques pertinent to chemistry along
with practical experience applying these methods. Specific techniques considered in the course may include
quantum mechanical ab initio and semiempirical models, molecular mechanics, molecular dynamics
simulations, optimization and sampling frameworks, and machine learning, with case studies coming from
current literature. Emphasis will be placed on the trade-offs between model accuracy and efficiency, and
fundamental principles in computer programming, numerical methods, hardware, and software will be
introduced as they relate to this trade-off. Application of these methods to solve problems in diverse areas,
such as protein structure, drug design, organic reactivity, and inorganic systems, will also be emphasized. In
addition to regular computer-based exercises, the course will culminate in an independent project utilizing
techniques presented in the course.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: (CHEM 105 and CHEM 205) or (CHEM 116 and CHEM 205) or
CHEM 120, and CHEM 211 and MATH 116, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Mavros; Distribution
Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving;
Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CHEM310 Title: Seminar: Chemistry of the Heavens
The course will cover the foundations of astrochemistry, a young field at the intersection between chemistry
and astronomy. Topics to be discussed include the interstellar medium, atomic and molecular physics,
interstellar chemistry, molecular astronomy, and unresolved enigmas in the field, such as the hom*ochirality of
amino acids. The seminar will involve guest lectures by experts, group discussions, readings from the primary
and review literature, field trip(s), movies (including a science fiction movie), weekly writing assignments,
telescopic observations, and one day in a laboratory on earth.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: CHEM 105 or CHEM 120.; Instructor: Arumainayagam; Distribution
Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Every three years; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CHEM312 Title: Seminar: Design and Synthesis of Antiviral Medicines
Why are there so many antibiotics and so few medicines to treat viral infections? In this course, students will
learn how antiviral drugs are created. We will learn how viral targets are selected, the strategies used to design
or discover drug candidates, and the process of optimizing these candidates to produce effective medications.
Areas of focus will include HIV, which has been successfully controlled through antiviral medications, as well
as Covid-19 and influenza, for which there are few effective drugs. Students will work individually and in teams
to read/analyze primary literature and prepare oral presentations and infographics to demonstrate and
enhance understanding. The course will culminate in the preparation and presentation of an original research
proposal.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: CHEM 212.; Instructor: Miwa; Distribution Requirements: NPS Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Every three years; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CHEM318 Title: Advanced Organic Chemistry: Reactions, Mechanisms, and Modern Synthetic
Methods
This course will cover strategies and tactics for assembling complex organic molecules. Considerable
emphasis will be placed on stereoselective synthesis, including the stereoselective construction of ring
systems, acyclic stereocontrol, and asymmetric catalysis. Reaction mechanisms will also be emphasized
throughout the semester. Lecture topics will be accompanied by case studies drawn from the current chemical
literature. The course will culminate in an independent project involving pharmaceuticals and other molecules
of medicinal importance.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: CHEM 212; Instructor: Carrico-Moniz, Miwa; Distribution
Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CHEM330 Title: Physical Chemistry I with Laboratory
Molecular basis of chemistry; intensive overview of theories, models, and techniques of physical chemistry;
extensive coverage of quantum mechanics; applications of quantum mechanics to atomic and molecular
structure, and spectroscopy; introductory statistical mechanics, with an emphasis on connections to
thermodynamics; intermediate topics in chemical kinetics and introduction to reaction dynamics. The
laboratory work involves learning elementary programming to quantitatively model data collected with various
spectroscopies (UV-VIS, IR, NMR, fluorescence) using quantum theory.
This course has a required co-requisite laboratory - CHEM 330L.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: (CHEM 205 or CHEM 120) and (PHYS 104 or PHYS 107) and
(MATH 215 (strongly recommended) or MATH 205). Not open to students who have taken CHEM 331.;
Instructor: Radhakrishnan, Wax; Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem
Solving; LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical
Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CHEM330L Title: Laboratory: Physical Chemistry I
This is a required co-requisite laboratory for CHEM 330.
Units: 0; Max Enrollment: 9; Prerequisites: (CHEM 205 or CHEM 120) and (PHYS 104 or PHYS 107) and
(MATH 215 (strongly recommended) or MATH 205). Not open to students who have taken CHEM 331.; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CHEM330X Title: Introduction to Physical Chemistry
Molecular basis of chemistry; intensive overview of theories, models, and techniques of physical chemistry;
extensive coverage of quantum mechanics; applications of quantum mechanics to atomic and molecular
structure, and spectroscopy; classical thermodynamics of gases and solutions; intermediate topics in chemical
kinetics and introduction to reaction dynamics; basic statistical mechanics to calculate thermodynamic
variables and equilibrium constants. This course does not count towards the major requirements in chemistry.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: (CHEM 205 or CHEM 120) and (PHYS 104 or PHYS 107) and
(MATH 215 (strongly recommended) or MATH 205). Not open to students who have taken CHEM 331.;
Instructor: M. Radhakrishnan; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical
Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CHEM334 Title: Physical Chemistry II
This course provides an in-depth study of the physical models used in the study of chemical systems,
including both first-principle derivations and cutting-edge applications of such models. Topics include
statistical mechanics and thermodynamics, computational chemistry, molecular mechanics and dynamics,
philosophical foundations of quantum mechanics, time-dependent quantum mechanics, and kinetics.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: CHEM 330 (or CHEM 331 by permission of the instructor) and
either (PHYS 106 or PHYS 108) and MATH 215. Not open to students who have taken CHEM 335.; Instructor:
Mavros; Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; NPS - Natural and
Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CHEM335 Title: Physical Chemistry II with Laboratory
This course provides an in-depth study of the physical models used in the study of chemical systems,
including both first-principle derivations and cutting-edge applications of such models. Topics include
probability theory, classical thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, computational chemistry, philosophical
foundations of quantum mechanics, time-dependent quantum mechanics, and kinetics. Additionally, there is
an emphasis on implementing statistical and numerical models via computer programing, culminating in an
independent project.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: CHEM 330 and (PHYS 106 or PHYS 108) and MATH 215. Not
open to students who have taken CHEM 334.; Instructor: Mavros and Arumainayagam; Distribution
Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences
Laboratory; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CHEM341 Title: Inorganic Chemistry with Laboratory
This course provides an in depth look at inorganic chemistry concentrating on chemical applications of group
theory, molecular orbital theory, the chemistry of ionic compounds, transition metal complexes, organometallic
chemistry, catalysis, and bioinorganic chemistry. Students will learn theories and models to analyze the
structure and bonding of inorganic compounds and to predict and explain reactions of those compounds. The
laboratory introduces a number of experimental and computational techniques used in inorganic chemistry.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: Required CHEM 205 or CHEM 120, and CHEM 211; Strongly
recommended CHEM 212.; Instructor: Stanley, Verschoor, Wenny; Distribution Requirements: NPS - Natural
and Physical Sciences; LAB - Natural and Physical Sciences Laboratory; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CHEM350 Title: Research or Individual Study
Research is supervised by a member of the Wellesley College chemistry department. Students will be
expected to devote (per week) 10-12 hours for CHEM 350 and five to six hours for CHEM 350H. Student
projects will be planned accordingly. Off-campus research requires active participation of a Wellesley faculty
member throughout the research period. Course fulfills the research requirement for the major only upon the
completion of a paper of 8-10 pages on the research and a presentation to the chemistry department during
one of the two research seminar presentation periods. A copy of the paper must be submitted to the chair of
the department. (Note: Paid internships are not eligible for CHEM 350.)
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Open by permission to students who have taken at least three
chemistry courses.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CHEM350H Title: Research or Individual Study
Research is supervised by a member of the Wellesley College chemistry department. Students will be
expected to devote (per week) 10-12 hours for CHEM 350 and five to six hours for CHEM 350H.
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Course ID: CHEM355 Title: Chemistry Thesis Research
The first course in a two-semester investigation of a significant research problem, culminating in the
preparation of a thesis and defense of that thesis before a committee of faculty from the chemistry department.
Students will participate in a regular weekly seminar program, in which they will discuss their research
progress informally with faculty and student colleagues and gain familiarity with contemporary research
through presentations by outside seminar speakers. This route does not lead to departmental honors. If the
first semester of thesis is used to fulfill the research requirement, the student must complete a paper of 8-10
pages on the research and give a presentation to the chemistry department during one of the two research
seminar presentation periods. A copy of the paper must be submitted to the chair of the department. (Note:
Paid internships are not eligible for CHEM 355.)
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Open only to Seniors with permission of the instructor.; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Course ID: CHEM360 Title: Senior Thesis Research
CHEM 360 is the first course in a two-semester investigation of a significant research problem, culminating in
departmental honors upon the completion in the second semester of a thesis and defense of that thesis before
a committee of faculty from the chemistry department. Students in 360 and 370 will be expected to attend the
weekly departmental honors seminar, listed in the schedule of classes. The seminar provides a forum for
students conducting independent research to present their work to fellow students and faculty. (See Academic
Distinctions.) If the first semester of thesis is used to fulfill the research requirement, the student must complete
a paper of 8-10 pages on the research and give a presentation to the chemistry department during one of the
two research seminar presentation periods. A copy of the paper must be submitted to the chair of the
department. (Note: Paid internships are not eligible for CHEM 360.)
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the department.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CHEM361 Title: Analytical Chemistry with Laboratory
Instrumental methods of chemical analysis. Topics include statistical analysis, electronics and circuitry,
electrochemistry, spectroscopy, and separations science with special attention to instrument design and
function. The course work emphasizes the practical applications of chemical instrumentation and methods to
address questions in areas ranging from art history to biochemistry to materials science. The laboratory work
focuses on the design, construction, and use of chemical instrumentation along with the interfacing of
instruments with computers.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 8; Prerequisites: Either (CHEM 205 and CHEM 211) or (CHEM 120 and CHEM
211). Suggested - PHYS 106 or PHYS 108.; Instructor: Flynn; Distribution Requirements: LAB - Natural and
Physical Sciences Laboratory; NPS - Natural and Physical Sciences; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CHEM365 Title: Thesis
The second course in a two-semester investigation of a significant research problem, culminating in the
preparation of a thesis and defense of that thesis before a committee of faculty from the chemistry department.
Students will participate in a regular weekly seminar program, in which they will discuss their research
progress informally with faculty and student colleagues and gain familiarity with contemporary research
through presentations by outside seminar speakers. This route does not lead to departmental honors. Course
counts toward the research requirement if the student completes the thesis and the thesis presentation. (Note:
Paid internships are not eligible for CHEM 365.)
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: CHEM 355 and permission of the department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CHEM370 Title: Senior Thesis
CHEM 370 is the second course in a two-semester investigation of a significant research problem, culminating
in departmental honors upon the completion of a thesis and defense of that thesis before a committee of
faculty from the chemistry department. Students will participate in a regular weekly seminar program, in which
they will discuss their research progress informally with faculty and student colleagues and gain familiarity with
contemporary research through presentations by outside seminar speakers. Course counts toward the
research requirement if the student completes the thesis and the thesis presentation. See Academic
Distinctions. (Note: Paid internships are not eligible for CHEM 370.)
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: CHEM 360 and permission of department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall; Notes: Students enroll in Senior
Thesis Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty
member. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second
semester.;
Cinema and Media Studies
An Interdepartmental Major and Minor
The Cinema and Media Studies Program (CAMS) empowers students to explore the ways that modern
audiovisual media have both shaped and been shaped by the cultures from which they emerged. With an
emphasis on the aesthetic, political, and social impact of cinema, photography, television and digital media,
our students pursue an interdisciplinary course of study to investigate the most pressing issues in
contemporary media cultures: surveillance, misinformation and political control; the emergence and operation
of global media industries; and the intersection of race, gender, sexuality, and class with the production and
consumption of modern media. To this end, the CAMS courses focus on the global workings of media cultures
and industries, from Hollywood and Silicon Valley, to Asia, Africa and the Global South. As an
interdepartmental program, CAMS blends comparative media studies with creative opportunities in
photography, video production, digital imaging, and screenwriting. This innovative feature of the program
pedagogically bridges the theory-praxis divide, bringing the Wellesley method into the 21st century.
Cinema and Media Studies Major
Goals for the Cinema and Media Studies Major
Students in the CAMS major will acquire knowledge of cinema and media as 1) technological objects, with an
emphasis on the relationship between technological affordances and modes of cultural expression; and 2) as
aesthetic objects, with an emphasis on the relationship between aesthetic form and questions of
representation, intersectionality, and globalization.
By completing the two courses at the core of our major, CAMS 201 “Technologies of Cinema and Media,” and
CAMS 202 “Aesthetics of Cinema and Media,” students will be equipped with the tools for a rigorous critical
understanding of the history and theory of the diverse media that structure modern life. These two courses
serve as stepping stones for all majors and minors and will guide students’ scholarly and creative pursuits and
create a community of shared knowledge. Our core courses and seminars likewise follow an approach that
privileges comparative media studies and examines different audiovisual practices as participating forces in a
media ecology. Course goals for students who complete the CAMS major. In conjunction with CAMS 201, 202,
an interdepartmental offering of elective courses, and production-focused courses, CAMS majors and minors
will develop a set of skills for the critical analysis of cinema and media which reflect the program’s core values.
Skills:
Cultivate a set of critical and analytical tools for the study of cinema and media, from formal analysis to
research methods.
Acquire a broad-based contemporary and historical knowledge of global media cultures, including an
awareness of the cultural, political, and economic role of cinema and media in modern societies.
Engage in creative practice and critical making through projects in photography, video, digital imaging,
or screenwriting.
Develop a critical awareness of the historical developments of film and media, their emergence and
uses, their social, economic, and environmental impact.
Values:
Social justice. CAMS courses address the history and legacy of colonialism and imperialism at work in
the aesthetic, technological, and industrial genealogies of cinema, telegraphy, television, and digital
media.
Environmental justice. Students critically assess the carbon print of media technologies and industries
on our societies at a global scale, from hardware to digital waste.
Active agency in the fight against censorship, misinformation, and surveillance that affect media
production and consumption.
A shared sense of community, enhanced by a common curriculum, critical peer assessment and
collective projects.
Requirements for the Cinema and Media Studies Major
The major in Cinema and Media Studies requires 10 units. Students can develop their expertise in the major by
exploring topics from a combination of courses in Cinema/Media Studies, Screen writing and writing for
television, Video/Media Production, as well as selected courses on film and media offered in other
departments on campus. CAMS majors are encouraged to consult with their major advisor regarding transfer
of credit from pre-approved study abroad programs.
For students who entered Wellesley College in Fall 2020 or prior, students are required to take the following:
1. CAMS 101 Introduction to Cinema and Media Studies
2. CAMS 201 Technologies of Cinema and Media
3. CAMS 202 Aesthetics of Cinema and Media
4. One production course, to be chosen among:
ARTS 108/CAMS 138 Photography I
ARTS 110 4D Design Intro to New Media
ARTS 165/CAMS 135 Introduction to Video Production
CAMS 234/ENG 204 The Art of Screenwriting
CAMS 208/ENG 208 Writing for Television
5. Four core courses, to be chosen from this list:
AMST 245/CAMS 245 Speculative Media in the US since 1973
AMST 254/CAMS 254 Carceral Cinema in the US
ARTH 226/CAMS 207 History of Photography
ARTS 208/CAMS 238 Photo II: The Digital/Analog Rift
ARTS 255/CAMS 255 Dynamic Interface Design
ARTS 260/CAMS 230 Moving Image Studio
ARTS 221/CAMS 239 Digital Imaging
ARTS 265/CAMS 235 Intermediate Film/Video Production
CAMS 100 Introduction to Media and Screen Cultures
CAMS 106Y Ghostly Media
CAMS 107Y Is Technology Evil?
CAMS 203 Chinese Cinema
CAMS 208/ENG 208 Writing for Television
CAMS 210 Critical Histories of Computing: from Cybernetics to Social Media
CAMS 218 Theories of Media from Photography to Internet
CAMS 219 Ecological Approaches to Cinema and Media Studies
CAMS 220 Decolonizing Film History
CAMS 221 21st Century Documentary
CAMS 222 Documentary Film and Media
CAMS 225 From the Fairground to Netflix: Cinema in the Public Sphere
CAMS 227 Television
CAMS 233/JWST 233 American Jews and the Media
CAMS 234/ENG 204 The Art of Screenwriting
CAMS 246 Global Cinema in the 21st Century
CAMS 261 African Cinema
CAMS 286/GER 286 Fantasy Factories: Film and Propaganda in Nazi Germany and Beyond
CAMS 277 Film Noir (formerly CAMS 292)
MUS 275 Computer Music: Synthesis Techniques and Compositional Practice
6. At least two courses at the 300-level in CAMS (or as approved by the program director). All 300-level work
must be taken at Wellesley. CAMS 360 and CAMS 370 do not count toward the 300-level requirement, but are
honors-level courses taken in addition to the 10 courses required for the major.
ARTS 308/CAMS 338 Photo III
ARTS 313/CAMS 313 Virtual Form
ARTS 365/CAMS 335 Advanced Projects in Lens-Based Media
ARTS 366/CAMS 366 Advanced Projects in Film and Architecture
CAMS 301 Surveillance Media
CAMS 302 Media Archaeology
CAMS 304 Being (Post)Human: Representing Subjectivity in the Digital Age
CAMS 310 Film Festivals
CAMS 314 Virtual Realities: Realism and Reality in the Digital Age
CAMS 320 Sound as a Medium
CAMS 324 Film Genres, Genre Films
CAMS 327 CSPW Pub Writing Film & TV
Beginning with students who entered Wellesley College in Fall 2021, students are required to take the
following:
1. CAMS 201 Technologies of Cinema and Media
2. CAMS 202 Aesthetics of Cinema and Media
3. One production course, to be chosen among:
ARTS 108/CAMS 138 Photography I
ARTS 110 4D Design Intro to New Media
ARTS 165/CAMS 135 Introduction to Video Production
CAMS 234/ENG 204 The Art of Screenwriting
CAMS 208/ENG 208 Writing for Television
4. Four core courses, to be chosen from this list:
AMST 245/CAMS 245 Speculative Media in the US since 1973
AMST 254/CAMS 254 Carceral Cinema in the US
ARTH 226/CAMS 207 History of Photography
ARTS 208/CAMS 238 Photo II: The Digital/Analog Rift
ARTS 221/CAMS 239 Digital Imaging
ARTS 255/CAMS 255 Dynamic Interface Design
ARTS 260/CAMS 230 Moving Image Studio
ARTS 265/CAMS 235 Intermediate Video Production
CAMS 100 Introduction to Media and Screen Cultures
CAMS 101 Introduction to Cinema and Media Studies
CAMS 106Y Ghostly Media
CAMS 107Y Is Technology Evil?
CAMS 203 Chinese Cinema
CAMS 208/ENG 208 Writing for Television
CAMS 210 Critical Histories of Computing: from Cybernetics to Social Media
CAMS 218 Theories of Media from Photography to Internet
CAMS 219 Ecological Approaches to Cinema and Media Studies
CAMS 220 Decolonizing Film History
CAMS 221 21st Century Documentary
CAMS 222 Documentary Film and Media
CAMS 225 From the Fairground to Netflix: Cinema in the Public Sphere
CAMS 227 Television
CAMS 233/JWST 233 American Jews and the Media
CAMS 234/ENG 204 The Art of Screenwriting
CAMS 246 Global Cinema in the 2st Century
CAMS 261 African Cinema
CAMS 286/GER 286 Fantasy Factories: Film and Propaganda in Nazi Germany and Beyond
CAMS 277 Film Noir (formerly CAMS 292)
MUS 275 Computer Music: Synthesis Techniques and Compositional Practice
5. At least two courses at the 300-level in CAMS (or as approved by the program director). All 300-level work
must be taken at Wellesley. CAMS-350 counts for credit towards the major, but does not fulfill the 300-level
requirement. CAMS 360 and CAMS 370 do not count toward the 300-level requirement, but are honors-level
courses taken in addition to the 10 courses required for the major.
ARTS 308/CAMS 338 Photo III
ARTS 313/CAMS 313 Virtual Form
ARTS 365/CAMS 335 Advanced Projects in Lens-Based Media
ARTS 366/CAMS 366 Advanced Projects in Film and Architecture
CAMS 301 Surveillance Media
CAMS 302 Media Archaeology
CAMS 304 Being (Post)Human: Representing Subjectivity in the Digital Age
CAMS 310 Film Festivals
CAMS 314 Virtual Realities: Realism and Reality in the Digital Age
CAMS 320 Sound as a Medium
CAMS 324 Film Genres, Genre Films
CAMS 327 CSPW Pub Writing Film & TV
6. One additional CAMS course, which may be chosen from the list of core courses, the courses at the 300level, as well as among the CAMS cross-listed and related courses.
Honors
Candidates for Departmental Honors in CAMS complete a senior thesis in two units of independent
study/thesis (CAMS 360, CAMS 370) undertaken in the fall and spring of the senior year. To be admitted to the
thesis program, a student must have a grade point average of at least 3.5 in all work in the major field above
the 100 level; the program may petition on her behalf if her GPA in the major is between 3.0 and 3.5. See
Academic Distinctions.
CAMS majors can earn honors by demonstrating excellence in a production thesis project, a script or a thesis
paper. A senior thesis engages a topic involving year-long research resulting in a polished paper of 50-100
pages in length. For a student who has a clear idea of what they want to investigate, a well-considered plan of
research, and a willingness to accept the responsibility of working independently, a senior thesis can be a
rewarding experience. A Production thesis consists of an extended piece or body of visual work produced over
two semesters; this work normally involves research, script-writing, and pre-production, production, and postproduction phases. The final work is accompanied by a paper of 15-20 pages documenting the development
of the project, and is exhibited at a public showing at the end of the semester.
Related Courses
For the following courses to count toward the major, CAMS majors are advised to request approval from the
Program Director before registering.
AMST 274 / WGST 274
Rainbow Cowboys (and Girls): Gender, Race, Class, and
Sexuality in Westerns
1.0
ITAS 261
Italian Cinema (in English)
1.0
MUS 277
Interactive Sound Art with Electronics
1.0
RAST 222
Firebird! The Russian Arts Under Tsars and Commissars
1.0
THST 209
Scenic Design
1.0
Cinema and Media Studies Minor
The CAMS minor consists of 6 units, as detailed below.
Students are required to take the following:
1. CAMS 201 Technologies of Cinema and Media
2. CAMS 202 Aesthetics of Cinema and Media
3. Three courses from this list:
AMST 245/CAMS 245 Speculative Media in the US since 1973
AMST 254/CAMS 254 Carceral Cinema in the US
ARTS 108/CAMS 138 Photography I
ARTS 110 4D Design Intro to New Media
ARTS 165/CAMS 135 Introduction to Video Production
ARTS 208/CAMS 238 Photo II
ARTS 221/CAMS 239 Digital Imaging
ARTS 255/CAMS 255 Dynamic Interface Design
ARTS 260/CAMS 230 Moving Image Studio
ARTS 265/CAMS 235 Intermediate Video Production
CAMS 100 Introduction to Media and Screen Cultures
CAMS 101 Introduction to Cinema and Media Studies
CAMS 203 Chinese Cinema
CAMS 208/ENG 208 Writing for Television
CAMS 212 Global Hollywood and World Cinema
CAMS 216 Creative Media Manipulation
CAMS 217 Viral Media
CAMS 218 Theories of Media from Photography to Internet
CAMS 219 Ecological Approaches to Cinema and Media Studies
CAMS 221 21st Century Documentary
CAMS 222 Documentary Film and Media
CAMS 225 From the Fairground to Netflix: Cinema in the Public Sphere
CAMS 227 Television
CAMS 228 Avant-Garde and Experimental Film
CAMS 233/JWST 233 American Jews and the Media
CAMS 234/ENG 204, The Art of Screenwriting
CAMS 234/ENG 204 The Art of Screenwriting
CAMS 246 Global Cinema in the 21st Century
CAMS 261 African Cinema
CAMS 270 Dark and Light of the Internet
CAMS 272 The Ludic Imagination: Histories and Theories of Games and Play
CAMS 286/GER 286 Fantasy Factories: Film and Propaganda in Nazi Germany and Beyond
CAMS 277 Film Noir (formerly CAMS 292)
MUS 275 Computer Music: Synthesis Techniques and Compositional Practice
4. One course at the 300-level to be selected from this list:
ARTS 308/CAMS 338 Photo III
ARTS 313/CAMS 313 Virtual Form
ARTS 365/CAMS 335 Advanced Projects in Lens-Based Media
ARTS 366/CAMS 366 Advanced Projects in Film and Architecture
CAMS 300/FREN 300 Apocalyptic Cinema
CAMS 301 Surveillance Media
CAMS 310 Film Festivals
CAMS 312 Media and Social Movements
CAMS 314 Virtual Realities: Realism and Reality in the Digital Age
CAMS 320 Sound as a Medium
CAMS 324 Film Genre, Genre Films
CAMS 327 CSPW Pub Writing Film & TV
CAMS Courses
Course ID: AFR271/CAMS271 Title: Understanding American Slavery Through Film
This course will examine the history of cinema through the lens of American slavery. Outside of the classroom
much of what we know, or think about slavery derives often from popular media-particularly through film and
television. Can Hollywood do the work of historians? Does historical interpretation through film serve as useful,
beneficial, or detrimental? Can we make an argument for the historical efficacy of films? What is the difference
between historical accuracy and historical authenticity? In examining these films, we will take into account the
time period, location, and the political and social context in which they were created. We will see how much
film tells us about slavery and, most importantly, what film might tell us about ourselves. Through a critical
reading of a range of historical works, cultural critiques and primary sources, students will have a better
comprehension of how historians and filmmakers both differ or find mutual agreement in their understanding of
the past.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Jackson; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual
Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not
Offered;
Course ID: AMST223/CAMS223 Title: Gendering the Bronze Screen: Representations of Chicanas/Latinas in
Film
The history of Chicanxs and Latinnes on the big screen is a long and complicated one. To understand the
changes that have occurred in the representation of the Chicanx/Latine community, this course proposes an
analysis of films that traces various stereotypes to examine how those images have been perpetuated, altered,
and ultimately resisted. From the Anglicizing of names to the erasure of racial backgrounds, the ways in which
Chicanxs and Latines are represented has been contingent on ideologies of race, gender, class, and sexuality.
We will examine how films have typecast Chicanas/Latinas as criminals or as "exotic" based on their status as
women of color, and how filmmakers continue the practice of casting Chicanas/Latinas solely as supporting
characters to male protagonists.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Mata; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual
Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: AMST245/CAMS245 Title: Speculative Media in the U.S.
This will be a course about the future and how it is made. We will look at multiple modes of speculation,
including financial speculation, speculative storytelling through fiction and cinema, and speculative political
claims on new futures. Each of these modes of speculation will imagine and predict radically different futures,
and each mode will tell us something crucial about economic, cultural, and political life in the US. We will study
the rise of futures trading and money as a speculative media technology; read some of Octavia Butler’s fiction
and watch sci-fi movies; and look at contemporary movements for debt cancellation, prison abolition, and
climate justice. Readings will draw from film and media studies, Black feminism, queer theory, anti-colonialist
thought, and Marxism.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Alexander; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not
Offered;
Course ID: AMST254/CAMS254 Title: Carceral Cinema in the US
This course will look at representations of prisons, policing, and criminality across US cinema history. We will
watch a wide range of movies, from Thomas Edison’s 1901 recreation of Leon Czolgosz’s execution to classic
noir, cop procedurals, crime thrillers, horror, and science fiction. Readings will draw from abolitionist, feminist,
Marxist, and Black Radical traditions to guide our attention to the ideologies of crime, punishment, policing
and incarceration that circulate in and spill out of US cinema. Readings will occasionally invite us to step back
and think about the role of cinema in the production of what Ruth Wilson Gilmore and Jordan T. Camp have
called “carceral commonsense.” In addition to Gilmore and Camp, authors will include Angela Y. Davis, Khalil
Gibran Muhammed, Dylan Rodriguez, W.E.B Du Bois, Assata Shakur, Stuart Hall, Mariame Kaba, Jonathon
Finn, Eric A. Stanley, Gina Dent, Simone Browne, and Erin Gray.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Alexander; Distribution Requirements: ARS Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ANTH232/CAMS232 Title: Anthropology of Media
This course introduces students to key analytic frameworks through which media and the mediation of culture
have been examined. Using an anthropological approach, students will explore how media as representation
and as cultural practice have been fundamental to the (trans)formation of modern sensibilities and social
relations. We will examine various technologies of mediation-from the Maussian body as “Man's first technical
instrument” to print capitalism, radio and cassette cultures, cinematic and televisual publics, war journalism,
the digital revolution, and the political milieu of spin and public relations. Themes in this course include: media
in the transformation of the senses; media in the production of cultural subjectivities and publics; and the
social worlds and cultural logics of media institutions and sites of production.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Karakasidou; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Fall;
Course ID: ANTH305/CAMS305 Title: Ethnographic Film
This seminar explores ethnographic film as a genre for representing "reality," anthropological knowledge and
cultural lives. We will examine how ethnographic film emerged in a particular intellectual and political economic
context as well as how subsequent conceptual and formal innovations have shaped the genre. We will also
consider social responses to ethnographic film in terms of the contexts for producing and circulating these
works; the ethical and political concerns raised by cross-cultural representation; and the development of
indigenous media and other practices in conversation with ethnographic film. Throughout the course, we will
situate ethnographic film within the larger project for representing "culture," addressing the status of
ethnographic film in relation to other documentary practices, including written ethnography, museum
exhibitions, and documentary film.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: ANTH 301 or two 200-level units in anthropology, cinema and
media studies, economics, history, political science, or sociology or permission of the instructor.; Instructor:
Staff; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other
year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTH226/CAMS207 Title: History of Photography: From Invention to Media Age
Photography is so much a part of our private and public lives, and it plays such an influential role in our
environment, that we often forget to examine its aesthetics, meanings, and histories. This course provides an
introduction to these analyses by examining the history of photography from the 1830s to the present.
Considering fine arts and mass media practices, the class will examine the works of individual practitioners as
well as the emergence of technologies, aesthetic directions, markets, and meanings.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. ARTH 100 strongly recommended.; Instructor: Berman;
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Every
other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTS108/CAMS138 Title: Photography I
Photo I is a foundational studio course exploring key methods and concepts in photography and visual media.
Technical skills will be addressed through camera and darkroom work, lighting, and the discussion of
photographic images. Studio assignments, readings, discussions, lectures, gallery visits, and critiques will help
students understand photography's broader role in contemporary art, history, and society. Aimed for first year
and sophom*ore students, and those pursuing majors in Studio Art, MAS, or CAMS.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: None. Open to First-Years and Sophom*ores. Juniors and Seniors
by permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Landeros; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music,
Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Spring; Notes: Meets Production requirement for CAMS major.;
Course ID: ARTS165/CAMS135 Title: Introduction to the Moving Image
This introductory course explores video as an art form. Organized around a series of assignments designed to
survey a range of production strategies, the course is a primer to the technical and conceptual aspects of
video production and to its historical, critical, and technical discourse. Relationships between video and
television, film, installation, and performance art are investigated emphasizing video as a critical intervention in
social and visual arts contexts. Weekly readings, screenings, discussions and critique, explore contemporary
issues in video and help students develop individual aesthetic and critical skills. Practical knowledge is
integrated through lighting, video/sound production and editing workshops.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 14; Prerequisites: Open to First-Years, Sophom*ores, and Juniors. Seniors by
permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Joskowicz; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music,
Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Fall; Notes: Meets the Production requirement for CAMS majors. Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking Intensive
Course.;
Course ID: ARTS208/CAMS238 Title: Photography II: The Digital/Analog Rift
Photo II focuses on digital photography, photographic color theory, studio and location lighting, digital
retouching, inkjet printing, and Adobe software. Assignments address contemporary and historic theories of
photography as contemporary art and the aesthetic and cultural implications of the ubiquity of digital
photography. Studio assignments, readings, discussions, lectures, gallery visits, and critiques will help
students prepare for project-based work.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: Any 100-level ARTS course or permission of the instructor.;
Instructor: Landeros; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical
Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ARTS221/CAMS239 Title: Digital Imaging
Introduction to artistic production through electronic imaging, manipulation, and output. Emphasis on
expression, continuity, and sequential structuring of visuals through the integration of image, text, and motion.
Image output for print, screen, and adaptive surfaces are explored in conjunction with production techniques
of image capture, lighting, and processing. Lectures and screenings of historic and contemporary uses of
technology for artistic and social application of electronic imaging.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Any 100-level ARTS course.; Instructor: Olsen; Distribution
Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTS255/CAMS255 Title: Dynamic Interface Design
Critical examination of the expanding field of information and interface design for interactive media. Emphasis
will be on effective visual communication, information design, and creative content creation for online and
digital platforms. Hands-on production will focus on design methods, theory, limitations leading to
innovative approaches. Screenings and discussions on contemporary practices, theoretical, artistic, and
cultural issues.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Any 100-level ARTS course and either CS 110 or CS 111.;
Instructor: Olsen; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ARTS260/CAMS230 Title: Moving Image Studio
Creative exploration of the moving image as it relates to digital methods of animation, video, and motion
graphics. Hands-on production of audio, image, text, and time-based media synthesis, with a conceptual
emphasis on nonlinear narrative, communication design, and visual expression. Screenings and lectures on
historical and contemporary practices, coupled with readings and discussions of the theoretical, artistic, and
cultural issues in the moving image.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: Any 100-level ARTS course, or ARTS 221/CAMS 239.; Instructor:
Olsen; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered:
Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: Wendy Judge Paulson '69
Ecology of Place Living Laboratory course. This course does not satisfy the Natural and Physical Sciences
Laboratory requirement.;
Course ID: ARTS265/CAMS235 Title: Intermediate Film/Video Production
An intermediate level studio that guides students through different approaches to film/video production while
challenging linear narrative and documentary conventions. Students experiment with non-narrative
approaches to content, structure, and technique. Investigations of space and performance are informed by
poetry, literature, sound, color, fragmentation, and abstraction. Building upon the historical legacy of the
moving image, students incorporate self-exploration, social critique, and manipulation of raw experience into
an aesthetic form. Students develop independent or collaborative moving image and/or performance projects
and articulate their artistic process through a series of presentations and critiques.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 14; Prerequisites: Any 100-level ARTS course and either CAMS 101 or CAMS 201, or
permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Joskowicz; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music,
Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Notes:
Meets the Production requirement for CAMS majors. CAMS majors who have taken CAMS 201 are encouraged
to register for this class instead of ARTS 165/CAMS 135.;
Course ID: ARTS308/CAMS338 Title: Photography III
Advanced explorations of aesthetic and content issues through the use of both traditional light-sensitive and
digital methodologies. Advanced photographic techniques and equipment will be presented in response to
each student's work. Continued emphasis is placed on research into the content and context of the
photographic image in contemporary practice through visiting artist events as well as gallery and museum
visits.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: One of the following - ARTS 108/CAMS 138, ARTS 208/CAMS 238,
ARTS 221/CAMS 239; or permission of the instructor required.; Instructor: Nhamo; Distribution Requirements:
ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ARTS313/CAMS313 Title: Virtual Form
Introduction to the design and production of three-dimensional objects and spaces using industry-standard
modeling software. Overview of basic modeling, surface design, and camera techniques. Emphasis on
creative application of the media, in relation to architectural, experimental, and time-based forms. Screenings
and lectures on traditional and contemporary practices, coupled with readings and discussions of the
theoretical, artistic, and cultural issues in the virtual world.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Any ARTS course. Strong computer familiarity needed.; Instructor:
Olsen; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered:
Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ARTS321/CAMS321 Title: Advanced New Media
Various topics in New Media are explored through research, creative activity, and theoretical discussion.
Topics address historical as well as contemporary issues that bridge art and technology. This is an advanced
level New Media course giving students the opportunity to focus on personal projects, explore contemporary
and historical new media concepts as well as receive critiques from other students. Topics covered will focus
on media history and research, contemporary intermedia artists, designers, thinkers and scientists, along with
readings and discussions. Collaboration will be encouraged between Studio Art, Architecture, Music, CAMS,
Media Arts, Theater and Computer Science. This course may be used to fulfill the capstone requirement for
MAS.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Two 200-level courses in ARTS, CAMS, or MAS.; Instructor: Olsen;
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Notes: This course may be repeated once for credit.;
Course ID: ARTS365/CAMS335 Title: Advanced Projects in Lens-Based Media
This advanced-level projects class centers on the production and critique of individual lens-based media,
including film/video, photography, and digital time-based media. Students will develop semester-long projects
and will articulate their artistic process through a series of presentations and critiques over the semester
structured alongside screenings, readings, invited lectures, and discussions that investigate various positions
from artists and directors on the dynamics of space on screen. This is a project-based rather than an
assignment-based class, and students will be encouraged to try new techniques and exercises as their work
progresses over the semester. Students work individually and in groups and will participate in their peers'
production exercises.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 14; Prerequisites: One of the following - ARTS 165/CAMS 135, ARTS 208/CAMS 238,
ARTS 265/CAMS 235, ARTS 308/CAMS 338, ARTS 221/CAMS 239, ARTS 255/CAMS 255, ARTS 260/CAMS
230, ARTS 313/CAMS 313, ARTS 321/CAMS 321, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Joswkowicz;
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Notes: Meets the Capstone requirement for MAS majors.;
Course ID: ARTS366/CAMS366 Title: Advanced Projects in Film and Architecture
This advanced-level studio class is for students interested in exploring the relationship between architecture,
narrative and digital space. The class will begin with research into filmic environments that utilize place,
architecture and objects as narrative tools. We will look at the use of interiors and exteriors, circulation between
spaces, and the use of props and/or computer generated imagery to create space. Our focus will be on the
construction of cinematic space as a formal and conceptual component of storytelling. Using architecture,
installation, performance, film, and literature as guides to navigating both constructed and conceptual
landscapes, students projects will explore advanced strategies of image and sound manipulation, both
technical and conceptual. Students will develop semester-long projects and will articulate their artistic process
through a series of presentations and critiques over the semester focusing on a project that integrates digital
and physical narrative spaces.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 14; Prerequisites: One of the following - CAMS 101, ARTS165/ CAMS 135, ARTS 265/
CAMS 235, ARTS 216, an MIT Architecture Studio, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Joskowicz;
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Every
other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CAMS100 Title: Introduction to Media and Screen Cultures
What makes an informed and engaged citizen of media, culture, and society in the second quarter of the 21st
century? This course will equip students with crucial skills for navigating contemporary media environments:
how to engage in formal and visual analysis across media, how to be discerning consumers of information,
and how to think critically about the political and economic systems that structure our heavily mediated lives.
Critical terms for the study of media, such as industry, information, infrastructure, interactivity, networks,
publics, screens, will be examined through the analysis of various media artifacts from photography, cinema,
broadcast TV and digital platforms.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None. Open to First-Years and Sophom*ores, Juniors by
permission of instructor.; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film
and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CAMS101 Title: Introduction to Cinema and Media Studies
This course introduces students to the study of audio-visual media, including oral, print, photographic,
cinematic, broadcast, and digital media forms and practices. Using a case study approach, we will explore the
nature of audio-visual communication/representation in historical, cultural, disciplinary, and media-specific
contexts, and examine different theoretical and critical perspectives on the role and power of media to
influence our social values, political beliefs, identities, and behaviors. We'll also consider how consumers of
media representations can and do contest and unsettle their embedded messages. Our emphasis will be on
developing the research and analytical tools, modes of reading, and forms of critical practice that can help us
to negotiate the increasingly mediated world in which we live.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual
Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered; Notes: Required weekly film screening.;
Course ID: CAMS107Y Title: First-Year Seminar: Is Technology Evil? Social Value and New Media Design
In an age of algorithmic automation, mass surveillance, and the commodification of social relations, this course
asks the question: is technology evil? Using that provocation as a means to investigate the design, use, and
economics of social media and other digital objects, we will read a mix of academic and popular texts that treat
new media as a problem—not as an unqualified ill, but as something to be carefully considered in all of its
immense power and pervasiveness in everyday life. Through an introduction to the methodologies of visual
analysis, and close reading, we will think critically about the role of mass media in the production of
consuming subjects, of the representations of race, gender and sexuality in new media, and the nature and
role of aesthetics and design in contemporary life.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: None. Open to First-Years only.; Instructor: N. Gutierrez;
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Other Categories: FYS - First
Year Seminar; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CAMS201 Title: Technologies of Cinema and Media
This course investigates the technological, economic, and cultural determinants behind forms of media from
the last 150 years, including the telephone, the telegraph, photography, and film, as well as new media like
virtual reality and interactive media. If photography realized the desire to transcend mortality and early cinema
fulfilled the dream to depict the world, their missions have been extended by technologies that seek to invent
new worlds as well as material and virtual realities. Relying on a material theory of film and audio-visual media,
the course examines both technologies of making and of circulation, exploring the commercial potential of the
entertainment industry. The course will employ relevant texts, films, and other audio-visual artifacts.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: One of the following - CAMS 100, CAMS 101, CAMS 105, ARTS
165/CAMS 135, ARTS 108/CAMS 138, ARTH 100, WRIT 107, any CAMS 200-level course, or permission of the
instructor.; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video;
Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CAMS202 Title: Aesthetics of Cinema and Media
Examining cinematic forms and styles, this course retraces film's emergence and development as an art and
its relations to other artistic, cultural, technological, and socio-economic practices. Analysis of representative
films will help understand cinema's relationship to reality, including its reproduction and construction of the
"real," the changing terms of spectatorship, and the ways in which film aesthetics have been employed to build
ideology and interrogate it. Understanding form as inextricably bound to content, we will appreciate the
aesthetic significance of formal choices and innovations within particular films, directorial oeuvres, periods and
movements, from classical Hollywood cinema to European New Waves of the 60s and 70s, to the
contemporary cinemas of Asia and Latin America.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: One of the following - CAMS 101, CAMS 105, ARTS 165/CAMS
135, ARTS 108/CAMS 138, ARTH 100, WRIT 107; or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Morari;
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CAMS203/CHIN243 Title: Chinese Cinema (in English)
This course explores the cinematic conventions and experiments employed by Chinese filmmakers over the
past hundred years. Unique Chinese film genres such as left-wing melodrama, martial arts films and model
play adaptations, as well as the three "new waves" in China's recent avant-garde cinema, will be examined and
discussed. Individual filmic visions and techniques experimented with by important directors such as Fei Mu,
Hou Hsiao-hsien, Zhang Yimou, and Jia Zhangke will be closely analyzed. Class discussions will aim to help
students understand the history, politics, and aesthetics of Chinese cinema. Theoretical aspects of film studies
will also be incorporated into class readings and discussions. No prior knowledge of China or film studies is
required.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: M. Song; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Every
other year; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CAMS208/ENG208 Title: Writing for Television
An introduction to writing for television. We’ll read, watch, and discuss pilot episodes of network and cable
comedies and dramas. We'll study and practice the basics: script format, episode structure, story and
character development, visual description. Each student will develop and write their own original TV pilot, and
students will give and receive feedback through the workshop process.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Lu; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language
and Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit. This
course may be repeated once for credit.;
Course ID: CAMS210 Title: Social Histories of Computing: from Cybernetics to Social Media
The standard narrative of digital technologies is that they change the world for the better: they facilitate access
to information and create new efficiencies in labor and entertainment. But does this story accurately reflect the
impact of technology on global society? In this course, we will undertake a critical investigation of the seminal
moments and objects in the history of computing, from cybernetics to social media. Along the way, we will
work to focus on perspectives that have too often remained invisible in this history, for instance the gendered
role of labor in computer programming and production and the prevalence of social bias in the design and
function of technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: N. Gutierrez; Distribution Requirements: ARS Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CAMS214 Title: Queer Cinema, Queer Media
This course explores the history and theory of queer cinema through the lens of contemporary media studies.
Rather than separating film from other media, we will study the ways in which queer cinema has always
trafficked with the broader landscape of queer cultural production, including literature, television, art, and
activist speech. The course will thus ultimately examine queerness as a question of aesthetic form: How is
queerness be rendered through experiments in filmic color? Or sound and sonics? Does transgender cinema
represent a distinct genre of film or has it been part of queer cinema from the beginning?
To better understand these questions, we will situate our study of queer cinema and media within the history of
LGBTQIA + political struggle, both in the United States and globally. We will study, for example, film and video
production during the American AIDS crisis and examine its relationship to queer activism. We’ll also ask after
the political promise of platforms like TikTok and Instagram: Do they have the potential to build queer utopia?
Has social media inherited or betrayed the radical political vision of older queer cinemas?
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Gyenge; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual
Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Not Offered;
Course ID: CAMS218 Title: Theories of Media: Individuals, Algorithms, and the Mass in Popular Culture
In this course we will investigate the relationship between the individual, the mass, and the medium from the
early twentieth century to today. We will begin with the phenomenon of mass media and the idea of popular
culture as it has historically been constituted by the film, television, and radio industries. We will then turn our
attention to contemporary algorithmic media, from streaming platforms like Netflix and Spotify to social media
platforms like Instagram and Twitter. Through an engagement with major theoretical works in media studies
and the formal analysis of media objects including films, TV shows, and video games, we will consider the
ways that popular media across a range of historical and cultural contexts have been theorized in terms of
identity, social control, and spectacle.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Gutierrez; Distribution Requirements: ARS Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CAMS219/ES219 Title: Ecological Approaches to Cinema and Media Studies
This course examines ecology’s intersection with cinema and media studies. Amidst climate change,
ecological theorists have complicated boundaries between nature and technology and between humans and
nonhumans. We will focus on the intersection of these ecological conversations with cinema and media
studies. This course will consider a range of media, from mushrooms to cyborgs; explore cinematic
innovations aimed at depicting nonhuman actors; discuss how media create their own environments; and
cover topics like digital waste. Course readings will include a range of contemporary ecological perspectives,
including texts from Feminist Science and Technology Studies, Black Studies, and Indigenous Critical Theory.
We will apply these ideas in discussions of recent films.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: ; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts,
Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CAMS220 Title: Decolonizing Film History
Why is it that only a limited number of filmmakers and national cinemas figure prominently in histories of
cinema? Why do film scholars tend to prioritize artistic direction and ignore the labor of technicians or seasonal
employees? Why is Alice Guy-Blaché overshadowed by the “great men” who, it is claimed, “invented” cinema?
With such questions in mind, we will re-scan conventional film historiography and claim places for previously
overlooked individuals and practices. We seek to create an inclusive canon that acknowledges the work of
women, minor cinemas, and indigenous communities. In an endeavor to decolonize film history, this course
will take a global approach to cinema’s rich and vastly unsurveyed legacy of more than a century.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Morari; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual
Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Fall;
Course ID: CAMS221 Title: 21st Century Documentary
This course will consider how documentary film and media have responded to the expansion of digital
technology, the birth of social media, and a rapidly evolving media environment to engage with contemporary
global concerns like climate change, migration, and rising authoritarian politics. Students will gain a familiarity
with issues central to documentary studies like voice, authority, authenticity, and evidence and analyze a
variety of non-fiction texts from the past twenty years, in media forms ranging from theatrical film and
broadcast television to podcasts and documentary games. Assignments will include response papers, an
analytical essay, and a class presentation.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual
Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CAMS222 Title: "Being There": Documentary Film and Media
This course surveys the history, theory, and practice of documentary film, considering the ways its forms and
ethics have changed since the beginning of cinema. We study the major modes of the documentary, including
cinema verité, direct cinema, investigative documentary, ethnographic film, agit-prop and activist media, and
the personal essay, as well as recent forms such as the docudrama, the archival film, “mockumentary,” and
Web-based forms. We will examine the “reality effects” of these works, focusing on the ways in which they
create their authority. We will ask: How do these films shape notions of truth, reality, and point of view? What
are the ethics and politics of representation and who speaks for whom when we watch a documentary? What
do documentaries make visible or conceal?
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Gyenge; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual
Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CAMS224/ITAS212 Title: Italian Women Film Directors: The Female Authorial Voice in Italian
Cinema (in English)
This course examines the films of a number of major Italian women directors across two artistic generations:
Cavani and Wertmüller from the 1960s to the 1970s; Archibugi, Comencini, and others from the 1990s to the
2010s. Neither fascist cinema nor neorealism fostered female talents, so it was only with the emergence of
feminism and the women's movement of the 1960s and 1970s that a space for female voices in Italian cinema
was created. The course will explore how women directors give form to their directorial signatures in film,
focusing on their films' formal features and narrative themes in the light of their socio-historical context.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Instructor: Laviosa; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater,
Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CAMS225 Title: From the Fairground to Netflix: Cinema in the Public Sphere
How did cinema, originally hailed as a popular entertainment, achieve the social legitimacy that elevated it to
the rank of an art form and an industrial force? This course examines the development of cinema as an
institution from its origins to its present digital extensions, with a particular focus on the United States and its
dominance in the domestic and global markets. Relying on academic scholarship, film criticism, and a
selection of films, we will examine the historical, social, and aesthetic conditions that led to the creation of the
movie theater, art houses, and multiplexes, as well as cinema's relationship to television and online streaming.
The study of the screening technologies and physical spaces will be accompanied by an analysis of how race,
gender, and class played in drawing in or keeping out moviegoers.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Morari; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual
Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CAMS233/JWST233 Title: American Jews and the Media
This course examines Jews’ roles in the development of the American mass media and popular culture, as well
as representations of Jewishness in a range of media from the turn of the 20th century to the present. We will
focus on print, recorded, and broadcast media—including magazines, newspapers, pamphlets, record
albums, radio, film, and television—and study some of the crucial figures in the histories of these cultural
forms, while considering how Jewishness has been packaged for and presented to American audiences.
Cultural productions studied will include Abie the Agent, The Jazz Singer, The Goldbergs, MAD Magazine,
Annie Hall, Seinfeld, the New Yorker, and This American Life.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Instructor: Lambert; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature;
Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CAMS234/ENG204 Title: The Art of Screenwriting
A creative writing course in a workshop setting for those interested in the theory and practice of writing for film.
This course focuses on the full-length feature film, both original screenplays and screen adaptations of literary
work.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Cezair-Thompson; Distribution Requirements:
ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit. This course may be
repeated once for credit.;
Course ID: CAMS241/WGST249 Title: Asian/American Women in Film
This course will serve as an introduction to representations of Asian/American women in film beginning with
silent classics and ending with contemporary social media. In the first half of the course, we examine the
legacy of Orientalism, the politics of interracial romance, the phenomenon of "yellow face", and the different
constructions of Asian American femininity, masculinity, and sexuality. In the second half of the course, we
look at "Asian American cinema" where our focus will be on contemporary works, drawing upon critical
materials from film theory, feminist studies, Asian American studies, history, and cultural studies.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Creef; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual
Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CAMS243/REL223/SAS243 Title: Shades of Love in Indian Cinema
This course explores the treatment of various types of love – for the beloved, the family, the community, the
motherland or the divine – in Indian cinema, the largest film industry in the world. We examine
Indian cinema's early phase in the colonial milieu, its flourishing in popular and art films since the 1950s, and
contributions of diaspora Indians. We will watch films by prominent directors of the postcolonial era who
articulated India’s national identity as well as the socio-religious and political aspirations of its common people
integrating indigenous sacred symbolism. We will consider how several films reflect a religious sensitivity in
portraying the motherland almost as a divine entity worthy of worship. Paying particular attention to the
distinctive grammar of song, dance and intense drama, we will analyze the ways in which the film-makers
reworked long-prevailing South Asian conventions of narration and performance in a medium imported from
Europe.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Shukla-Bhatt; Distribution Requirements: ARS Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CAMS246 Title: Global Cinema in the 21st Century
Defying repeated prophecies of the “death of cinema,” 21st century filmmaking has shown extraordinary
vitality across the globe. In this course, we will explore some of the remarkable cinema produced since the
turn of the millennium, from both long-prominent filmmaking nations, such as the United States, Japan, and
France, and cinematic domains new to international audiences, such as Romania, Taiwan, and Greece. We will
study the complex interplay between aesthetic, ideological, economic, and technological concerns in a range
of recent films, exploring how contemporary filmmakers combine traditional cinematic forms and emerging
new media technologies, and the ways they are broadening and transforming the possibilities of filmmaking.
We will aim to deepen both our appreciation and our understanding of some of the most compelling films
made in recent decades, and of the cinematic medium itself.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Shetley; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual
Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CAMS250 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 10; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor and director of Cinema and Media
Studies required.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CAMS250H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 10; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor and director of Cinema and Media
Studies required.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CAMS261 Title: African Cinema: Aesthetics and Politics of Contemporary Film
This course focuses on cinematic productions made by African filmmakers and shot in Africa. We will critically
examine the stakes of a "pan-African" approach to the study of African cinema. We will focus on the way
contemporary African filmmakers use innovative experiments in the cinematic medium to create a dynamic
and provocative dialogue with important aspects of African reality: on one hand, urbanization, migration,
religious extremism, economic disparity, patriarchy; on the other, strong collectivities, indigenous solutions,
gender fluidity, traditional and modern environmental awareness. We will follow how the video boom of the 80s
and 90s that established Nollywood of Nigeria and Gollywood of Ghana consolidated a robust and faithful
spectatorship in Africa and amongst the vast African diaspora. Through the study of specific techniques, we
will track the ambition of contemporary African filmmakers to create and expand African cinematic aesthetics,
target world audiences, and sustain a local spectatorship.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Prabhu; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual
Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Not Offered;
Course ID: CAMS277 Title: Film Noir
A journey through the dark side of the American cinematic imagination. Emerging during World War II and its
aftermath, Film Noir presents a pessimistic, morally ambiguous inversion of Hollywood uplift, delivered in
glamorous visual style. This course will explore Film Noir from its origins, through the revival of the genre in the
early 1970s, to its ongoing influence in contemporary cinema, as noir has expanded beyond Hollywood to
become a global form. We'll pay particular attention to noir's transformation of cinematic style, and to its
representations of masculinity and femininity. Films that may be studied include Howard Hawks's The Big
Sleep, Billy Wilder's Double Indemnity, Robert Altman's The Long Goodbye, Roman Polanski's Chinatown, and
David Lynch's Mulholland Drive.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Shetley; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual
Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CAMS286/GER286 Title: Fantasy Factories: Film and Propaganda in Nazi Germany and Beyond
(in English)
This course examines the cinematic output of Nazi Germany as a test case for the development of film as
propaganda. We consider the cinematic medium as entertainment and as a cultural event with the potential to
influence a population. We trace the forebears of Nazi film, including WWI propaganda produced in Britain,
France and Germany and Soviet films made to serve the revolutionary agenda. We examine the ways in which
Goebbels' Ministry of Propaganda deployed both overtly propagandist films and films that couched Nazi ideals
in narratives from melodrama to fantasy, and examine whether films could exceed their official aims and
become subversive. And we consider post-WWII developments: the continuing careers of producers of
propaganda and the ways that modern media shapes new forms of propaganda.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Hans; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language
and Literature; ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Every three
years; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CAMS301 Title: Seminar: Surveillance Media: Technology, Ideology, Ethics
In 1895, the first movie camera filmed workers leaving a factory. That movie camera has been replaced by a
security camera that both protects and monitors those workers. From the early cameras to the latest
technologies, the history of cinema and media can be understood as a recurrent series of surveillance
techniques. This course examines surveillance technologies and monitoring practices to explore how
technology and ideology came to play together in audio-visual forms. We will examine the politics and ethics
of security and surveillance, stretching from the first manifestations of voyeuristic photography to such
modern forms as drones, GPS and user security on social media. Course materials will include readings as
well as features, documentaries and video installations.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 14; Prerequisites: CAMS 201 or CAMS 202, or permission of the instructor.;
Instructor: Morari; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical
Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CAMS302 Title: Seminar: Media Archaeology
This course will familiarize students with media archaeology as an alternative methodology to the study of film
and media. Three major events occurred in 21st-century media that make classical methodologies obsolete:
the proliferation of digital technologies; the emergence of new media industries in Asia, Latin America, and
Africa; and the loss of cachet of European art film. Instead of insisting on cinema’s uniqueness as an art form,
media archaeology examines how cinema’s past has been embedded in other media practices, other
technologies and social uses. By foregrounding a media archaeology approach, this course will examine
cinema history in interaction and competition with other forms of entertainment, scientific pursuits, practical
applications and military uses.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: CAMS 201 or CAMS 202.; Instructor: Morari; Distribution
Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CAMS304 Title: Seminar: Being (Post)Human: Representing Subjectivity in the Digital Age
What does it mean to be human in the digital age? Where do modern Western ideas of humanity or subjectivity
come from, and how are they changing in an age of global commerce and digital technology? In this course,
we will explore these questions under the broad rubric of posthumanism, a multi-disciplinary body of literature
which is concerned with the ways that the concepts of humanism and identity are manifest with and through
modern technology. We will investigate posthumanism and related concepts from multiple perspectives:
cultural, historical, philosophical, and aesthetic, with a particular emphasis on representations of identity and
labor in popular culture, from film and television to digital media.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: CAMS 201 or CAMS 202, or permission of the instructor.;
Instructor: N. Gutierrez; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CAMS308/ENG308 Title: Advanced Writing for Television
In Advanced Writing for Television, we’ll pick up where Writing for Television left off. Students will continue to
practice the skills of writing teleplays—character and story development; structure and arc; tension and
conflict; audience, premise, and tone; scenes, description, action, and dialogue; and voice and clarity. We’ll
start by studying a range of TV shows: comedies, dramas, web series, and others. Through reading scripts,
watching shows, and discussing both in class, students will develop a more advanced and specific
understanding of what makes a show work. Through their own writing, students will practice applying the
lessons they’ve learned. In the workshop process, we’ll discuss everything that comes up in students’ scripts
—what’s working, what’s not, and what we can all learn about TV writing from each example.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: CAMS 208/ENG 208; Instructor: Holmes; Distribution
Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit;
Course ID: CAMS310 Title: Film Festivals: Art House Aesthetics and Alternative Distribution
This course examines how the over 4,000 annual film festivals impact the economics, circulation, and
aesthetics of cinema. Events like Cannes, Berlin, and Venice may be known for glitzy red carpet premieres but
are also important nodes in the global film market; less well-known, local, or niche festivals bring communities
together and raise awareness about social issues. Students will learn the history of major A-level festivals and
examine their global geopolitical implications. Furthermore, academic texts from the new and burgeoning
subfield of festival studies will help us consider film’s role in conversations about human rights,
environmentalism, and LGBTQ+ identity. Students will compare festival histories, objectives, and
programming to construct arguments about how festivals have impacted global film circulation. Students will
also plan a hypothetical festival to think through the practical concerns of programming.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 14; Prerequisites: Either CAMS 201 or CAMS 202, and an additional 200-level CAMS
course.; Instructor: Morari; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video;
Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CAMS314 Title: Seminar: Virtual Realities: Realism and Reality in the Digital Age
What is “real” and what is “reality” in an age of artificial intelligence, photorealistic (but fake) images, and
immersive simulations like VR? In this course we will investigate these questions from a historical, theoretical,
and aesthetic perspective. We will examine a range of media, from 19th century immersive technologies like
the stereoscope to contemporary digital media like video games to VR, in order to situate them both within and
against traditions of aesthetic realism, in both Western and Non-Western countries. Through an examination of
these and other objects, our goal will be to develop a set of tools for interpreting reality and realism as
historical concepts that change over time with and through the evolution of media technologies.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: CAMS 201 or CAMS 202 or permission of the instructor.;
Instructor: Gutierrez; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CAMS324 Title: Film Genre, Genre Films
We constantly describe films with labels like action, horror, rom-com, sci-fi, musical, western, but where do
those categories come from, and how do we decide what belongs within them? This course will explore the
concept of film genre in terms both theoretical and practical. We’ll examine the antecedents of cinema’s genre
system in literary criticism, read key works of film genre theory, and watch films in a wide range of genres.
Among the questions we’ll address are: How do ideas about genre help us understand the cinematic
experience? How do genre categories influence the production and marketing of films, and the discourse
around them? How do ideas about genre connect to social identities, such as race and gender, to create
categories like “chick flick” or “Blaxploitation”? What criteria differentiate the genres we value from those we
don’t?
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Either CAMS 201 or CAMS 202, and an additional 200-level CAMS
course.; Instructor: Shetley; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video;
Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CAMS327 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Public Writing on Film and TV
This course will explore a wide range of writing on current film and television, thinking about the forms of
contemporary discourse on the moving image and ways our own writing can join the conversation. We will
read and write reviews, trend pieces, and star studies, bringing our specialized knowledge as moving image
enthusiasts to bear on pieces intended to speak to and engage a broad reading public. Students will develop
and present their writing in workshop discussions, and serve as editors to their peers. Readings from classic
and contemporary writers on film and television will help us refine our sense of what makes writing on media
illuminating, accessible, and compelling.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: CAMS 202 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Shetley;
Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Other Categories: CSPW Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CAMS350 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Open to juniors and seniors.; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Course ID: CAMS350H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 10; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CAMS360 Title: Senior Thesis Research
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the director.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research (360) in
the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty member. If sufficient
progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second semester.;
Course ID: CAMS370 Title: Senior Thesis
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: CAMS 360 and permission of the department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall; Notes: Students enroll in Senior
Thesis Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty
member. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second
semester.;
Classics
Classical Studies explores ancient Greek and Roman culture across the Mediterranean basin, from the second
millennium B.C.E. to the fall of the Roman Empire in the West. The organizing idea of the field is not a single
method or a discipline, but the study of Greco-Roman antiquity (and its influence up to the present day) in all
its richness and diversity, its familiarity and its strangeness. Classical Studies encompasses languages and
literatures, archaeology, history, art history, politics, law, science, philosophy, religion, and mythology. In this
respect, it is the original and most wide-ranging of interdisciplinary fields. It can thus stand alone as a dynamic
and challenging field of study or can complement almost any other major in a liberal arts program.
The Department of Classical Studies offers two major programs: Classics and Classical Civilization. The
Classics major combines work in both Greek and Latin with course work in English on the history, literature,
society, and material culture of the ancient world. The Classical Civilization major requires the study of either
Greek or Latin, together with course work in English on different aspects of the ancient world. Classes in Greek
and Latin are conducted in English and encourage close analysis of the ancient texts, with emphasis on their
literary and historical values. Students interested in studying classical archaeology can do so within either the
Classics or Classical Civilization majors. Students wishing to pursue graduate work in Classics should ideally
take course work in both Greek and Latin at the 300 level and begin the study of German, French, or Italian.
The Classical Studies Department offers students the opportunity to explore the ancient world through an
integrated, cohesive program of courses worked out by the student and faculty advisor. Individual programs
are tailored to meet students’ specific interests, such as classical literature, archaeology, ancient theatre,
ancient philosophy, law, political theory, ancient religion, material culture, and the classical tradition.
Major in Classics
Goals for the Major in Classics
Students will have the ability to read and interpret major texts in Greek and/or Latin and in English
translation, such as those written by Plato, Euripides, Herodotus, Cicero, Vergil and Catullus.
Students will be critical readers of primary and secondary sources and will communicate ideas clearly
and effectively in oral and written form.
Students will learn disciplinary methods to analyze primary texts and artifacts.
Students will work with a range of texts (history, philosophy, poetry) and types of artifacts (art,
architecture, and other material remains) to develop an interdisciplinary understanding of the historical
context in which they were produced.
Students will understand the diversity of cultures in the ancient Mediterranean and their interactions.
Requirements for the Major in Classics
Ten units are required for the major in Classics, in two groups. Group 1: Language: Students majoring in
Classics must do work in both Greek and Latin, totaling six units. At least two of these units must be at the 300
level, and no more than two 100 level courses will count toward the language requirement of the major. Group
2: Courses in Classical Civilization: In addition, Classics majors must complete four courses in Classical
Civilization (or approved courses from related departments), chosen in consultation with and with the approval
of their faculty Major Advisor to create a coherent but broad program of study; at least two of those four
courses in Group 2 must be in Classical Civilization and no more than one can be at the 100-level.
Honors in Classics
The Department of Classical Studies offers an honors program in Classics. The only route to honors in the
major is writing a thesis and passing an oral examination. To be admitted to the thesis program, a student
must have a grade point average of at least 3.5 in all work in the major field above the 100-level; the
department may petition on behalf of a student with GPA in the major between 3.0 and 3.5. See Academic
Distinctions. Honors thesis units (360 and 370) do not count towards the minimum number of courses
required for the major.
Teacher Certification
Students interested in obtaining certification to teach Latin and classical humanities in the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts should consult the department chair and the chair of the Department of Education.
Advanced Placement Policies and Language Requirement in Classical Studies
Advanced placement courses will not be counted toward either major offered by the Department of Classical
Studies. All students who wish to elect a 200-level or higher Latin course must fill out Wellesley’s Latin
placement questionnaire.The department reserves the right to place new students in the language course for
which they seem best prepared regardless of AP score or the number of units offered for admission.
International Study and Special Opportunities
Qualified students are encouraged to spend a semester, usually in the junior year, on international study.
Excellent programs are available in Rome and Athens. Limited departmental funds are available to support
special opportunities for Classics-related research and travel.
Courses for Credit Toward the Classics Major
Students may count any two courses from the list below toward the Classics Major. (Starts Fall 2020)
ANTH 103 / CLCV 103
Introduction to Archaeology
1.0
ARTH 203
Iraq's Antiquities, Then and Now
1.0
ARTH 241
Egyptian Art and Archaeology
1.0
ARTH 243
Rome: Building an Empire
1.0
ARTH 290
Pompeii
1.0
ARTH 343
Seminar: Roman Monuments: Memory and
Metamorphosis
1.0
ARTH 373
Seminar. Antiquities Today
1.0
HEBR 201
Intermediate Hebrew
1.0
HIST 200
Roots of the Western Tradition
1.0
HIST 228
Swords and Scandals: Ancient History in Films,
Documentaries, and Online
1.0
HIST 229
Alexander the Great: Psychopath or Philosopher King
1.0
HIST 230
Greek History from the Bronze Age to the Death of
Philip II of Macedon
1.0
HIST 231
History of Rome
1.0
HIST 325
"Veni; Vidi; Vici": The Life and Times of C. Iulius
Caesar
1.0
PHIL 201
Ancient Greek Philosophy
1.0
PHIL 305
Plato's Republic
1.0
PHIL 310
Seminar. Ancient and Medieval Philosophy
1.0
REL 104
Study of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
1.0
REL 105
Study of the New Testament
1.0
REL 243
Women in the Biblical World
1.0
REL 244
Jerusalem: The Holy City
1.0
Major in Classical Civilization
Goals for the Major in Classical Civilization
Students will have the ability to read and interpret major texts in Greek and/or Latin and in English
translation, such as those written by Plato, Euripides, Herodotus, Cicero, Vergil and Catullus.
Students will be critical readers of primary and secondary sources and will communicate ideas clearly
and effectively in oral and written form.
Students will learn disciplinary methods to analyze primary texts and artifacts.
Students will work with a range of texts (history, philosophy, poetry) and types of artifacts (art,
architecture, and other material remains) to develop an interdisciplinary understanding of the historical
context in which they were produced.
Students will understand the diversity of cultures in the ancient Mediterranean and their interactions.
Requirements for the Major in Classical Civilization
Nine units are required for the major in Classical Civilization, in two groups. Group 1: Language: Students
majoring in Classical Civilization must complete four units in either Greek or Latin (or two 300-level units).
Group 2: Courses in Classical Civilization or further courses in Greek or Latin (or approved courses from
related departments), including one unit each in at least two of the following three areas: literature; material
culture; history and society. At least two of the nine units must be at the 300 level, one of which must be in
CLCV or Greek or Latin. Courses in ancient history, ancient art, ancient philosophy, and classical civilization
are recommended as valuable related work.
Honors in Classical Civilization
The Department of Classical Studies offers an honors program in Classical Civilization.The only route to
honors in the major is writing a thesis and passing an oral examination. To be admitted to the thesis program,
a student must have a grade point average of at least 3.5 in all work in the major field above the 100-level; the
department may petition on behalf of a student with GPA in the major between 3.0 and 3.5. See Academic
Distinctions. Honors thesis units (360 and 370) do not count towards the minimum number of courses
required for the major.
Teacher Certification
Students interested in obtaining certification to teach Latin and classical humanities in the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts should consult the department chair and the chair of the Department of Education.
Advanced Placement Policies and Language Requirement in Classical Studies
Advanced placement courses will not be counted toward either major offered by the Department of Classical
Studies. All students who wish to elect a 200-level or higher Latin course must fill out Wellesley’s Latin
placement questionnaire. The department reserves the right to place new students in the language course for
which they seem best prepared regardless of AP score or the number of units offered for admission.
International Study and Special Opportunities
Qualified students are encouraged to spend a semester, usually in the junior year, on international study.
Excellent programs are available in Rome and Athens. Limited departmental funds are available to support
special opportunities for Classics-related research and travel.
Courses for Credit Toward the Classical Civilization Major
Students may count any two courses from the list below toward the Classical Civilization Major. (Starts Fall
2020)
ANTH 103 / CLCV 103
Introduction to Archaeology
1.0
ARTH 203
Iraq's Antiquities, Then and Now
1.0
ARTH 241
Egyptian Art and Archaeology
1.0
ARTH 290
Pompeii
1.0
ARTH 243
Rome's Global Empire and it's Legacy
1.0
ARTH 343
Seminar: Roman Monuments: Memory and
Metamorphosis
1.0
ARTH 373
Seminar. Antiquities Today
1.0
HEBR 201
Intermediate Hebrew
1.0
HIST 200
Roots of the Western Tradition
1.0
HIST 228
Swords and Scandals: Ancient History in Films,
Documentaries, and Online
1.0
HIST 229
Alexander the Great: Psychopath or Philosopher King
1.0
HIST 230
Greek History from the Bronze Age to the Death of
Philip II of Macedon
1.0
HIST 231
History of Rome
1.0
HIST 325
"Veni; Vidi; Vici": The Life and Times of C. Iulius Caesar
1.0
PHIL 201
Ancient Greek Philosophy
1.0
PHIL 305
Plato's Republic
1.0
PHIL 310
Seminar. Ancient and Medieval Philosophy
1.0
REL 104
Study of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
1.0
REL 105
Study of the New Testament
1.0
REL 243
Women in the Biblical World
1.0
REL 244
Jerusalem: The Holy City
1.0
CLCV Courses
Course ID: ANTH103/CLCV103 Title: Introduction to Archaeology
A survey of the development of archaeology. The methods and techniques of archaeology are presented
through an analysis of excavations and prehistoric remains. Materials studied range from the Bronze Age and
classical civilizations of the Old World and the Aztec and Inca empires of the New World to the historical
archaeology of New England. Students are introduced to techniques for reconstructing the past from material
remains. The course includes a field trip to a neighboring archaeological site.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Minor; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social
and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Notes:
Wendy Judge Paulson '69 Ecology of Place Living Laboratory course. This course does not satisfy the Natural
and Physical Sciences Laboratory requirement. ;
Course ID: ANTH215/CLCV215 Title: Bronze Age Greece in its Mediterranean Context
Ancient Greek historians associated the ruins of Bronze Age cities with the legends of the Trojan War, the lost
city of Atlantis, and the labyrinth of the Minotaur. This course takes a more archaeological approach, combing
the ruins for evidence that allow us to reconstruct complex societies that integrated contributions from diverse
participants, including enslaved people and foreigners, as well as heroic adventurers. We will investigate the
role of African and Asian cultures in early Greek state formation and collapse, technologies of art and writing,
and religious traditions featuring a mother goddess. The course requires no background and offers an
introduction to archaeological analysis as well as the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Burns; Distribution Requirements: HS - Historical
Studies; SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ARTH373/CLCV373 Title: Antiquities Today: The Politics of Replication
New technologies that enable the 3D scanning and fabrication of art and architecture have become integral in
attempts to combat the decay, destruction, and disputed ownership of ancient works. Our seminar
contextualizes the development of these current approaches within the longer history of collecting and
replicating artifacts from the ancient Mediterranean. We will think critically about the role that replicated
antiquities play in site and object preservation, college and museum education, and the negotiation of
international political power. Potential case studies include the Bust of Nefertiti, the Parthenon Marbles, the
Venus de Milo, and the Arch of Palmyra, all of which now exist globally in multiple digital and material
iterations. The seminar will culminate in a critique of the digitization and replication of Wellesley’s own
antiquities collections.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Prior college-level coursework in Art History and/or Classical
Civilization.; Instructor: Cassibry; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CLCV104 Title: Greek and Roman Mythology
Achilles' heel, the Trojan Horse, Pandora's Box, an Oedipal complex, a Herculean task-themes and figures
from classical mythology continue to play an important role in our everyday life. We will read the original tales
of classical heroes and heroines as depicted by Homer, the Greek tragedians, Vergil, Ovid, and others. Why
do these stories continue to engage, entertain, and even shock us? What is the nature and power of myth?
Readings from ancient sources in English translation.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Visiting Lecturer (Fall); Burns (Spring);
Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; REP - Religion, Ethics, and Moral Philosophy; Typical
Periods Offered: Summer; Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Course ID: CLCV110Y Title: First-Year Seminar: Archaeology and Artifacts: Greek and Roman Cultures on
Display
This first-year seminar examines the past through direct engagement with objects from ancient Greek and
Roman cultures. Working with a diverse collection of artifacts—including pottery, coins, and figurines—
students will learn about the societies of the ancient Mediterranean as well as methods of artifact analysis and
theories of material culture studies. We will explore the history of the objects now at Wellesley, with attention to
ethical and legal aspects of collecting antiquities. We will also consider the presentation of ancient objects as
art and artifact in various local museum settings. Students will work collaboratively to design an exhibition of
select pieces.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: None. Open to First-Years only.; Instructor: Burns; Distribution
Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; HS - Historical Studies; Other Categories: FYS - First
Year Seminar; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CLCV200 Title: Political Archaeology: The City-States of Ancient Greece
Ancient Athens is celebrated as the birthplace of democracy, but participation was limited to a small selection
of the city's population: property-holding males. How did the city engage female members of the citizen class,
foreign residents, and enslaved people? And how do the political dynamics of this single city compare to those
of neighbors such as Sparta, Corinth, and Thebes? This course examines status and identity within and
among city-states, including the ancient definitions of ethnicity that informed alliances and rivalries across the
Greek world. Our study of material culture and images, alongside written sources, will enable us to understand
a broader spectrum of difference and diversity within ancient Greek societies.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None. Not open to students who have taken CLCV 300.; Instructor:
Burns; Distribution Requirements: HS - Historical Studies; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Notes: This course is also offered at the 300-level as CLCV 300.;
Course ID: CLCV202 Title: Culture and Politics of Ancient Athens
In the fifth century B.C.E., Athens was home to great intellectual ferment as well as political growth and crisis.
This cultural revolution resulted in significant artistic and intellectual accomplishments: Pericles oversaw the
building of the Acropolis; citizens saw productions of Oedipus Tyrannos, Medea, and Lysistrata; and
Herodotus and Thucydides invented the genre of history as we know it. On the political front, Athens defended
itself against the Persian empire, developed into the most powerful city-state in the Mediterranean, and then
dramatically fell as the result of failed imperial policy. In the early fourth century, Plato engaged with the
political and intellectual conflicts of this period in The Apology and The Symposium. In this course, students
will consider works of philosophy, history, tragedy, comedy, rhetoric, and political theory in their cultural and
political context. We will examine and interrogate Athenian democracy, its conflicts, and its stunning and
influential cultural achievements.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 40; Instructor: Gilhuly; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; HS Historical Studies; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CLCV205 Title: Ancient Greek and Roman Spectacle
Roman chariot races and gladiatorial combat were not just entertainment for the masses, just as the ancient
Olympic games were much more than sporting events. Athletic competitions, theatrical performances, and
militaristic parades were all public enactments of political and religious ideology. This course examines the
spectacle of competitive performances and rituals of power that helped shape ancient Greek and Roman
society. Students will investigate ancient writings alongside art-historical and archaeological evidence to
consider how social values and identities were constructed through these shared experiences. We will also
consider how the modern performances of ancient texts, the Olympic Games, and cinematic representations
have emphasized the splendor, drama, and gore of antiquity.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 16; Prerequisites: None. Not open to students who have taken CLCV 305.; Instructor:
Burns; Distribution Requirements: HS - Historical Studies; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Notes:
Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking Intensive Course. This course is also offered at the 300-level as CLCV 305.;
Course ID: CLCV206 Title: Gods and Heroes
The mythic tales of gods and heroes featured in the epic poems, sacred hymns, and tragic theatre of Greece
and Rome were also present in material form as votive statues, on painted vessels, and in architectural
decoration. This course will focus on the interplay between textual and visual representations of Olympian
deities like Zeus, Hera, and Poseidon; legendary figures such as Heracles, Theseus, and the heroes of the
Trojan War; and the infamous women of myth: Helen, Clytemnestra, and Medea. We will analyze how visions
of the heroic age-replete with legendary battles, divine seductions, and exotic monsters-provided ancient
societies with new opportunities to create a shared history, foster ethnic and civic identity, and transmit
ideological values about age and gender.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Burns; Distribution Requirements: HS - Historical
Studies; ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered
this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CLCV210/CPLT211 Title: Ancient Greek Drama
The Athenian playwrights of the Classical period, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes,
produced brilliant tragedies and comedies that continue to engage us today and to define our notion of drama.
At the same time, the Athenian people forged the principles that form the basis for our own political institutions.
The element of performance, common to both drama and democracy, provides an important key to
understanding this interesting confluence of theater and politics, and this class will combine the close reading
(in English) of ancient Greek drama with a consideration of the plays in their original context. We will also
address the interplay between Greek tragedy and comedy, assessing each genre's capacity for social and
political criticism as well as the subversion of Athenian values and norms.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. Not open to students who have taken CLCV 310.; Instructor:
Dougherty; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; LL - Language and
Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Notes: This course is also offered at the 300-level as
CLCV 310.;
Course ID: CLCV212/CPLT212 Title: Reading Travel
Every story is a travel story, and this class introduces students to the theme of travel as it appears in a range of
literary texts from Homer's Odyssey to Cormac McCarthy's The Road and Toni Morrison's novel Home. We will
focus on the ways that mobility, transience, and unsettledness function in these works both to confirm and
challenge our ideas of home, identity (both personal and cultural), and the possibilities of return.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Instructor: Dougherty; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature;
Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CLCV213 Title: Sex and Gender in Ancient Greece
Do notions of gender change over time? In this course, we will explore how gender was constructed in
antiquity and how it functioned as an organizational principle. Through close readings of selections from Greek
and Roman epics, lyric poetry and drama, as well as philosophical and historical texts, we will analyze
representations of sex and gender exploring how power was shaped through these depictions.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. Not open to students who have taken CLCV 313.; Instructor:
Gilhuly; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Notes: This course is also offered at the 300-level as CLCV 313.;
Course ID: CLCV221/CPLT221 Title: Epic Conversations: Homer and Contemporary Lyric Poetry
We tend to place epic and lyric poetry at opposite ends of the spectrum: epic poetry is musty, monumental,
and masculine while lyric poems are fresh, exquisite, and feminine. This class will read and discuss the works
of those contemporary lyric poets who reach across this divide to embrace Homeric epic -- revising these
ancient poems for modern times, for different audiences, in new forms. The class will read the Iliad and
Odyssey together with the works of contemporary poets (e.g., Anne Carson, Louise Gluck, Alice Oswald,
Adrienne Rich, Derek Walcott) to explore the nature of this contrapuntal conversation about poetic form across
time and genre. All readings will be in English.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Dougherty; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Not Offered;
Course ID: CLCV230 Title: War: From Troy to Baghdad
War is undoubtedly bad. But human beings have always practiced war. Indeed, war preceded history itself by
tens of thousands of years-if by history we mean the written inquiry into the past. But what causes wars? How
have wars been justified historically? How are wars won and lost? What are their effects? In this class, we
examine a series of case studies in warfare, including the Trojan War, the Peloponnesian War, and the Roman
Punic Wars. We will read classic accounts of warfare and theoretical literature about tactics, strategy, and
logistics, and also will analyze how war is represented in other media, such as art and film.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. Not open to student who have taken CLCV 330.; Instructor:
Rogers; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; HS - Historical Studies; Typical Periods
Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Notes: This course is also offered at the 300-level
as CLCV 330.;
Course ID: CLCV236 Title: Greek and Roman Religion
The founders of Western civilization were not monotheists. Rather, from 1750 B.C.E. until 500 C.E., the ancient
Greeks and Romans sacrificed daily to a pantheon of immortal gods and goddesses who were expected to
help mortals achieve their earthly goals. How did this system of belief develop? Why did it capture the
imaginations of so many millions for more than 2,000 years? What impact did the religion of the Greeks and
Romans have upon the other religions of the Mediterranean, including Judaism and Christianity? Why did the
religion of the Greeks and Romans ultimately disappear?
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None. Not open to students who have taken CLCV 336.; Instructor:
Rogers; Distribution Requirements: HS or REP - Historical Studies or Religion, Ethics, and Moral Philosophy;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: This course is also offered at the 300-level as
CLCV 336.;
Course ID: CLCV240/REL240 Title: Romans, Jews, and Christians in the Roman Empire
At the birth of the Roman Empire virtually all of its inhabitants were practicing polytheists. Three centuries later,
the Roman Emperor Constantine was baptized as a Christian and his successors eventually banned public
sacrifices to the gods and goddesses who had been traditionally worshipped around the Mediterranean. This
course will examine Roman-era Judaism, Graeco-Roman polytheism, and the growth of the Jesus movement
into the dominant religion of the late antique world.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Geller; Distribution Requirements: HS or REP Historical Studies or Religion, Ethics, and Moral Philosophy; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CLCV241 Title: Running a Business in Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome’s economy was pre-industrial but highly developed and sophisticated. We will study
fundamental large-scale questions such as the labor force with both free and slave labor, raw materials
acquisition, start-up capital, transportation by land and sea, state involvement in the economy, banking,
production methods, marketing, and retail trade. We will also study how individual businesses and trades
operated, such as restaurants, furniture making, agriculture, pottery production, construction, stonework,
lodging, sex work, handcrafts, textile and clothing production, dry-cleaning, and professional services (e.g.,
education). What modern models and approaches, including behavioral economics, help us understand
ancient Roman businesses? Possible projects include case studies, consultations with modern craftspeople,
and development of business plans.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Starr; Distribution Requirements: HS - Historical
Studies; SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CLCV243 Title: Roman Law
Ancient Roman civil law; its early development, codification, and continuing alteration; its historical and social
context (property, family, enslavement); its influence on other legal systems. Extensive use of actual cases
from antiquity.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Starr; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social
and Behavioral Analysis; HS - Historical Studies; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Spring; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CLCV250 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Course ID: CLCV250H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Course ID: CLCV305 Title: Ancient Greek and Roman Spectacle
Roman chariot races and gladiatorial combat were not just entertainment for the masses, just as the ancient
Olympic games were much more than sporting events. Athletic competitions, theatrical performances, and
militaristic parades were all public enactments of political and religious ideology. This course examines the
spectacle of competitive performances and rituals of power that helped shape ancient Greek and Roman
society. Students will investigate ancient writings alongside art-historical and archaeological evidence to
consider how social values and identities were constructed through these shared experiences. We will also
consider how the modern performances of ancient texts, the Olympic Games, and cinematic representations
have emphasized the splendor, drama, and gore of antiquity.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 16; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor required. Not open to students who
have taken CLCV 205.; Instructor: Burns; Distribution Requirements: HS - Historical Studies; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking Intensive Course. This course is
also offered at the 200-level as CLCV 205.;
Course ID: CLCV310 Title: Ancient Greek Drama
The Athenian playwrights of the Classical period, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes,
produced brilliant tragedies and comedies that continue to engage us today and to define our notion of drama.
At the same time, the Athenian people forged the principles that form the basis for our own political institutions.
The element of performance, common to both drama and democracy, provides an important key to
understanding this interesting confluence of theater and politics, and this class will combine the close reading
(in English) of ancient Greek drama with a consideration of the plays in their original context. We will also
address the interplay between Greek tragedy and comedy, assessing each genre's capacity for social and
political criticism as well as the subversion of Athenian values and norms.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor required. Not open to students who
have taken CLCV 210.; Instructor: Dougherty; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; ARS Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: This
course is also offered at the 200-level as CLCV 210.;
Course ID: CLCV313 Title: Sex and Gender in Ancient Greece
Do notions of gender change over time? In this course, we will explore how gender was constructed in
antiquity and how it functioned as an organizational principle. Through close readings of selections from Greek
and Roman epics, lyric poetry and drama, as well as philosophical and historical texts, we will analyze
representations of sex and gender exploring how power was shaped through these depictions.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: 200 level course in CLCV, GRK, or LAT; or permission of the
instructor. Not open to students who have taken CLCV 313.; Instructor: Gilhuly; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Fall; Notes: This course is also offered at the 200-level as CLCV 213.;
Course ID: CLCV330 Title: War: From Troy to Baghdad
War is undoubtedly bad. But human beings have always practiced war. Indeed, war preceded history itself by
tens of thousands of years-if by history we mean the written inquiry into the past. But what causes wars? How
have wars been justified historically? How are wars won and lost? What are their effects? In this class, we
examine a series of case studies in warfare, including the Trojan War, the Peloponnesian War, and the Roman
Punic Wars. We will read classic accounts of warfare, theoretical literature about tactics, strategy, and logistics,
and also will analyze how war is represented in other media, such as art and film.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor required. Not open to students who
have taken CLCV 230.; Instructor: Rogers; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; HS Historical Studies; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Notes: This
course is also offered at the 200-level as CLCV 230.;
Course ID: CLCV336 Title: Greek and Roman Religion
The founders of Western civilization were not monotheists. Rather, from 1750 B.C.E. until 500 C.E., the ancient
Greeks and Romans sacrificed daily to a pantheon of immortal gods and goddesses who were expected to
help mortals to achieve their earthly goals. How did this system of belief develop? Why did it capture the
imaginations of so many millions for over 2,000 years? What impact did the religion of the Greeks and Romans
have upon the other religions of the Mediterranean, including Judaism and Christianity? Why did the religion of
the Greeks and Romans ultimately disappear?
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor required. Not open to students who
have taken CLCV 236.; Instructor: Rogers; Distribution Requirements: HS or REP - Historical Studies or
Religion, Ethics, and Moral Philosophy; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: This
course is also offered at the 200-level as CLCV 236.;
Course ID: CLCV350 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Open to juniors and seniors.; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CLCV350H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CLCV360 Title: Senior Thesis Research
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the department. Does not count toward the
minimum major in Classics or Classical Civilization. ; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered
this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research (360) in the first semester
and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty member. If sufficient progress is made,
students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second semester.;
Course ID: CLCV370 Title: Senior Thesis
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: CLCV 360 and permission of the department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall; Notes: Students enroll in Senior
Thesis Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty
member. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second
semester.;
CLST Courses
Course ID: CLST350 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Open to juniors and seniors.; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CLST350H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 10; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CLST360 Title: Senior Thesis Research
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the department.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research
(360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty member. If
sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second semester.Does not
count toward the minimum major in Classics or Classical Civilization. ;
Course ID: CLST370 Title: Senior Thesis
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: CLST 360 and permission of the department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior
Thesis Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty
member. Does not count toward the minimum major in Classics or Classical Civilization.;
GRK Courses
Course ID: GRK101 Title: Beginning Greek 1
Greek 101 and 102 will teach you all you need to know to learn to read Plato, Sappho, Sophocles, and
Herodotus in their original language, with no previous knowledge required. While learning Greek, you will also
learn another amazing language at the same time: English. Students who study Greek also learn English
grammar and vocabulary with a level of detail and clarity that you must experience to believe. Students
interested in math and the sciences will excel at Greek and benefit enormously from the vocabulary you learn,
since 90% of scientific vocabulary comes from classical languages. In Greek 101, you will learn how to
pronounce ancient Greek, and we will cover more than half of Greek grammar, so by the end of the year, you
will be reading Attic Greek.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: Open to students who do not present Greek for admission.;
Instructor: Dougherty; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: GRK102 Title: Beginning Greek 2
Greek 102 builds on what you learned in Greek 101 in the fall (see the description of Greek 101 for details) and
completes your introduction to the ancient Greek language. In the last month or so, we’ll turn from the
textbook to reading excerpts from actual Greek authors like Lysias, Euripides and Sappho. Steady review
throughout the term will reinforce what you learned in the fall at the same time you’re learning new material. A
single year can take you from knowing no Greek at all to being able to read texts that shaped the western
literary, philosophical, and political traditions. Studying Greek will also strengthen your English vocabulary,
improve your command of English grammar, and enhance your writing skills.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 22; Prerequisites: GRK 101 or equivalent.; Instructor: Gilhuly; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: GRK201 Title: Intermediate Greek 1: Athenian Literature
Study of a selected work from Classical Athenian literature, such as a dialogue of Plato or a tragedy of
Euripides. Supplementary reading in English translation from other Greek works to illuminate the text in its
literary and cultural context.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 10; Prerequisites: GRK 101 and GRK 102 or two admission units in Greek, or
permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Dougherty; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature;
Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: GRK202 Title: Intermediate Greek 2: Homer
Study of selected books in Greek from Homer's Iliad or Odyssey with emphasis on the oral style of early epic;
further reading in Homer in translation; the historical background of the period.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: GRK 201; Instructor: Gilhuly; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: GRK203 Title: Euripides
Close reading and discussion of a play (or plays) from the extant works of the Athenian playwright Euripides.
Translation and discussion of the Greek text will be supplemented with additional reading of Greek dramas in
translation as well as secondary readings on issues relating to the plays and their broader literary, social,
political, and cultural contexts.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 10; Prerequisites: GRK 202 or permission of the instructor. Not open to students who
have taken GRK 303.; Instructor: Gilhuly; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical
Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: This course is also offered at
the 300-level as GRK 303.;
Course ID: GRK250 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: GRK250H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: GRK302 Title: Advanced Greek: Homer
Study of selected books in Greek from Homer's Iliad or Odyssey with emphasis on the oral style of early epic.
Translation and discussion of the Greek text will be supplemented with additional reading of the Homeric
poems in translation as well as secondary readings on issues relating to the epics and their broader literary,
social, political, and cultural contexts.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: GRK 202; Instructor: Dougherty; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: GRK303 Title: Euripides
Close reading and discussion of a play (or plays) from the extant works of the Athenian playwright Euripides.
Translation and discussion of the Greek text will be supplemented with additional reading of Greek dramas in
translation as well as secondary readings on issues relating to the plays and their broader literary, social,
political, and cultural contexts.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Any 200 level GRK course, or permission of the instructor.;
Instructor: Burns; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered; Notes: This course is also offered at the 200-level as GRK 203.;
Course ID: GRK304 Title: Sophocles
Close reading and discussion of a play (or plays) from the extant works of the Athenian playwright, Sophocles.
Translation and discussion of the Greek text will be supplemented with additional readings of Greek dramas in
translation as well as secondary readings on issues relating to the plays and their broader literary, social,
political, and cultural contexts.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: GRK 202 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Dougherty;
Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered
this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking Intensive Course;
Course ID: GRK305 Title: Greek Comedy
With its emphasis on politics, ritual, and marriage, early Greek comedy revels in bodily humor and exults in
taking down the political and social elite, thus giving us access to perspectives including those of women and
enslaved people that are not usually depicted in other genres. Close readings of Aristophanes’ Greek plays
combined with analysis of both primary and secondary sources. Texts will be considered in their broader
social, political, and literary contexts.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: GRK 202 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Gilhuly;
Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: GRK306 Title: Herodotus
In this course students will read selections from Herodotus' Histories. We will consider the text in light of the
historiographical and literary traditions, with a view toward understanding Herodotus' innovations and
inheritance.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: GRK 202 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Dougherty;
Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: GRK307 Title: Archaic Greek Poetry: Homeric Hymns
In this course, students will study the Homeric Hymns in the context of important Greek poets of the archaic
period, such as works by Homer, Hesiod, Archilochus, Sappho, and Pindar. We will consider the poetry in light
of the historical, cultural and literary context of the archaic period, focusing in particular on issues of genre and
performance.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Instructor: Burns; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: GRK308 Title: Aeschylus
Close reading and discussion of a play (or plays) from the extant works of the Athenian playwright Aeschylus.
Translation and discussion of the Greek text will be supplemented with additional readings of Greek dramas in
translation as well as secondary readings on issues relating to the plays and their broader literary, social,
political, and cultural contexts.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Instructor: Dougherty; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: GRK309 Title: Plato's Symposium
Plato's best-known dialogue provides an opportunity to consider the construction of desire in Greek antiquity.
Close reading of the text will allow for the analysis of language and rhetoric, as well as the characterization of
each speaker. Broader study of the symposium as a social institution will enrich the significance of the text's
narrative structure and immediate relevance within classical Athens.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 10; Prerequisites: GRK 202 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Gilhuly;
Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; REP - Religion, Ethics, and Moral Philosophy; Typical
Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: GRK311 Title: Longus' Daphnis and Chloe
In this advanced ancient Greek reading course, students will read Longus' Daphnis and Chloe. Study of
historical and literary background. Further reading in primary sources in translation and secondary readings.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Instructor: Gilhuly; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: GRK350 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Open to juniors and seniors.; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: GRK350H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: GRK360 Title: Senior Thesis Research
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the department.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research
(360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty member. If
sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second semester. Does not
count toward the minimum major in Classics or Classical Civilization.;
Course ID: GRK370 Title: Senior Thesis
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: GRK 360 and permission of the department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior
Thesis Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty
member. Does not count toward the minimum major in Classics or Classical Civilization.;
LAT Courses
Course ID: LAT101 Title: Beginning Latin 1
In a single year that assumes you have not studied Latin before, Latin 101 and 102 will teach you how to read
major Latin works in their original language, substantially increase your English vocabulary (thousands of
English words come ultimately from Latin), improve your writing skills in English, enhance your command of
English grammar, and either build on your knowledge of Spanish, French, or Italian if you’ve already studied
one of them or help you learn them if you haven’t (they are called “Romance” languages because they come
from Latin, the language of the Romans). You’ll learn how to pronounce Latin out loud so you know how it
sounds and you’ll acquire a reading knowledge, but we will not converse in Latin. Latin 101 covers roughly
half of the year’s material, and by the end of the semester you’ll be able to read simple stories.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Open to students who do not present Latin for admission or
permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Starr; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Fall;
Course ID: LAT102 Title: Beginning Latin 2
Latin 102 builds on what you learned in Latin 101 in the fall (see the description of Latin 101 for details) and
covers the rest of Latin. In the last month or so, we’ll turn from the textbook to reading actual ancient and
medieval Latin texts, such as love poems, letters, and myths. Steady review throughout the term will reinforce
what you learned in the fall at the same time you’re learning new material. A single year can take you from
knowing no Latin at all to being able to read texts that shaped the western literary, philosophical, and political
traditions. Studying Latin will also strengthen your English vocabulary, improve your command of English
grammar, and enhance your writing skills.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 42; Prerequisites: LAT 101; Instructor: Freas; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: LAT201 Title: Intermediate Latin 1: Introduction to Roman Literature and Culture
In conjunction with a thorough review of Latin grammar, we will make the transition to Latin literature and
Roman culture. Selections in Latin may include Catullus (poetry), Ovid and the other love elegists, the emperor
Augustus' The Deeds of the Divine Augustus, Perpetua (one of the earliest known women Latin authors) and
the anonymous novella, The Story of Apollonius King of Tyre. Topics to be studied might include social status
and identity (What defined you? Might your status/identity change, whether for better or worse?); Rome's
relation to Greece, which Rome conquered but which long dominated Roman culture; or the nature and
function of literature in Roman life.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: LAT 102 or Wellesley's placement questionnaire and permission of
the instructor.; Instructor: Freas; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods
Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: LAT202 Title: Intermediate Latin 2: Vergil and Augustus
Vergil wrote his epic poem the Aeneid as the origin story for Rome, as Aeneas escapes the fall of Troy and
eventually reaches Italy, where he establishes what will lead to Rome. Vergil wrote this foundational story of
Rome at a time of political upheaval and new beginnings, at the start of the reign of Augustus, the first Roman
emperor, who won the civil wars that ended the Roman Republic. The epic responds to
Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, but also to Augustus and his new vision of Rome. We'll study the Aeneid as
what became the Roman national epic and as an exploration of Roman values and what it meant to be
Roman. Class sessions will focus on understanding both the Latin and broader questions of duty, love,
patriotism, and responsibility though discussion, writing, recitation, Roman coins from Wellesley's collections,
and even drawing.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: LAT 201 (formerly LAT 200) or Wellesley's placement questionnaire
and permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Starr; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature;
Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: LAT250 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: LAT250H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: LAT301 Title: How to Read Latin Literature Like A Roman
Romans read Latin as quickly and with as much pleasure as we read English. They looked forward to a new
book just as eagerly as we might pre-order a new novel by our favorite novelist. In this non-traditional Latin
course you will read a variety of authors (many chosen by the class members), and you will learn to read Latin
more like a Roman. Double or triple your reading speed, improve your comprehension, appreciate the
language more richly, and simply enjoy it more. This course focuses not on reviewing grammar and forms but
on learning concrete, practical reading techniques that go far beyond just looking up every word online or
hunting for a verb. The specific interests of the members of the class will help determine what we’ll read, which
might include some famous classics but also little-known but fascinating works like Perpetua’s
autobiographical account of her own martyrdom (recently transformed into a graphic novel), Sallust’s portrait
of scandals, Egeria’s record of her pilgrimmage, the wild adventure/romance novel Apollonius, King of Tyre,
or medieval Latin texts. Homework assignments, some of them analogous to problem sets or labs, will help
you develop specific reading techniques.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: LAT 202 or a 300-level Latin course, or Wellesley's placement
exam and permission of the instructor.; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: LAT302 Title: Roman Poems and Poetry Books
How can we read Roman poetry the way a Roman would have read it, knowing what to expect in a poem and
a poetry book? An exploration of features common to many Roman poems and books of poetry, with focused
attention to the dramatic nature of Roman poetry (speaker, addressee, scene, monologue, dialogue), diction
and poetic language, simile and metaphor, point of view, intertextuality (the relationship of one poem to
another), ekphrasis, genre and generic composition (e.g., the song before the lover's closed door, the drinking
song, the letter), the structure of a poetry book (opening poem, sphragis-or closing-poem, internal balancing),
and the resonances of the various popular meters. Readings from major Latin poems in Latin and from various
Roman works in translation; focused exercises to build the skills necessary for reading Latin poetry. Course
includes hands-on sessions for learning to make papyrus sheets and ancient ink and to practice writing on
papyrus with tools like those used in the ancient world.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 16; Prerequisites: LAT 202 (or equivalent) or a 300-level Latin course or Wellesley's
placement questionnaire and permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Starr; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: LAT304 Title: Women in Latin Literature
In this course, we will study three literary genres—Roman comedy, historiography, and elegy—each with its
own characteristic view of women, from comedy’s scolding wives and young lovers, to history’s villains and
heroines, to elegy’s mistresses. Taking into account authorial perspective, context, language, and style, we
will identify how male authors in different genres construct woman as the imagined “other” in society. From
Plautus to Ovid, we examine the ways a literary genre reflects cultural perceptions of women and gender in
Roman society from Republic to Empire.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: LAT 202 (or equivalent) - or a 300-level Latin course, or Wellesley's
placement exam and permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language
and Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: LAT308 Title: Imperial Latin Literature
Latin literature flourished in the Imperial period, even though it is referred to as "Silver" instead of "Golden" Latin
Literature. We'll explore various authors and genres, including such authors as Seneca (philosophy and
drama), Lucan (epic), Tacitus (history), Pliny (letters), Juvenal (satire), and Martial (epigrams). We'll also
examine the impact of rhetoric on the writing of Latin prose and poetry.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: LAT 202 (or equivalent) or a 300-level Latin course or Wellesley's
placement questionnaire and permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Freas; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: LAT310 Title: Roman Historical Myths
Romans based their history in myth and made their history into myths. This course includes reading from
major authors such as Livy, Vergil, Horace, Ovid, Propertius, and Tacitus, focusing on historical myths such as
Romulus and Remus, the Rape of the Sabine Women, Tarquinius Superbus, and Hercules and Cacus. We will
then examine how later Romans reworked those myths to serve current political purposes and how they
transformed historical events into powerful myths.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: LAT 202 (or equivalent) or a 300-level Latin course or Wellesley's
placement questionnaire or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Starr; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; HS - Historical Studies; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: LAT311 Title: The Roman Novel: Petronius and Apuleius
Petronius' Satyricon and Apuleius' The Golden Ass are two novels from ancient Rome, filled with characters
from all walks of life, from aristocrats to professors to poets to former slaves to robbers to ghosts and
werewolves and even a human in a donkey's body who returns to his original form and becomes a priest of the
Egyptian goddess Isis. Their wild and sometimes preposterous plots range from magic spells and love
triangles to an outlandish dinner party to the tale of Cupid and Psyche, the ancestor of the Beauty and the
Beast. We'll look at the novel as a literary genre and its relationship to satire, epic, and comedy; its potential
audiences in the ancient world; the language of the characters; the real life behind the narratives; and the
reception of the Roman novel in modern literature and film, such as Fellini Satyricon.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: LAT 202 (or equivalent) or a 300-level Latin course, or Wellesley's
Latin placement questionnaire.; Instructor: Freas; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: LAT315 Title: Ovid
Ovid is among the most notorious and playful Roman poets, a figure who enjoyed literary success at a young
age only to be later exiled by the emperor Augustus before finishing his epic poem The Metamorphoses. In
this advanced Latin course, students will study Ovid in his cultural and literary context by reading selections
from his works such as the Ars Amatoria, Amores, Met., and Fasti. Students will also learn about the metric
conventions and stylistic features of Ovid's poetry. Possible course themes may include gender and sexuality,
Roman and Greek myth, or Ovid’s Rome.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: LAT 202 (or equivalent) or a 300-level Latin course, or Wellesley's
placement questionnaire and permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Freas; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: LAT350 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Open to juniors and seniors.; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Course ID: LAT350H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Course ID: LAT360 Title: Senior Thesis Research
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the department.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall; Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research
(360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty member. If
sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second semester. Does not
count toward the minimum major in Classics or Classical Civilization. ;
Course ID: LAT370 Title: Senior Thesis
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: LAT 360 and permission of the department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall; Notes: Students enroll in Senior
Thesis Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty
member. Does not count toward the minimum major in Classics or Classical Civilization.;
Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences
An Interdepartmental Major
A major in cognitive and linguistic sciences is the interdisciplinary study of language and mind.
Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences Major
Goals for the Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences Major
The major is designed with two goals in mind:
Provide students with a broad intellectual grounding in an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the
mind. This goal is met by a group of required core courses which introduce students to techniques for
studying language and cognition as well as background in the philosophical underpinnings of the
cognitive and linguistic sciences
Supply substantive training in one of the component disciplines (psychology, linguistics, computer
science, or philosophy) through course work within a concentration area chosen by the student. The
concentration will enable the student to strengthen and deepen their understanding of the mind within
a single domain
Student Outcomes
Upon completing the major, students will be able to
Read and analyze cognitive science literature across disciplines
Recognize and evaluate important ways in which the mind has been perceived by philosophers,
scientists and others over time.
Solve problems in cognitive and linguistic sciences using formal symbolic systems
Recognize and describe the different research methodologies of various disciplines
Apply the research methodologies employed in their concentration discipline
Requirements for the Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences Major
Students majoring in cognitive and linguistic sciences must take a minimum of nine units for the major,
including four core units, one from each of the categories below, and a minimum of four electives in a
concentration. It is recommended, but not required, that the ninth course be in a different concentration. In
addition to the courses eligible for the major, which are listed below, NEUR 100 can count as a ninth course in
the major. Students may consult the MIT catalog for additional offerings in the major, but students are
encouraged to take courses for the major at Wellesley College.
Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences Core Requirements
Students must fulfill the following four core requirements:
1. One course in Linguistics: Consult individual concentrations for requirement
2. One course in Formal Systems: Consult individual concentrations for requirement
3. PHIL 215
4. CLSC 300/PSYC 300
Honors in Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences
The only route to honors in the major is writing a thesis and passing an oral examination. To be admitted to the
thesis program, a student must have a grade point average of at least 3.5 in all work in the major field above
the 100 level; the department may petition on their behalf if their GPA in the major is between 3.0 and 3.5. See
Academic Distinctions.
Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences Concentrations
In designing a concentration, students need to demonstrate the intellectual coherence of their choices.
Therefore, concentrations must be designed in close collaboration with the director. In cases where the
student’s chosen concentration is in a discipline other than that of the director, a second advisor in the
student’s field of concentration must also be arranged. Students must take at least one 300-level course in
their concentration. Courses numbered 350/360/370 do not count toward this 300-level requirement.
Linguistics Concentration
Students concentrating in linguistics must elect at least four courses beyond the formal systems requirement
and these must be from the following list. Three of these courses must be linguistics (LING) courses, including
one 300-level LING course: LING 238, LING 240, LING 244, LING 246, LING 248, LING 312, LING 315 or LING
338. CS 235, EDUC 310, FREN 211 or FREN 308; PHIL 207, PHIL 216, or PHIL 333; CLSC 216/PSYC 216 or
CLSC 316/PSYC 316. KOR 206 or KOR 256.
Students planning to do graduate work in sociolinguistics or experimental linguistics should take at least one
course in statistics, preferably PSYC 105. Students are also encouraged to do research, for example, through
an independent study or thesis or an MIT UROP. However, MIT UROP courses can only be used for elective
credit within the major with prior approval of the major advisor. They do not count as LING courses or as 300level units.
Linguistics Requirement: LING 114 or MIT 24.9
Formal System Requirement for Linguistics: LING 240 or LING 244 or appropriate equivalent MIT course
Students will also be expected to demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language above the College’s foreign
language requirement (at an intermediate level or above).
Psychology Concentration
Students concentrating in psychology must take PSYC 105 and PSYC 315R. PSYC 207R may be taken when
approved by the student's advisor. In addition, students must elect at least two courses from the following list:
CLSC 214, PSYC 215, PSYC 217, PSYC 218, PSYC 219, PSYC 301, CLSC 316/PSYC 316, PSYC 318, PSYC
319, PSYC 328, PSYC 345.
Linguistics Requirement: CLSC 216/PSYC 216 or CLSC 316/PSYC 316.
Formal System Requirement for Psychology: One of CS 111, LING 240, LING 244, or PHIL 216.
Philosophy Concentration
Students concentrating in philosophy must elect at least four of any of the following courses: PHIL 207, PHIL
216, PHIL 218, PHIL 221, PHIL 245, PHIL 311, PHIL 323, PHIL 333 or PHIL 345.
Linguistics Requirement: LING 114 or CLSC 216/PSYC 216
Formal System Requirement for Philosophy: PHIL 216
Computer Science Concentration
Students concentrating in computer science must take CS 230 and CS 232. In addition, students must elect at
least two courses from the following list: CS 220, CS 231, CS 234, CS 235, CS 251, CS 305, CS 315, CS 320,
CS 323, CS 333. Students may also choose LING 246 as an elective.
Linguistics Requirement: LING 114 or CLSC 216/PSYC 216
Formal System Requirement for Computer Science: CS 111
Students planning to do graduate work in an interdisciplinary field that integrates computation and cognition
should take at least one course in statistics. Students are also encouraged to do research, for example,
through an independent study, thesis, MIT UROP, or summer internship. MIT UROP courses can only be used
for elective credit within the major with prior approval of the major advisor. They do not count as CS courses or
for 300-level credit.
CLSC Courses
Course ID: CLSC110/PSYC110 Title: Introduction to Cognitive Science
How do our brains give rise to conscious thought, action, and experience? This is a key question that
motivates cognitive science, the interdisciplinary study of the mind. Cognitive scientists integrate approaches
from psychology, linguistics, neuroscience, philosophy, and more, to study this issue. This course will survey
the major theories, debates, and findings from cognitive science. Topics covered include perception, memory,
decision-making, language, consciousness, and more. We will also consider cognitive science from a
historical perspective to understand how the study of the mind has evolved in the past century, and what
approaches we can take into the future.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Bushong; Distribution Requirements: EC Epistemology and Cognition; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CLSC216/PSYC216 Title: Psychology of Language
Language is central to the human experience. It arises in all cultures and can be learned effortlessly by any
child. In fact, children can’t resist it—deprive them of language, and they will invent their own. The
organizational power of the human mind and the critical role of human interaction in culture shape the
structure of languages and the way they are learned, perceived, and produced. In this class we will apply
scientific research methods from cognitive psychology to understand how humans build, use, and acquire
language. Throughout, we will view the psychological processes of language through the lenses of crosslinguistic variation, multilingualism, and individual differences.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: PSYC 101 or NEUR 100, a score of 5 on the Psychology AP exam,
or a score of 5, 6, or 7 on the Higher Level IB exam, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Pyers;
Distribution Requirements: EC - Epistemology and Cognition; SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical
Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CLSC250 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CLSC250H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 10; Prerequisites: Open to Fiirst-Years and Sophom*ores, by permission of the
instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CLSC300/PSYC300 Title: Seminar. Topics in Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences
Topic for 2024-25: From Perceptrons to ChatGPT: How Computational Models Help Us Understand the Mind
Cognitive scientists have used mathematical and computational methods to understand human cognition
since at least the 1940s. Similarly, the study of human neuroscience and cognition has influenced the
development of artificial intelligence systems. Beginning in the early 2010s, massive increases in
computational power and the accessibility of large databases have resulted in the rapid rise of human-like
artificial intelligence systems, culminating in well-known public AI tools like ChatGPT. To what degree are these
models a reflection of human intelligence, and can they help us understand human cognition? Are human-like
cognitive biases also present in these models, and does this present ethical issues with their use? This course
will cover the history of computational modeling in cognitive science, from early debates about modularity,
interactivity, and the nature of representation; to the modern development of deep neural networks not only as
practical systems, but as models of human cognition.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Open to Juniors and Seniors who have taken one of the following PSYC 215, CLSC 216/PSYC 216, PSYC 217, PSYC 218, PSYC 219, LING 114, PHIL 215, or CS 111; or
permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Bushong; Distribution Requirements: EC - Epistemology and
Cognition; SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Spring; Notes: This is a topics course and can be taken more than once for credit as long as
the topic is different each time.;
Course ID: CLSC316/PSYC316 Title: Seminar: Language Acquisition
Children around the world acquire their first language, spoken or signed, with seemingly little effort. By the end
of their first year, they are saying their first words, and a mere two years later they are speaking in full
sentences. What are the biological, cognitive, and environmental factors that play into children’s rapid
language learning? What do special cases of language acquisition, such as bilingualism, disordered language
development (e.g., autism, dyslexia), and sign language tell us about the human capacity to learn language?
We will consider all of these questions and more. In addition, we will spend time observing children of different
ages to witness language acquisition in action.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Two 200-level courses in PSYC (excluding PSYC 205) or LING, or
permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Pyers; Distribution Requirements: EC - Epistemology and Cognition;
SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CLSC348/PSYC348 Title: Seminar: Cognitive Neuroscience of Communication
No other species can communicate complex meanings as flexibly and efficiently as humans can. This course
examines the cognitive and neural basis of our communication system, providing a comprehensive overview of
what we do and don’t know about it. We will cover topics such as gesture, turn-taking in conversation,
miscommunication, language and the role of prediction in communication. The course will introduce core
concepts, terminology and skills through reading research papers that probe the architecture of our
communication system from a cognitive neuroscience perspective, with a focus on ecological validity in
communication research.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Open to Juniors and Seniors who have taken one of the following CLSC 216/PSYC 216, PSYC 217, PSYC 218, PSYC 219, LING 114, PHIL 215, or permission of instructor.;
Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: EC - Epistemology and Cognition; SBA - Social and Behavioral
Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CLSC350 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Open to juniors and seniors.; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CLSC360 Title: Senior Thesis Research
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the director.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research (360) in
the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty member. If sufficient
progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second semester.;
Course ID: CLSC370 Title: Senior Thesis
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: CLSC 360 and permission of the department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall; Notes: Students enroll in Senior
Thesis Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty
member. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second
semester.;
LING Courses
Course ID: AFR338/LING338 Title: Seminar: African American English
This course will examine the history, linguistic structure, and sociocultural patterns of use of English as spoken
by African Americans in the United States. We will focus on the phonology and morphosyntax that is
considered unique to AAE, and discuss lexical and discursive features as well. We will cover the major debates
that continue to rage within AAE scholarship, including the debates surrounding its origins and its use in
education. Additional topics include AAE and hip hop, appropriation, and crossing.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Either LING 114 or CLSC 216/PSYC 216 and related coursework at
the 200 level or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: S. Fisher; Distribution Requirements: EC Epistemology and Cognition; SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: EALC123Y/LING123Y Title: First-Year Seminar: Kaleidoscope of East Asian Languages: Exploring
voices, values, and cultures
This seminar explores linguistic tapestry of East Asia, focusing on the distinct features, structures, and
variations that characterize Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. Through lively discussions and hands-on
projects, we will examine the unique linguistic and cultural heritages of these languages. From their intricate
writing systems and complex grammar to the diverse range of sociolinguistic patterns and dialects, we will
uncover the layers that make each language unique. Central to our exploration will be the role of Confucian
ideology, the vibrant influence of pop culture, and the transformative impact of AI technology on
communication. Through this exploration, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of how language
profoundly influences and mirrors the rich diversity of life and thought in East Asia.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: None. Open to First-Years only.; Instructor: Sun-Hee Lee;
Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit;
Course ID: KOR246/LING246 Title: Digital Language: Corpus Linguistics and its Applications
Advances in computer technology have revolutionized the ways linguists can approach their data. By
accessing large digital bodies of text (corpora) and searching for phenomena of interest, we can uncover
complexities in naturally-occurring data and explore broader issues utilizing linguistic patterns and frequency
information. This course presents a practical introduction to corpus linguistics, an extremely versatile
methodology of language analysis using computers.
Some of the fundamental questions to explore include; what is a corpus, and what corpora exist? How are
corpora constructed and linguistic annotation added? What tools are available for search, annotation, and
analysis? Students will also learn how corpora are used in diverse areas such as sociolinguistics, discourse
analysis, child language acquisition, and language change as well as language learning and teaching and
develop their own research ideas. Students who register for KOR 246 will be expected to do their coursework
using Korean language texts.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: LING 114 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Sun-Hee Lee;
Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year;
Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: LING114 Title: Introduction to Linguistics
Designed to familiarize students with some of the essential concepts of linguistic analysis. Suitable problem
sets in English and in other languages will provide opportunities to study the basic systems of language
organization-phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics. Additional topics include introductions to
language organization in the brain, child language acquisition, language change, and language in society.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: S. Fisher, Y. Kim; Distribution Requirements: EC Epistemology and Cognition; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Spring; Fall;
Course ID: LING238 Title: Sociolinguistics
The application of linguistics to the analysis of sociocultural variation in language. We will examine the way
information about age, gender, social class, region, and ethnicity is conveyed by variations in the structural
and semantic organization of language. We will also examine language attitude and language planning in
multilingual societies.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: LING 114 or CLSC 216/PSYC 216, or permission of the instructor.;
Instructor: S. Fisher; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered:
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: LING240 Title: The Sounds of Language
What are all the possible linguistically relevant sounds of the human vocal tract? How does each language
organize a subset of those sounds into a coherent system? Examination of the sounds of language from the
perspective of phonetics and of phonology. Each student will choose a foreign language for intensive study of
its phonetic, phonologic, and prosodic characteristics. Includes extensive use of speech analysis and
phonetics software.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: LING 114 or CLSC 216/PSYC 216, or permission of the instructor.;
Instructor: Carpenter; Distribution Requirements: EC - Epistemology and Cognition; Typical Periods Offered:
Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: LING244 Title: Language: Form and Meaning
This course will consider some basic questions about language: What do we actually know when we know a
language? How is the structure of language best described? Are there properties which all languages share,
and what do those properties tell us about language itself? We will look at specific problems in morphology,
syntax, and semantics, and the strengths and weaknesses of different linguistic theories will be considered.
While many of the problems considered in this class will involve English, we will also be looking at other
languages, both European and non-European.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: LING 114.; Instructor: S. Fisher; Distribution Requirements: EC Epistemology and Cognition; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Spring;
Course ID: LING248 Title: Introduction to Historical Linguistics
An examination of all forms of language change, including sound change, analogical change, semantic and
lexical change, and syntactic change. Students will learn and apply the techniques of the comparative method
in order to reconstruct earlier stages of various languages and to understand how linguists determine the
genetic relationships among languages. Several theories of linguistic change will be explored. Students will
also be introduced to the history of the discipline of linguistics, which largely began with the development of
the techniques for historical reconstruction.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: LING 114 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Carpenter;
Distribution Requirements: EC - Epistemology and Cognition; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not
Offered;
Course ID: LING270/SPAN270 Title: Language, Sociopolitics, and Identity: Spanish in the United States
This course provides a sociolinguistic overview of Spanish in the US by examining concepts such as language
ideologies, language identity, language attitudes, language maintenance and shift, the politics of language,
language contact, bilingualism, the relationship of language to Latinx identities, and how language ideologies
and policies reflect and shape societal views of Spanish and its speakers, race, identity, and education. This
course will provide a descriptive, historical and linguistic overview of the different Spanish-English bilingual
communities in the US. For instance, we will examine the use and representation of Spanish and
misconceptions about Spanish varieties and Latinx communities in a wide array of contexts, including
everyday speech, contemporary culture, media and the portrayal in the media, education, and policy. Reading
selections will be in Spanish (for the most part) and English. Homework, projects, exams and class
discussions will be strictly in Spanish.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 14; Prerequisites: Open to students who have completed SPAN 241 or SPAN 242 or
equivalent (AP 5) or by permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Bassa Vanrell; Distribution Requirements: SBA
- Social and Behavioral Analysis; LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: LING312 Title: Bilingualism: An Exploration of Language, Mind, and Culture
Exploration of the relationship of language to mind and culture through the study of bilingualism. The bilingual
individual will be the focus for questions concerning language and mind: The detection of "foreign" accent, the
relationship of words to concepts, the organization of the mental lexicon, language specialization of the brain,
and the effects of early bilingualism on cognitive functioning. The bilingual nation will be the focus for
questions dealing with language and culture: societal conventions governing use of one language over
another, effects of extended bilingualism on language development and change, and political and educational
impact of a government's establishing official bilingualism.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Open to juniors and seniors who have taken a related 200-level
course in linguistics, psychology, anthropology, philosophy, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: A.
Carpenter; Distribution Requirements: EC - Epistemology and Cognition; SBA - Social and Behavioral
Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: LING315 Title: Invented Languages: From Wilkins' Real Character to Avatar's Na'vi
Over the centuries, invented, or artificial, languages have been devised for many reasons, including a desire to
improve existing languages, an effort to unite the world, or a need to explore how languages are learned. The
vast majority have failed, but why? Is there a place for invented language? What do invented languages teach
us about natural language? We will look at invented languages from a variety of points of view: linguistic,
historical, philosophical, psychological, and sociological. We will explore the linguistic underpinnings of
various languages, from seventeenth century Real Character to Na'vi, with a look at a successful "reinvented"
language, Modern Hebrew. Students will design their own miniature artificial language.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Open to juniors and seniors who have taken LING 114 or
CLSC/PSYC 216 and a related 200-level course in linguistics, psychology, anthropology, or philosophy, or
permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Y. Kim; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral
Analysis; EC - Epistemology and Cognition; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Fall; Notes: Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking Intensive Course.;
Course ID: LING319 Title: The Spoken and Written Word: Effects on Cognition and Culture
For thousands of years, humans communicated via the ephemeral spoken word, and then writing was
invented. How has the advent of writing affected us, both as individuals and members of cultural groups? To
answer this question, we will explore the cognitive, linguistic, and cultural implications of spoken and written
forms of communication. We start with an overview of the field of orality and literacy studies, followed by an
examination of theories of the origin of human language and the history of the development of writing. We then
move to an analysis of how the brain processes the spoken and written word and how these modes of
communication affect memory and reasoning. From a cultural perspective, we examine the ways in which
certain ancient and current societies differ as a function of their use of oral versus written forms of
communication.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; EC Epistemology and Cognition;
Course ID: LING350 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Open to juniors and seniors.; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Comparative Literary Studies
An Interdepartmental Major
The Comparative Literary Studies Major introduces students to fundamental questions about the nature,
function, and value of literature in an expansive and broadly comparative context – outside national and
linguistic boundaries and in conversation with other texts, cultures, media, or technologies. CPLT majors
become adept in multiple cultures and disciplines; they develop habits of mind as well as skills in close
reading, critical analysis, and written communication that will serve them throughout their lives as citizens and
in any career they might choose.
The program brings together faculty from Classics, East Asian Studies, English, French, German Studies,
Italian Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, Spanish, and Russian to showcase the exciting breadth and diversity
of literary study at Wellesley. Students draw from coursework offered in a variety of departments and programs
to construct a program of study that reflects their intellectual goals and areas of interest. Students and faculty
in CPLT are vitally engaged with not only language and literature departments but also with interdisciplinary
programs such as American Studies, Peace and Justice Studies, Africana Studies, Women’s and Gender
Studies, and Environmental Studies, to name just a few.
All students planning to major in Comparative Literary Studies should work with the director of the program or
a major advisor who will help them develop a coherent, well-focused sequence of courses suited to their
individual interests. A student in CPLT might study topics that link literature, defined expansively, with visual
media, gender and sexuality, literary history, philosophy, linguistics, environmental studies, colonialism,
human rights and global censorship, postcolonial and diaspora studies, literary theory, film, and translation.
Majors in CPLT often pursue double majors, because of the flexibility of the major, which allows them to
combine their interests in multiple fields, including STEM fields, and to structure their degrees around them. A
major in Comparative Literary Studies will add value to any resume, and our graduates pursue careers in
media, law, public service, the non-profit sector, publishing, international business, and academia, among
other areas.
Comparative Literary Studies Major
Goals for the Comparative Literary Studies Major
Practice and refine skills in the analysis of literary texts, genres and literary movements across
departmental, national, and linguistic boundaries as well as in relationship to other texts, cultures,
media, or technologies.
Learn to recognize and apply key concepts of theoretical approaches to cultural and textual studies.
Acquire an overview of the history and disciplines of comparative literature and world literature,
especially as they evolve in the current global literary moment.
Acquire a thorough understanding of the dynamics presented by a literary text in translation and
adaptation.
Requirements for the Comparative Literary Studies Major
The requirements for the major are as follows: Nine units of course work is required for the major, at least five
of which should be from the CPLT curriculum and must include CPLT 180, which should be taken early on in a
student’s studies and CPLT 375, the capstone course in translation. In addition, students take at least one
course outside the modern period (before 1900) and three courses in an area of concentration to be
developed in consultation with the advisor and director, and at least one of these classes must be at the 300
level. Students may choose to concentrate in the literature of a nation or a region or in a specific field of
inquiry (e.g. literature & religion, translation, literature & politics, philosophical or theoretical inquires into
literature, visual arts & literature, etc.).
Students are encouraged to explore the diversity of literary studies offered in other departments at the college
or if they choose to study abroad. Most courses that deal significantly with literature broadly defined will count
for the major, but students are encouraged to consult the program director or major advisor to confirm that a
course outside CPLT will count toward the major. All units must count toward the major in the departments in
which they are offered (unless they are language courses, of which no more than one 200-level course may be
counted toward the major).
Honors in Comparative Literary Studies
There are two routes to honors in the major: Plan A entails writing a thesis. Plan B entails a dossier of essays
written for several courses with a statement of connections among them and critical questions raised by them.
Both Plan A and Plan B require a student to pass an oral exam.
To be admitted to the honors program, a student must have a grade point average of at least 3.5 in all work in
the major field above the 100 level; the department may petition on the student's behalf if the student's GPA in
the major is between 3.0 and 3.5. See Academic Distinctions.
Students who are interested in honors need to contact the director of the program at the end of their junior
year to learn about expectations, formats, and deadlines. Decisions about admittance to either one of the
routes are made by the advisory board of the program.
CPLT Courses
Course ID: AFR256/CPLT256/PORT256 Title: Cultures of the Portuguese-Speaking World through Film, Music
and Fiction (In English)
This course is conducted in English and will introduce students to the cultures of the Portuguese-speaking
world through selected films, music and readings. In this interdisciplinary course, we will explore how
filmmakers, musicians and writers respond to social and political changes in Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde,
Mozambique and Portugal. Topics covered include colonialism; postcolonialism; wars of independence in
Africa; Brazil’s military dictatorship; Portugal´s New State dictatorship; evolving national identities; and
representations of trauma and memory. Readings are in English and films have subtitles.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 14; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Igrejas; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CHIN236/CPLT237 Title: China on the Silver Screen
This course introduces students to the Chinese cultural and literary tradition through the lens of modern
reception and cinematic representation. Beginning with Confucius and ending with the last emperor of the
imperial period (221 BCE–1911 CE), we will explore key historical turning points, influential philosophical
works, and major literary genres. By pairing historical writings (in English translation) with iconic blockbusters
and arthouse films, students will analyze in what ways and to what ends film adaptations transform their source
materials. We will also delve into the complex and often fraught relationships between the past and present in
contemporary Sinophone contexts.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Du; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language
and Literature; ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CHIN382/CPLT382 Title: Seminar: Science Fiction and the Future of China (In English)
This seminar guides students to explore the political, cultural, and epistemological changes represented in
Chinese science fiction. It contextualizes the genre’s evolution in the intellectual history of modern China,
where imagining the future of China is often the focus of contending ideologies and intellectual trends. The
course introduces students to three booms of Chinese science fiction, which all happened when China went
through drastic changes. The contemporary new wave of science fiction particularly presents a subversive
vision of China’s pursuit of power and wealth, a dystopian counterpart to the government-promoted “Chinese
dream.” This course examines the cutting-edge literary experiments that characterize the new wave, and
studies the transgression of gender, class, and nation in science fiction that evokes sensations ranging from
the uncanny to the sublime, from the corporeal to the virtual, and from the apocalyptic to the transcendent.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: One course at the 200 or 300 level on Chinese literature, history or
culture, or by permission of the instructor.; Instructor: O'Krent; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and
Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not
Offered;
Course ID: CLCV210/CPLT211 Title: Ancient Greek Drama
The Athenian playwrights of the Classical period, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes,
produced brilliant tragedies and comedies that continue to engage us today and to define our notion of drama.
At the same time, the Athenian people forged the principles that form the basis for our own political institutions.
The element of performance, common to both drama and democracy, provides an important key to
understanding this interesting confluence of theater and politics, and this class will combine the close reading
(in English) of ancient Greek drama with a consideration of the plays in their original context. We will also
address the interplay between Greek tragedy and comedy, assessing each genre's capacity for social and
political criticism as well as the subversion of Athenian values and norms.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. Not open to students who have taken CLCV 310.; Instructor:
Dougherty; Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; LL - Language and
Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Notes: This course is also offered at the 300-level as
CLCV 310.;
Course ID: CLCV212/CPLT212 Title: Reading Travel
Every story is a travel story, and this class introduces students to the theme of travel as it appears in a range of
literary texts from Homer's Odyssey to Cormac McCarthy's The Road and Toni Morrison's novel Home. We will
focus on the ways that mobility, transience, and unsettledness function in these works both to confirm and
challenge our ideas of home, identity (both personal and cultural), and the possibilities of return.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Instructor: Dougherty; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature;
Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CLCV221/CPLT221 Title: Epic Conversations: Homer and Contemporary Lyric Poetry
We tend to place epic and lyric poetry at opposite ends of the spectrum: epic poetry is musty, monumental,
and masculine while lyric poems are fresh, exquisite, and feminine. This class will read and discuss the works
of those contemporary lyric poets who reach across this divide to embrace Homeric epic -- revising these
ancient poems for modern times, for different audiences, in new forms. The class will read the Iliad and
Odyssey together with the works of contemporary poets (e.g., Anne Carson, Louise Gluck, Alice Oswald,
Adrienne Rich, Derek Walcott) to explore the nature of this contrapuntal conversation about poetic form across
time and genre. All readings will be in English.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Dougherty; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Not Offered;
Course ID: CPLT112Y/REL112Y Title: First-Year Seminar: Monsters
An introduction to the history and concepts of monsters and monstrosity. We will apply readings in literary and
cultural theory to case studies drawn from biblical literature and iconography from the ancient Middle East and
Mediterranean myths and cosmologies, Victorian-era gothic novels, and contemporary popular culture to
study monstrous beings from the earliest examples until the present. We will center questions concerning the
human creation (and fear) of monstrous beings, the cultural specificity of terror, the social significance of
monsters, and how the history of monsters informs, and has been informed by, the ancient world. No previous
knowledge of the Bible, literature, or monsters is required or presumed.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: None. Open to First-Years only.; Instructor: Jarrard; Distribution
Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; REP - Religion, Ethics, and Moral Philosophy; Other Categories:
FYS - First Year Seminar; Typical Periods Offered: Every four years; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Fall;
Course ID: CPLT119/ENG119 Title: Women* Write Weird Fiction
From the mid-20th century to 2021, women writers have been major players globally in the upsurge of what is
now referred to as speculative fiction--a literary supergenre or umbrella term for a spectrum of “what if” fictions:
fairy tale, science fiction, horror, dystopian, magic realism, surrealism, fantasy. We will explore together short
stories and novels written in the last four decades. Class discussions will aim at interpretation and appreciation
of these peculiar and powerful literary texts as well as reflection on their particular historical and cultural
context.
In particular, we will be curious about how these authors play with a spectrum of gender - in their own lives and
in their writing. The texts include fiction written in English and fiction translated into English; we will address the
issue of reading works in translation. Speakers and students of languages other than English, are encouraged
to offer their insights into the necessary friction between an original text and its English translation.
Among the authors to be read: Octavia Butler, Nnedi Okorafor, N.K. Jemisin, Samanta Schweblin, Ursula Le
Guin, Basma Abdel Aziz, Eden Robinson, Vandana Singh. Fulfills the Diversity of Literatures in English
requirement.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 40; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Sides; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language
and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CPLT180 Title: What is World Literature?
"World Literature” views a literary work as the product of local culture, then of regional or national culture, and
finally of global culture. Critics of world literature argue that a text's richness may be lost in translation, that too
often a privileged Western literary tradition forces “other” literatures into a relationship of belatedness and
inferiority, and that world literature leads to the globalization of culture-and as the global language becomes
predominantly English, the world of literature will be known through that single language alone. This course
offers an opportunity to not only read rich and exciting literary texts from ancient eras to the contemporary
moment but also after reading key critical essays that defend and critique “World Literature” to reflect on the
cultural politics that directly or indirectly determines who reads what. Range of texts from contemporary Arabic
short fiction, science fiction from China and Africa, global gothic fiction, and poetic forms across time and
cultures. Fulfills the Diversity of Literatures in English requirement.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Dougherty; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CPLT222/FREN236 Title: Understanding Colonialism and Its Legacies: Immigrant Experience in
Paris
This course begins with a brief history of European colonization and includes a unit on French expansion as it
relates to immigrant communities in Paris. Next, the class will cultivate a broad sense of the period of
independences, decolonization, and the formation of new nations as a period in world history, once again
contextualizing the different waves of immigration to the city of Paris. Students will use Parisian sites and a
variety of materials available locally to study immigration patterns and the recent development of the Parisian
cityscape while privileging immigrant perspective. Weekly assignments, which can be done flexibly, will involve
visits to museums, monuments, neighborhoods, markets, and cafés. A number of local scholars, artists, and
activists will provide guest lectures to guide our study. Each student will devise a project that will involve
exploring the city from a viewpoint that falls within their interest, defined through discipline or theme. The latter
part of the course will consist of independent work involving exploration of the city through the prism of the
student’s project and it will be done in close consultation with the instructor. Interviews and shadowing of
individuals (with prior permission) who are living the immigrant experience will inform the final project, which
will take the form of a multimedia journal.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: A special hybrid course offered for Wellesley students studying
abroad at American University in Paris.; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; ARS - Visual
Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Not Offered;
Course ID: CPLT236/EALC236 Title: The Girl in Modern East Asian Culture (In English)
In East Asia, the rise of the girl in literary and popular culture coincides with the appearance of modernity itself.
Beginning with the ‘modern girl,' we move chronologically, exploring coming-of-age tropes in East Asian
fiction, manga, anime, and film. How does the objectification of the adolescent girl illuminate issues around
ethnicity, national identity, sexuality, even globalization? What national anxieties hover around girls' bodies?
We read texts in English translation and explore models of female development that might aid us in our
exploration of this cultural phenomenon. Secondary readings include works by Sigmund Freud, Julia Kristeva,
Marianne Hirsch, Carol Gilligan, Elizabeth Grosz, among others.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Zimmerman; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CPLT238/ES238 Title: The Color of Green Literature: Writing in the Face of Environmental
Collapse
This course discusses the narrative challenges posed by the Anthropocene, the current era in history in which
the impact of humans on the environment imperils the very future of our planet. Reading fictional and critical
texts that have emerged in different parts of the world over the course of the last three decades, we will identify
the fictional tools and aesthetic strategies that writers are exploring to address the climate catastrophe. We
will discuss what the traditions of writing about biocide are to which contemporary authors can turn when
creating new narratives adequate to capture the environmental crisis. We will analyze the most prominent
genres involved in “green writing” and will pay close attention to the ways authors deal with the tensions
between the local and the global in their narratives.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. Not open to students who have taken GER 338.; Instructor:
Nolden; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: This course meets with GER 338, which is
intended for advanced German students and which has a third class meeting conducted in German.;
Course ID: CPLT247/ENG247/MER247 Title: Arthurian Legends
The legends of King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table, with their themes of chivalry, magic, friendship,
war, adventure, corruption, and nostalgia, as well as romantic love and betrayal, make up one of the most
influential and enduring mythologies in our culture. This course will examine literary interpretations of the
Arthurian legend, in history, epic, romance, and fiction, from the sixth century through the sixteenth, following
the characters and motifs through their evolution. We will also consider some later examples of Arthuriana, in
novels, comics, TV and movies, in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Wall-Randell; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CPLT275 Title: Translation and the Multilingual World
A study of translation in theory and in practice, in its literal and many metaphorical senses, and of the vast
multilingual world in which translation takes place. Among the possible topics: translation of literary texts,
translation of sacred texts, the history and politics of translation, the lives of translators, translation and gender,
translation and colonialism, machine translation and Google Translate, endangered languages, the
representation of translation in literature and film, invented languages. Students taking the course at the 300
level will do a substantial independent project: a translation, a scholarly inquiry, or a combination of the two.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: One course in literature (in any language) or permission of the
instructor. Competence in a language or languages other than English is useful but not necessary.; Instructor:
Aadnani, Parussa; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Notes: This course is also offered at the 300-level as CPLT 375.
This course can count towards the English major/minor in consultation with the instructor.;
Course ID: CPLT283/ENG283 Title: The History of 'Cabaret'
Christopher Isherwood’s autofictional Berlin Stories (1945)—featuring Sally Bowles, immortalized by Liza
Minelli—inspired John Van Druten’s play I Am a Camera and, later, the film adaptation (1951, 1952). These, in
turn, inspired the musical Cabaret (1966). The legendary Bob Fosse directed and
choreographed Cabaret for the screen (1972); the rest is cinematic history. On stage or
screen, Cabaret departs from novel and play. The famed musical transforms the ‘original,’ taking
the Cabaret as motif and theme, a seedy nightclub run by a sinister Master of Ceremonies. Joel Grey was
the original Emcee, while Alan Cumming reinterpreted the role in Sam Mendes’ West End and Broadway
productions (1998, 2014). Amid these adaptations and revivals, Isherwood published Christopher and His
Kind, shedding further light on his nocturnal Berlin years (1976). This memoir was dramatized for the screen,
which at last reveals the ‘real’ Sally Bowles, Jean Ross (2011). An intertextual mesh of media, stories, genres,
authors, characters, and agendas, the history of Cabaret is an exciting story in itself. In this course, we will
analyze most of the works mentioned, while tracing the intertextuality and history of Cabaret. That history
includes the ‘divine decadence’ of the Weimar Republic, the rise of Nazism, and the beginnings of the
Second World War. But the lives and afterlives of Cabaret also trace a complex queer genealogy, before and
after Stonewall, which continues to this day. Fulfills the Diversity of Literatures in English requirement.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: González; Distribution Requirements: ARS Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; LL - Language and Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Fall;
Course ID: CPLT284 Title: Magical Realism
This course examines fictions whose basic reality would be familiar if not for the introduction of a magical
element that undermines commonplace notions about what constitutes reality in the first place. The magical
element can be a demon, talisman, physical transformation, miraculous transition in space or time,
appearance of a second plane of existence, revelation of the unreality of the primary plane of existence, etc.
Students will read Kafka's Metamorphosis, Queneau's The Blue Flowers, Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita,
Márquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude, Calvino's If on a Winter's Night a Traveler, Pynchon's The Crying of
Lot 49, Murakami's Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World and Sokolov's School for Fools, and
short stories by Borges, Cortazar, and Nabokov.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 40; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Weiner; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CPLT285/ENG284 Title: Ghost Stories and How We Read Them
Everyone loves ghost stories, but why? Do we believe in their truth? Do we see ghosts as something that
people from other cultures or other times believe? How might the presence of ghosts be linked to historical
developments, including European colonialism? In this course, we will read stories featuring ghosts from
across the world and through modern history. We’ll also explore various kinds of literary criticism to see how
they can help us become more aware of what we’re doing when we read ghost stories. Stories and novels will
include well-known works such as Henry James’s The Turn of the Screw, Toni Morrison’s Beloved, Leslie
Maron Silko’s Ceremony, Amos Tutuola’s The Palm-Wine Drinkard, and South Korean novelist Hwang SokYong’s The Guest. The goal is to become more aware of the assumptions behind how we read and interpret
these stories. Fulfills the Diversity of Literatures in English requirement.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Instructor: Lee; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CPLT287/ENG287 Title: Capitalism and Literature
How is literature related to capitalism? How can one help us to understand the power of the other? This course
examines their shared forms and overlapping histories. We will read literary works, accounts of capitalism as a
social system and historical epoch, and criticism focused on the material basis of literature. Fiction will range
from Balzac to Ling Ma. That trajectory shows the development of capitalism from the period of the industrial
revolution in England to the complex supply chains of global capitalism in the present. Theorists will include
Marx, Adorno, Brecht, Eric Williams, and Althusser. Issues will include the commodity form, the role of slavery
and empire in the development of capitalism, class consciousness, structuralism, and neo-liberalism.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Y. Lee; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CPLT290/ENG290/JWST290 Title: Jews, African-Americans, and Other Minorities in U.S. Comics
and Graphic Novel
Comic strips, comic books, and graphic novels have throughout their history in the United States had a
complex relationship with members of minority groups, who have often been represented in racist and
dehumanizing ways. Meanwhile, though, American Jews played influential roles in the development of the
medium, and African-American, Latinx, Asian-American, and LGBTQ artists have more recently found
innovative ways to use this medium to tell their stories. In this course, we will survey the history of comics in
the U.S., focusing on the problems and opportunities they present for the representation of racial, ethnic, and
sexual difference. Comics we may read include Abie the Agent, Krazy Kat, Torchy Brown, Superman, and Love
& Rockets, as well as Art Spiegelman’s Maus, Gene Luen Yang’s American Born Chinese, Alison Bechdel’s
Fun Home, and Mira Jacob’s Good Talk.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Lambert; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CPLT294 Title: Utopia and Dystopia in Literature
In his Republic Plato described his utopia as a land where people are divided into four classes depending on
their intelligence, where a philosopher-king rules over all, and a guardian class spies and protects, where
private property is forbidden and where children are taken from their parents to be raised for the state and
taught only things that will increase their loyalty to the state. Eugenics is practiced, literature banished. Plato's
vision has inspired socialist utopian fantasies and dystopian warnings alike. Students will read Nikolai
Chernyshevsky's What's to Be Done?, H.G. Wells' Time Machine and A Modern Utopia, Evgeny Zamyatin's We,
Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, George Orwell's 1984, Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged. We will examine the
ideas and plans of Plato, Charles Fourier, Jeremy Bentham, Charles Darwin, Cecil Rhodes and others as they
take shape on the pages of the novels we read. And we will consider the extent to which the utopias we read
are prophesy or proscription.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Weiner; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CPLT319/ENG319 Title: Contemporary Anglophone Speculative Fiction
The term “speculative fiction” has emerged as an inclusive gesture towards the most exciting fiction being
written right now. Under its umbrella thrive fiction categories like Gothic, horror, science fiction, fantasy,
magical realism, dystopian, and environmental fiction (plus heady blends of all these).
Writers of color, Indigenous writers, LGBTQIA+ writers have figured prominently in the contemporary (post
2000) explosion of speculative fiction—writing about “what if” in the future or in the past has proved liberating
as a critique of colonial legacies, an exploration of transcultural and transnational experiences in the lives of
immigrants, and a re-imagining of gender.
Entering the world of Anglophone speculative fiction requires, too, reflecting on the particular historical and
cultural contexts of these texts and exploring the speculative fiction genre through scholarly essays and online
literary magazines. Among the authors: Helen Oyeyemi, Vandana Singh, Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi,
Larissa Lai, and Claire Colman.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: A 200-level ENG course, or CPLT 180, or ENG 119, or permission
of the instructor.; Instructor: Sides; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CPLT328/EALC328 Title: Seminar: The Posthuman in Contemporary East Asian Culture
The posthuman points to a deep crisis of humanism. Its most powerful critique targets the fundamental
malfunction of the existing social order, epistemological paradigm, and modes of governance, production,
trade, and culture that have menaced the human conditions and harmed the planetary ecological system. The
posthuman thinking in an East Asian context motivates a reevaluation of various modernity projects and
reconsiders the position and potentials of humanity in terms of planetary consciousness. In contemporary East
Asian culture, posthuman images are particularly applied to reflections concerning the deteriorating ecological
system, evolution or devolution enabled by mutations of the political economy, and above all, an awareness of
multiplicity that replaces the human-centric singular form of globalization. This seminar guides students to
rethink about concepts like gender, sex, class, race, and species in the emerging cultural contexts of the
Chthulucene, the Neo-Baroque, virtual reality, digital consciousness, and the metaverse. The course integrates
theoretical studies to case analyses of literary works, films, TV dramas, video games, and digital artworks from
Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Mainland China, and the Asian diaspora across the Pacific.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: One course at the 200 or 300 level on East Asian literature, history,
or culture, or CPLT 180 or another CPLT course at the 200 or 300 level.; Instructor: M. Song; Distribution
Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical
Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CPLT346/EALC346 Title: Seminar: The Chinese Script - A History of Writing in East Asia and
Beyond
This course narrates three thousand years of writing practices, with the Chinese script—the shared writing
system in premodern East Asian—as a through line. We will focus on the social implications of writing,
investigating questions such as how writing transformed political systems and interacted with ordinary people.
Units and topics of this course include: mechanics of writing systems, empire formation and writing
standardization, reading and writing practices in East Asia, evolving relationships between writings and (local,
vernacular, and national) languages, writing as a technology, cross-cultural interactions and receptions, and
finally, writing and gender. For the past two millennia, East Asia has been a source of media innovation. As we
migrate with the Chinese script from bamboo slips onto paper, from printed books onto computer screens, we
will tackle the theoretical toolkit and historical precedents for examining our current age of media disruption.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: One course at the 200 or 300 level on East Asian literature, history
or culture; or in Comparative Literature; or by permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Du; Distribution
Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; HS - Historical Studies; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CPLT350 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the director. Open to juniors and seniors.; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CPLT360 Title: Senior Thesis Research
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the director.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research (360) in
the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty member. If sufficient
progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second semester.;
Course ID: CPLT362/ES362 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: From Farm to Table to Print
When we talk about food, we think about personal passions, individual diets and eating behaviors, but we
might also think about cultural traditions, consumption disparities and food insecurities, about public health
and sustainability, animal rights, deforestation, and genome edited crops. Clearly, the topic challenges us to
address difficult questions of intersectionality (of the personal and the political, the local and the global, the
human and the non-human). In this seminar we will learn to translate academic discourses into public writing
formats that might include op-eds, social media posts, (cook) book reviews, Wikipedia entries, restaurant
reviews, and portraits of food activists.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: Open to Juniors and Seniors, or by permission of the instructor.
Not open to students who have taken GER 362.; Instructor: Nolden; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language
and Literature; Other Categories: CSPW - Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Typical Periods Offered:
Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: This course meets with GER
362.;
Course ID: CPLT364/HIST364/MES364 Title: Seminar: Film and Narratives of Social Change in the Modern
Middle East and North Africa
Filmmakers in the modern Middle East and North Africa have been at the forefront of intellectual engagement
with their societies’ major challenges. By narrating the lives of individuals caught in historical circ*mstances
not of their choosing, they have addressed issues such as incomplete decolonization and economic
exploitation, cultural and political dogmatisms, the politicization and policing of religious, gender and sexual
identities, foreign intervention and occupation, and dictatorship, civil war, and displacement. We will engage
with the form, content, and historical contexts of a range of films and analyze how they leverage aesthetic,
affective, and effective image, speech, and sound to persuade their audiences.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructors. At least one course in Middle Eastern
Studies (apart from Arabic language) will be required and preference will be given to Seniors and Juniors.;
Instructor: Aadnani (Middle Eastern Studies), Kapteijns (History); Distribution Requirements: HS - Historical
Studies; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CPLT370 Title: Senior Thesis
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: CPLT 360 and permission of the department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall; Notes: Students enroll in Senior
Thesis Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty
member. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second
semester.;
Course ID: CPLT375 Title: Translation and the Multilingual World
A study of translation in theory and in practice, in its literal and metaphorical senses alike, and of the
multilingual world in which translation takes place. Topics: translation of literary texts, translation of sacred
texts, the history and politics of translation, the lives of translators, translation and gender, machine translation,
adaptation as translation. Students taking the course at the 300 level will do a substantial independent project:
a translation, a scholarly inquiry, or a combination of the two.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: One course in literature (in any language) or permission of the
instructor. Competence in a language or languages other than English is useful but not necessary.; Instructor:
Aadnani, Parussa; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Notes: This course is also offered at the 200-level as CPLT 275.
This course can count towards the English major/minor in consultation with the instructor.;
Computer Science
Computer Science encompasses the systematic study of computing systems and computation. It is continually
evolving and expanding, making it an exciting field of study. All of the traditional areas in computer science, as
well as newer directions, are represented in our faculty's expertise (including algorithms, programming
languages, data structures, artificial intelligence, machine learning, human-computer interaction, databases,
computer architecture, networks, security, graphics, parallel computing, natural language processing,
bioinformatics, Web information retrieval, multimedia, games), allowing us to offer a large variety of courses
and substantial research opportunities for students.
For advice on making a choice about an introductory Computer Science course,
consult www.wellesley.edu/cs/curriculum/introductory.
Computer Science Major
Goals for the Computer Science Major
The aim of our program for the major is to enable students to engage in a world shaped by computation and
data, including a solid preparation for graduate work and successful career in computer science or a related
discipline. To achieve this success, computer science majors upon graduation will be able to:
Demonstrate competency in foundational areas of computer science, encompassing its theoretical
basis, software methodologies, computer hardware, and applications
Formulate, analyze, and solve computational problems
Apply computational thinking to new problems and adapt to new technologies
Communicate technical material, orally and in writing, including operating in a team-based setting and
solving problems collaboratively
Evaluate the role of computer science in society and draw connections between computer science and
other disciplines
Requirements for the Computer Science Major
Students majoring in computer science must complete CS 111 or CS112, CS 230, CS 231, CS 235, CS 240,
two 300-level CS courses, and at least two additional CS courses at the 200 or 300 level. Independent study
courses (CS 250, CS 250H, CS 350, CS 350H) and honors courses (CS 360, CS 370) do not count toward the
required courses for the major. Students who do not take CS 111 must replace this requirement with an
additional one-unit CS course at the 200 or 300 level. Computer science courses at other institutions used to
meet the nine-course requirement must be approved in advance by the department chair on an individual
basis. In addition, all majors in computer science are expected to complete MATH 225 (Combinatorics and
Graph Theory). Students may use CS 230 as their prerequisite for MATH 225. Students are encouraged
though not required to take additional MATH courses. Particularly relevant mathematics courses are MATH 206
(Linear Algebra), STAT 218 (Introductory Statistics and Data Analysis), MATH 220/STAT 220 (Probability),
STAT 221 (Statistical Inference), MATH 223 (Number Theory), MATH 305 (Abstract Algebra), MATH 309
(Foundations of Mathematics), and MATH 325 (Graph Theory). The MATH and STAT courses are considered
prerequisites for the CS degree and could be counted toward another major. Students should consult a
computer science faculty member for advice in choosing mathematics courses best suited to their interests.
Students are encouraged to consult the department's website (www.wellesley.edu/cs) for suggestions of
possible course schedules for completing the major. Students considering a junior year abroad should consult
a faculty member in the department as soon as possible in their sophom*ore year to plan a schedule of courses
to complete the major. Computer science majors should consult with a computer science faculty advisor
before electing to take a computer science course as credit/non-credit.
All computer science majors are required to participate in the Computer Science Senior Poster Fair in the
spring of their senior year, in which students present posters on a topic of interest related to computer science
(see https://www.wellesley.edu/cs/curriculum/senior for past topics). Students who are graduating early should
contact the department chair about alternative ways to satisfy this requirement.
Beginning with students who entered Wellesley College in Fall 2024, students are required to take all 200-level
core courses (CS 230, CS 231, CS 235, and CS 240) at Wellesley.
Honors in Computer Science
Students can earn honors in computer science by successfully completing an honors-quality senior thesis. A
detailed description of the senior thesis project in computer science can be found at the department's website
(www.wellesley.edu/cs/research/thesis). Majors who are interested in undertaking a senior thesis project are
urged to discuss their plans with either their advisor or the department chair as early as possible in their junior
year.
Graduate Study in Computer Science
Students who plan to pursue graduate work in computer science are strongly encouraged to develop their
background in mathematics, particularly in the areas of linear algebra, logic, probability and statistics, number
theory, and graph theory. In addition, students who are planning either graduate work or advanced technical
research or development work are strongly encouraged to pursue at least one independent study or research
project before graduating, in the form of a Wellesley course (CS 250, CS 350, CS 360), an MIT UROP, or a
summer internship. Consult www.wellesley.edu/cs/research for more details.
Advanced Placement Policy in Computer Science
Students may receive a maximum of one unit of college credit for a score of 5 on the Computer Science
Advanced Placement exam. This unit does not count toward the computer science major or minor. Students
receiving AP credit for computer science should consult with the department regarding enrollment in CS 230.
Computer Engineering
Students interested in computer engineering should consult the course listings in Extradepartmental and enroll
in ENGR 111, ENGR 120, or ENGR 160. These courses are intended to be a gateway experience for possible
subsequent engineering studies, such as the engineering certificates from the Olin College of Engineering.
The Special Academic Programs section contains a description of these certificates that represent groups of
engineering courses at Olin designed to complement a major at Wellesley. More information can be found
at www.wellesley.edu/engineering.
Interdepartmental Majors
Students interested in an interdepartmental major in Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences, Data Science, Media
Arts and Sciences, or Neuroscience are referred to these listings in the catalog.
Computer Science Minor
Requirements for the Computer Science Minor
The computer science five-course minimum minor is recommended for students whose primary interests lie
elsewhere, but who wish to obtain a fundamental understanding of computer science. The minor consists of
CS 111, CS 230, one of CS 231, CS 235, or CS 240, at least one CS course above the 100 level, and at least
one 300-level CS course. Independent study courses (CS 250, CS 250H, CS 350, CS 350H) do not count
toward the required courses for the minor. Students who do not take CS 111 must replace this requirement
with one additional one-unit CS course at the 200 or 300 level. Computer science minors should consult with a
computer science faculty advisor before electing to take a computer science course as credit/non-credit.
CS Courses
Course ID: CS110/MAS110 Title: Sociotechnical Dimensions of Computing in the Age of AI
The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way we work, interact, and make
decisions. AI is integrated into applications and devices that are woven into our daily lives. How does AI work?
What impact will AI have on individuals, communities, and our global society?
This course aims to provide students with the knowledge and skills to become informed digital citizens in the
age of AI, ready to navigate the digital landscape. Students will gain fundamental technical understanding of
how computers, the Web, and AI work, and will study three programming languages: HTML5, CSS, and
JavaScript. Students will also examine and discuss societal and ethical issues related to the Web and AI
technologies, and consider responsible and future use of these technologies.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 40; Prerequisites: Fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the
Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement. No prior background with computers is expected.;
Instructor: Shaer; Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical
Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit.;
Course ID: CS110L/MAS110L Title: Laboratory: Sociotechnical Dimensions of Computing in the Age of AI
CS 110L/MAS 110L is a required co-requisite lab for CS 110/MAS 110.
Units: 0; Max Enrollment: 13; Prerequisites: Fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the
Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement. No prior background with computers is expected.;
Instructor: Melnick; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CS111 Title: Computer Programming and Problem Solving
An introduction to problem-solving through computer programming. Students learn how to read, modify,
design, debug, and test algorithms that solve problems. Programming concepts include control structures,
data structures, abstraction, recursion, and modularity. Students explore these concepts in the context of
interactive programs, data processing, and graphics or audio, using the Python programming language.
This course has a required co-requisite laboratory - CS 111L.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: Fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the
Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement. No prior background with computers is expected.;
Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Does not fulfill the
laboratory requirement. Mandatory Credit/Non Credit.;
Course ID: CS111L Title: Laboratory: Computer Programming and Problem Solving
Accompanying required laboratory for CS 111.
Units: 0; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Staff; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Course ID: CS111X Title: Computer Programming and Problem Solving
An introduction to problem-solving through computer programming. Students learn how to read, modify,
design, debug, and test algorithms that solve problems. Programming concepts include control structures,
data structures, abstraction, recursion, and modularity. Students explore these concepts in the context of
interactive programs, data processing, and graphics or audio, using the Python programming language.
Students in this section will complete self-directed weekly labs. This section is intended for students who have
some previous programming experience, but would benefit from more before taking CS 230. Students unsure
about whether to take CS 111, CS 111X, or CS 230 as their first Wellesley CS course should complete the CS
placement questionnaire.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 36; Prerequisites: Fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the
Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement.; Instructor: Turbak; Distribution Requirements: MM Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Fall; Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit.;
Course ID: CS112 Title: Introduction to Computing for the Sciences
An introduction to problem-solving through computer programming with special focus on application to
problems relevant to physics, chemistry, and biology. Students learn how to read, modify, design, debug, and
test algorithms that solve problems. Programming concepts include control structures, problem solving
strategies, abstraction, recursion, and modularity. Students explore these concepts in the context of interactive
programs, data processing, and graphical and numerical analysis, using the Python programming language.
Students are required to attend a 2.5-hour lab where they will apply concepts learned in lecture to study topics
at the intersection of chemistry and physics. Topics might include: chemical kinetics, numerical integration,
molecular dynamics, computational biology, Monte Carlo techniques, and basic statistical analysis.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: MATH 115 and fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning portion of
the Quantitative Reasoning and Data Literacy requirement. Prerequisites or Co-requisites - one of the
following; ASTR 107, CHEM 105, CHEM 105P, CHEM 116 / BISC 116, CHEM 120, BISC 110, BISC111, BISC
112, BISC 113, GEOS 101, GEOS 102, NEUR 100, PHYS 100, PHYS 104, PHYS 106, PHYS 107, PHYS 108.;
Instructor: Sandu, Teich; Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving;
Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CS121/MAS121 Title: Intro to Game Design
Video games are a popular form of interactive media that engage players in dynamic experiences through
unprecedented combinations of storytelling, visualization, interactivity, and multi-sensory immersion. This
course will introduce students to video game production and concepts. We will develop a framework for
critically analyzing this medium, learn to identify effective strategies for creating games and describe what
elements of design impact the final experience of a game. We’ll also identify the function of user agency in this
medium to better understand how players are affected by representation in video games. Throughout the
course, students will be asked to apply these concepts while building their own games and become familiar
with the fundamentals of video game design.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: None. Open to First-Years and Sophom*ores. Juniors and Seniors
by permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Tynes; Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling
and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Spring;
Course ID: CS200 Title: OO Programming Studio in Java
CS200 introduces students to Java, and the Object Oriented Model of programming with hands-on instruction
and experience, using active learning pedagogical approaches. Students will gain knowledge and
reinforcement in fundamental programming and programming-related skills, including problem decomposition
into smaller and more manageable sub-problems, designing in the Object Oriented Model, programming in
Java, practicing fundamental constructs like conditionals, looping, usage of basic Data Structures, as well as
debugging and testing techniques. In addition, attention will be paid in developing skills around project
management, pair and team work, and identifying and evaluating reliable resources for the task at hand. With
successful completion of this course, students are expected to be independent programmers and learners,
and effective team members.
CS 200 is for students who earned credit in CS 111, and who did not receive a recommendation to continue
with CS 230.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: Fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the
Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement. Prior background with computers is expected - CS111 or
CS112, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Kakavouli, Delcourt; Distribution Requirements: MM Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CS204 Title: Introduction to Front-End Web Development
This course introduces modern web development using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. JavaScript is explored in
detail, including scoping, closures, objects, classes, object-oriented programming, and modules. The jQuery
library is also introduced, and the course covers event handling and Ajax interactions. Students will build web
pages that manage data structures using menus and forms, and that save/restore that data from local storage
resulting in a persistent, dynamic web application. Designed web pages will be modern, responsive, and
accessible. The course also covers Bootstrap and the jQuery UI (User Interface) library.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: CS 111 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Anderson;
Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered: Fall
and Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CS220 Title: Human-Computer Interaction
Human-Computer Interaction is one of the areas that have transformed the way we use computers in the last
30 years. Topics include methodology for designing and testing user interfaces, interaction styles (command
line, menus, graphical user interfaces, virtual reality, tangible user interfaces), interaction techniques (including
use of voice, gesture, eye movements), design guidelines, and user interface software tools. Students will
design a user interface, program a prototype, and test the results for usability.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: One of the following courses - CS 111, CS 115/MAS 115.;
Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CS221/MAS221 Title: Digital Worlds for Gaming
Digital games visualize compelling worlds that can resemble real-life environments and imagine other-worldly
spaces. These virtual realms frame our experience of games and their design dramatically impacts our
interpretation of their narratives and mechanics. Designers code environments to shape player agency and
weave complex relationships between game characters. This course will teach students to create digital worlds
and critically assess them as politically rich spaces that convey meaning. Students will build both 2D and 3D
digital environments, coding elements such as interactivity and non-player entities, crafting game experiences
that tell meaningful stories. CS221 continues to explore the Unity Game Engine and topics introduced by
CS121, but enrollment is suitable for any student with 100-level coding experience and an interest in game
design.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: Any 100-level CS course.; Instructor: Tynes; Distribution
Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CS230 Title: Data Structures
An introduction to techniques and building blocks for organizing large programs. Topics include: modules,
abstract data types, recursion, algorithmic efficiency, and the use and implementation of standard data
structures and algorithms, such as lists, trees, graphs, stacks, queues, priority queues, tables, sorting, and
searching. Students become familiar with these concepts through weekly programming assignments using the
Java programming language.
This course has a required co-requisite lab - CS 230L.
A student is required to have confirmation of authorization from the CS 111 faculty that is based on the mastery
of the CS 111 concepts in order to enroll in CS 230. Students who did not take CS 111 at Wellesley and who
wish to enroll in CS 230 should contact the CS department to take a placement questionnaire.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: CS 111 or permission of the instructor; Instructor: Staff;
Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered:
Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall; Notes: Does not fulfill the laboratory
requirement.;
Course ID: CS230L Title: Laboratory: Data Structures
Accompanying required laboratory for CS 230.
The grading option chosen for the lecture (CS 230) - either Letter Grade or Credit/Non Credit - will apply to the
lab as well; the final grade is a single unified grade for both lecture and lab and is based on the grading option
you choose for the lecture.
Units: 0; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Staff; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CS230P Title: Data Structures
An introduction to techniques and building blocks for organizing large programs. Topics include: modules,
abstract data types, recursion, algorithmic efficiency, and the use and implementation of standard data
structures and algorithms, such as lists, trees, graphs, stacks, queues, priority queues, tables, sorting, and
searching. Students become familiar with these concepts through *additional self-driven weekly programming
practice using the Java programming language.
Students are required to attend an additional two-hour laboratory section each week. CS 230P is open to all
students who did not meet the prerequisites for CS 230, or for students who took CS 111 before the last
semester, or students who would appreciate additional academic support because of their prior MATH and CS
experience. Class meetings are followed by a 30-minutes practice session to provide for extra time to work
with the instructor after class.
This course has a required co-requisite laboratory - CS 230PL.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 36; Prerequisites: CS 111 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Metaxas;
Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered: Fall
and Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CS230PL Title: Laboratory: Data Structures
This is a required co-requisite laboratory for CS 230P.
The grading option chosen for the lecture (CS 230P) - either Letter Grade or Credit/Non Credit - will apply to
the lab as well; the final grade is a single unified grade for both lecture and lab and is based on the grading
option you choose for the lecture.
Units: 0; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: CS 111 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Metaxas;
Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CS230X Title: Data Structures
An introduction to techniques and building blocks for organizing large programs. Topics include: modules,
abstract data types, recursion, algorithmic efficiency, and the use and implementation of standard data
structures and algorithms, such as lists, trees, graphs, stacks, queues, priority queues, tables, sorting, and
searching. Students become familiar with these concepts through weekly programming assignments using the
Java programming language.
CS230X is intended for students with significant prior experience in Java programming as demonstrated by a 5
in CS AP A, or equivalent demonstration of experience. Students in this section will complete self-directed
weekly labs. If you did not take the CS AP A exam and would like to take this class, you may take the CS
placement questionnaire to see if you qualify.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: CS 111 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Grevet Delcourt;
Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered: Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CS231 Title: Fundamental Algorithms
An introduction to the design and analysis of fundamental algorithms. General techniques covered: divide-andconquer algorithms, dynamic programming, greediness, probabilistic algorithms. Topics include: sorting,
searching, graph algorithms, compression, cryptography, computational geometry, and NP-completeness.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: CS 230 and MATH 225, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor:
Staff; Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered:
Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CS232 Title: Artificial Intelligence
What is artificial intelligence (AI) and should humans fear it as one of "our biggest existential threats"? In this
course, we will grapple with these difficult questions and investigate them in different ways. We will discuss the
development of the field from the symbolic, knowledge-rich approaches of the 20th century AI (e.g., rule-based
systems), to statistical approaches that rely on increasingly large amounts of data, including an overview of
contemporary deep learning techniques. We will explore how to apply these techniques in several AI
application areas, including robotics, computer vision, and natural language processing, and consider ethical
issues around AI in society. By the end of the semester, students should be able to answer the starting
questions in-depth and with nuance.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: CS 111 and CS 230, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: C.
Anderson; Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods
Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CS234 Title: Data, Analytics, and Visualization
As the number of our digital traces continues to grow, so does the opportunity for discovering meaningful
patterns in these traces. In this course, students will initially learn how to collect, clean, format, and store data
from digital platforms. By adopting a computational approach to statistical analysis, students will then
implement in code different statistical metrics and simulation scenarios for hypothesis testing and estimation.
Finally, students will generate meaningful visualizations for data exploration and communicating results.
Additionally, we will discuss the ethics of data collection and think critically about current practices of
experimenting with online users. Students will work in groups to create their own datasets, ask an interesting
question, perform statistical analyses and visualizations, and report the results.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: CS 230 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Mustafaraj;
Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered: Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CS235 Title: Theory of Computation
This course offers an introduction to the theory of computation. Topics include languages, regular expressions,
finite automata, grammars, pushdown automata, and Turing machines. The first part of the course covers the
Chomsky hierarchy of languages and their associated computational models. The second part of the course
focuses on decidability issues and unsolvable problems. The final part of the course investigates complexity
theory.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: CS 230 and MATH 225, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor:
Staff; Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered:
Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CS240 Title: Foundations of Computer Systems with Laboratory
This course examines how computers run programs, introducing key software and hardware abstractions and
implementations between programming languages and transistors. The course traces representation and
translation of data and programs through three broad topics in computer systems: computer hardware
implementation, including digital logic, computer arithmetic, and machine organization; the hardware-software
interface, including instruction set architecture, assembly code, and the C programming language; and
abstractions for practical systems, including the physical memory hierarchy, the operating system process
model, virtual memory, and memory management. Students complete extensive hands-on projects in
hardware and software systems. Students are required to attend one three-hour laboratory weekly.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: CS 230, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Staff;
Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; LAB - Natural and Physical
Sciences Laboratory; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Spring; Notes: This course satisfies the laboratory requirement.;
Course ID: CS240L Title: Laboratory: Foundations of Computer Systems Laboratory
Accompanying required laboratory for CS 240.
The grading option chosen for the lecture (CS 240) - either Letter Grade or Credit/Non Credit - will apply to the
lab as well; the final grade is a single unified grade for both lecture and lab and is based on the grading option
you choose for the lecture.
Units: 0; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Staff; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CS242 Title: Computer Networks
A systems-oriented approach to data networks, including a theoretical discussion of common networking
problems and an examination of modern networks and protocols. Topics include point-to-point links, packet
switching, Internet protocols, end-to-end protocols, congestion control, and security. Projects may include
client-server applications and network measurement tools.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: CS 230 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Staff;
Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered: Every
other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CS244 Title: Machine Learning
Machine learning is the science of teaching computers how to learn from observations. It is ubiquitous in our
interactions with society, such as in face recognition, web search, targeted advertising, speech processing,
and genetic analysis. It is currently at the forefront of research in artificial intelligence, and has been making
rapid strides given the vast availability of data today. This course is a broad introduction to the field, covering
the theoretical ideas behind widely used algorithms like decision trees, linear regression, support vector
machines, and many more. We will also study practical applications of these algorithms to problems in a
variety of domains, including vision, speech, language, medicine, and the social sciences.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: CS 230.; Instructor: Tjaden, Yacoby; Distribution Requirements:
MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Fall; Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit.;
Course ID: CS250 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: CS 230 or permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered:
Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall; Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit;
Course ID: CS250H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: CS 230 or permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered:
Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit;
Course ID: CS251 Title: Principles of Programming Languages
This course introduces the principles underlying the design, semantics, and implementation of modern
programming languages in major paradigms including function-oriented, imperative, and object-oriented. The
course examines: language dimensions including syntax, naming, state, data, control, types, abstraction,
modularity, and extensibility; issues in the runtime representation and implementation of programming
languages; and the expression and management of parallelism and concurrency. Students explore course
topics via programming exercises in several languages, including the development of programming language
interpreters.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: CS 230 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Turbak;
Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered:
Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CS299/PHIL222 Title: Research Methods for Ethics of Technology
How do we educate the next generation of data scientists, software engineers, and user experience designers
to think of their work as not just technical but also ethical? What moral responsibilities come with the design,
adoption, use, and consumption of digital technology? The way that these questions are interrogated,
discussed, and the sort of answers we might propose will be informed by a thoroughgoing interdisciplinary
lens. Students will learn theoretical frameworks from both Philosophy and Computational and Data Sciences
and work together to see how knowledge of frameworks from both disciplines serves to enrich our
understanding of the ethical issues that face the development and employment of digital technologies, as well
as empower us to find creative solutions. This course includes a sustained, semester-long research project,
hence the additional meeting time.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Walsh (Philosophy), Mustafaraj (Computer
Science); Distribution Requirements: REP - Religion, Ethics, and Moral Philosophy; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CS301 Title: Compiler and Runtime System Design
This course covers principles and practice in the design and implementation of modern compilers and
programming language runtime systems. Topics include lexical analysis, parsing, symbols tables, semantic
analysis, type checking, intermediate representations, program analysis and optimization, code generation,
garbage collection, and other runtime support. As time permits, the course may also survey topics including
just-in-time compilation, runtime optimization, concurrent runtime systems, or extended automatic program
error detection. Students will construct a full compiler and runtime system for a simple statically-typed
programming language over the course of the semester.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: CS 230 and at least one of CS 240 or CS 251. CS 235 is
recommended, but not required.; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling
and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not
Offered;
Course ID: CS304 Title: Databases with Web Interfaces
CS 304 is a course in full-stack web development. The stack comprises the front-end (typically a web browser),
the back-end (a database for storing and retrieving user-contributed data) and the middleware that knits the
two together. We will learn how to parse the incoming web request, route the request to the appropriate
handler, retrieve data from the database that is relevant to the user's search, combine that data with static
templates of web pages, and deliver that data to the browser. We will build endpoints to handle Ajax requests
and learn about REST APIs. We will also discuss performance, reliability, concurrency, and security issues.
In a semester project, we will create dynamic websites driven by database entries. In the fall, the CS 304 stack
will comprise Flask and MySQL. In the spring, the CS 304 stack will comprise Node.js and MongoDB.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: CS 230 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Anderson;
Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered:
Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CS307 Title: Computer Graphics
A survey of topics in computer graphics with an emphasis on fundamental techniques. Topics include:
graphics hardware, fundamentals of three-dimensional graphics including modeling, projection, coordinate
transformation, synthetic camera specification, color, lighting, shading, hidden surface removal, animation,
and texture-mapping. We also cover the mathematical representation and programming specification of lines,
planes, curves, and surfaces. Students will build graphics applications using a browser-based platform.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: CS 230 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Staff;
Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered:
Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CS313 Title: Computational Biology
Many elegant computational problems arise naturally in the modern study of molecular biology. This course is
an introduction to the design, implementation, and analysis of algorithms with applications in genomics.
Topics include bioinformatic algorithms for dynamic programming, tree-building, clustering, hidden Markov
models, expectation maximization, Gibbs sampling, and stochastic context-free grammars. Topics will be
studied in the context of analyzing DNA sequences and other sources of biological data. Applications include
sequence alignment, gene-finding, structure prediction, motif and pattern searches, and phylogenetic
inference. Course projects will involve significant computer programming in Java. No biology background is
expected.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: CS 230 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Tjaden;
Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered: Every
other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CS315 Title: Data Science for the Web
In the past decade, we have experienced the rise of socio-technical systems used by millions of people:
Google, Facebook, Twitter, Wikipedia, etc. Such systems are on the one hand computational systems, using
sophisticated infrastructure and algorithms to organize huge amounts of data and text, but on the other hand
social systems, because they cannot succeed without human participation. How are such systems built? What
algorithms underlie their foundations? How does human behavior influence their operation and vice-versa? In
this class, we will delve into answering these questions by means of: a) reading current research papers on the
inner-workings of such systems; b) implementing algorithms that accomplish tasks such as web crawling, web
search, random walks, learning to rank, text classification, topic modeling; and c) critically thinking about the
unexamined embrace of techno-solutionism using a humanistic lens.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: CS 230 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Mustafaraj;
Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered: Every
other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CS317 Title: Mobile App Development
Mobile devices have become more popular than desktops or laptops for communicating with others,
accessing information, and performing computation. This course covers the principles and practice of
developing applications for mobile devices, with an emphasis on features that distinguish them from
desktop/laptop applications and web applications. Topics include: the functionality of modern smartphones
and tablets, including device sensors, actuators, and communication; an iterative design process for apps that
people find both useful and usable; designing and implementing mobile app interfaces and behaviors; and
tools for developing software in teams.
In this hands-on and programming-intensive course, groups will build web apps and mobile apps using a
process that combines aspects of Human Computer Interaction and software engineering. This course begins
by using the React JS framework to build interactive web apps out of modular components. It then transitions
to React Native, a cross-platform component-based mobile app development environment for creating mobile
apps that run on both iOS and Android devices. The course also explores how apps can leverage cloud
databases to store and share information.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: CS 230.; Instructor: Turbak; Distribution Requirements: MM Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered
this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CS320 Title: Tangible User Interfaces
Tangible user interfaces emerge as a novel human-computer interaction style that interlinks the physical and
digital worlds. Extending beyond the limitations of the computer mouse, keyboard, and monitor, tangible user
interfaces allow users to take advantage of their natural spatial skills while supporting collaborative work.
Students will be introduced to conceptual frameworks, the latest research, and a variety of techniques for
designing and building these interfaces. Developing tangible interfaces requires creativity as well as an
interdisciplinary perspective. Hence, students will work in teams to design, prototype, and physically build
tangible user interfaces.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: CS 220 or CS 230, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor:
Shaer; Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered:
Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CS321 Title: Extended Reality
Mixed and Augmented Reality technologies combine virtual content with the physical environment, allowing
people to interact with computers and digital content in exciting new ways. These emerging human-computer
interaction paradigms have been applied to a variety of fields including medicine, education, design,
entertainment, and play. This course introduces fundamental methods, principles, and tools for designing,
programming, and testing mixed and augmented reality applications. Topics include the history of virtual and
augmented reality, application domains, hardware for 3D input and display, tracking and registration, 3D
perception, and societal implications. Students will work individually and in teams to develop novel virtual and
augmented reality experiences.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: CS 220 or CS 221 or CS 230.; Instructor: Tynes; Distribution
Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Notes: Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking Intensive Course.;
Course ID: CS323 Title: Social Computing
Social Computing systems connect us to our closest friends, and globally to people all over the world. In
recent decades, companies like Facebook, Snapchat, and even Amazon, have reshaped our social
environments. All of these systems, at their core, are designed to facilitate interactions between people. What
design decisions shape these systems? Students will learn the theoretical foundations of Social Computing
drawn from the Social Sciences, and will learn software prototyping and design techniques to create new
systems. This class will explore topics such as identity, anonymity, reputation, moderation, crowdsourcing,
and social algorithms. Students will work in teams to design, prototype, and build social computing systems.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: CS 220 or CS230.; Instructor: Delcourt; Distribution Requirements:
MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CS325 Title: Designing for Accessibility
As technology increasingly integrates with our lives, how can we ensure that its design is inclusive of users'
different abilities? CS 325 expands on the fundamentals of design and qualitative research to explore how
technology can be made accessible for diverse users, with an emphasis on people with disabilities. In this
course, we will read about and analyze approaches to inclusive technology, study how design intersects with
disability justice, learn about the history of accessible and assistive technologies, understand how to create
multimodal user experiences, learn accessible web programming, and test state-of-the-art tools. Students will
also conduct a semester-long case study project in which they work in groups to identify accessibility issues
on the Wellesley campus and work with the community to build appropriate technology solutions.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: CS 220 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Gadiraju;
Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered: Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CS331 Title: Advanced Algorithms
Explore advanced topics in the design and analysis of algorithms and data structures. The focus is on
expanding your toolkit of problem-solving techniques and considering new settings that model real-world
challenges. Topics may include: randomization, approximation algorithms, online and streaming settings,
parallel and distributed computing, linear programming and LP rounding, optimization under uncertainty, bias
and fairness in algorithms, and algorithmic foundations of data science and machine learning.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: CS 231 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Brubach;
Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered: Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CS333 Title: Natural Language Processing
Natural Language Processing (NLP) is the subfield of CS that focuses on language technology. Because
language is one of the most complex human abilities, building computational technologies that involve
language is both challenging and important. This course introduces NLP methods and applications. Students
will (1) learn core NLP algorithms and models; (2) explore the challenges posed by different aspects of human
language; (3) learn to evaluate ethical concerns about language technology; and (4) complete a series of
projects to implement and improve NLP models. We will cover a range of techniques, including n-gram
models, Bayesian classifiers, neural networks, and deep learning. Applications include parsing, sentiment
analysis, machine translation, and language generation, as well as information retrieval tasks like
summarization, topic modeling, and question-answering.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 24; Prerequisites: CS 230 and either MATH 206 or MATH 220 or MATH 225.;
Instructor: C. Anderson; Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CS334/PHIL322 Title: Seminar: Methods for Ethics of Technology
How do we educate the next generation of data scientists and software engineers to think of their work as not
just technical but also ethical? How do we get them to see that the social impact of their work requires that it
be driven by sound ethical principles? The way that these questions are interrogated, discussed, and the sort
of answers we might propose will be informed by a thoroughgoing interdisciplinary lens. Students will learn
theoretical frameworks from both Philosophy and Computational and Data Sciences and work together to see
how knowledge of frameworks from both disciplines serves to enrich our understanding of the ethical issues
that face digital technologies, as well as empower us to find creative solutions.
Central questions include: What kinds of ethical considerations are part of the everyday jobs of graduates
working in digital technology, either in non-profit or for-profit organizations? What parts of the current liberal
arts curriculum, if any, are preparing our graduates for the kinds of ethical decision-making they need to
engage in? How to expand the reach of ethical reasoning within the liberal arts curriculum, in order to
strengthen the ethical decision-making preparation? A key component in our collective efforts to engage with
these questions will involve a sustained semester-long research project with Wellesley alums working in the
field of digital tech.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: One course in Philosophy, Computer Science, MAS, or Statistics,
and permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Walsh (Philosophy), Mustafaraj (Computer Science); Distribution
Requirements: REP - Religion, Ethics, and Moral Philosophy; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered
this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CS340 Title: Modeling for Computer Systems
This course focuses on modeling and specifying computer systems. Students will learn how to reason about
the properties and expected behavior of modern software. Topics include designing specifications, propertybased testing, model checking, and satisfiability solvers. We will use real-world case studies to motivate the
analysis of reliable computer systems. By the end of the course, students will be able to (1) design
specifications for the expected behavior of a system, (2) model system behavior using state-of-the-art tools
with automated formal methods, and (3) identify and prevent software bugs. While prior experience with
algorithm design and analysis is expected, the course will cover any necessary background in systems
programming and formal methods.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: CS 111 and CS 230, or CS 111 and permission of the instructor.;
Instructor: VanHattum; Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical
Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CS341 Title: Operating Systems
This course is designed to provide a solid foundation in the design and implementation of key concepts in
existing operating systems. These concepts include process management, scheduling, multitasking,
synchronization, deadlocks, memory management, file systems, and I/O operations. Throughout the course,
the mechanism design aspects of these concepts will be discussed and assessed from the point of view of a
programmer. Moreover, more modern operating systems will be explored, such as virtual operating systems.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: CS 240 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Staff;
Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered: Every
other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CS342 Title: Computer Security and Privacy
An introduction to computer security and privacy. Topics will include privacy, threat modeling, software
security, web tracking, web security, usable security, the design of secure and privacy preserving tools,
authentication, anonymity, practical and theoretical aspects of cryptography, secure protocols, network
security, social engineering, the relationship of the law to security and privacy, and the ethics of hacking. This
course will emphasize hands-on experience with technical topics and the ability to communicate security and
privacy topics to lay and expert audiences. Assignments will include technical exercises exploring security
exploits and tools in a Linux environment; problem sets including exercises and proofs related to theoretical
aspects of computer security; and opportunities to research, write, present, and lead discussions on securityand privacy-related topics. Students are required to attend an additional 70-minute discussion section each
week.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: CS 230 and CS 240 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor:
Lerner; Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods
Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CS343 Title: Distributed Computing
What is the “cloud”? What is a distributed system? This course is for students interested in understanding the
fundamental concepts and algorithms underlying existing distributed systems. By the end of this course,
students will have the basic knowledge needed to work with and build distributed systems, such as peer-topeer systems and cloud computing systems. Topics include MapReduce, Spark, communication models,
synchronization, distributed file systems, coordination algorithms, consensus algorithms, fault-tolerance, and
security.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: CS 230 (required); CS 231 or CS 242 (recommended).; Instructor:
Bassem; Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods
Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CS344 Title: Deep Learning
Deep learning is the study of how computers can learn from data in a manner inspired by neural connections
in the human brain. It is revolutionizing how people and machines interact. This course explores the principles
and practice of modern deep learning systems. Students will design and implement their own artificial neural
networks as well as analyze massive deep learning models at the forefront of the field of machine learning.
Deep learning algorithms such as convolutional neural networks and recurrent neural networks will be applied
in a variety of domains, including medical diagnosis, self-driving cars, and large-language models. Students
will further investigate the societal impacts and ethical considerations of these deep learning systems.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: CS 230 and MATH 225.; Instructor: Tjaden; Distribution
Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CS349 Title: Probabilistic Foundations of Machine Learning
In recent years, Artificial Intelligence has enabled applications that were previously not thought possible—from
systems that propose novel drugs or generate new art/music, to systems that accurately and reliably predict
outcomes of medical interventions in real-time. But what has enabled these developments? Probabilistic
Machine Learning, a paradigm that casts recent advances in Machine Learning, like neural networks, into a
statistical learning framework. In this course, we introduce the foundational concepts behind this paradigm—
statistical model specification, and statistical learning and inference—focusing on connecting theory with realworld applications and hands-on practice. This course lays the foundation for advanced study and research in
Machine Learning. Topics include: directed graphical models, deep Bayesian regression/classification,
generative models (latent variable models) for clustering, dimensionality reduction, and time-series forecasting.
Students will get hands-on experience building models for specific tasks ,most taken from healthcare contexts,
using a probabilistic programming language based in Python.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: CS 230 and at least one of the following - MATH 205, MATH 206,
MATH 225, and permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Yacoby; Distribution Requirements: MM Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Fall;
Course ID: CS350 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Open to Juniors and Seniors.; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall; Notes: Mandatory
Credit/Non Credit;
Course ID: CS350H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall; Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit;
Course ID: CS360 Title: Senior Thesis Research
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the department.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall; Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research
(360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty member. If
sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second semester.;
Course ID: CS365/MAS365 Title: Advanced Projects in Playable Media
Students with a deep personal interest in digital game design and other forms of playable media will work in
collaborative units to explore all aspects of the game development process while contributing to a semesterlength project of their own devising. This course will require students to explore an ethical approach to game
development that will introduce new practices for ideation, pitching, designing, playtesting, and versioning
through an iterative process that will result in a finished game. This course is specifically designed for students
who have moderate experience with game development through either curricular activities or by working on
projects of their own. Students will be expected to have moderate levels of experience with the Unity Game
Engine.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: One of the following - CS 321, CS 221/MAS 221, CS 220, CS 320,
or (CS 121/MAS 121 and CS 230), or permission of the instructor (portfolio must be able to demonstrate some
previous experience with game development).; Instructor: Tynes; Distribution Requirements: MM Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Spring; Notes: This course may be used to fulfill the capstone requirement for the MAS major.;
Course ID: CS366/MAS366 Title: Advanced Projects in Interactive Media
Students with deep interest in interactive media will drive cutting-edge research that shapes and examines
novel user experiences with technology. Students will work in small groups to identify a direction of research,
explore and iterate over designs, prototype at varying fidelities, build working systems, consider ethical
implications, conduct evaluative studies, and report findings. This course is designed for students who have
experience in designing and implementing interactive media through either curricular activities or by working
on projects. Students will be expected to have moderate levels of experience with front-end web development.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 18; Prerequisites: One of the following - CS204, CS220, CS320 or CS323.; Instructor:
Shaer; Distribution Requirements: MM - Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving; Typical Periods Offered:
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Notes: This course may be used to fulfill the capstone
requirement for the MAS major.;
Course ID: CS370 Title: Senior Thesis
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: CS 360 and permission of the department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior
Thesis Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty
member. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second
semester.;
Data Science
Data Science Major
Data Science Faculty: Anny-Claude Joseph (MATH), Eni Mustafaraj (CS), Patrick McEwan (ECON), Casey
Pattanayak (MATH/QR), Wendy Wang (MATH), Jeremy Wilmer (PSYC)
Data Science Director: Casey Pattanayak (MATH/QR)
The Data Science major consists of ten (10) courses plus a 0.5 credit capstone experience. A student can
begin the major requirements in the first or second year. Students are encouraged to explore the field of data
science by taking an introductory computer science course and an introductory statistics course as early as
possible. They can take MATH 115 and/or MATH 116 in their first year as prerequisites for MATH 205, if
needed. The following courses must be taken at Wellesley: CS 230; at least one of STAT 260 and STAT 318; at
least one 300-level course in computer science; and at least one 300-level course in statistics (including STAT
318). Contact a major advisor for additional policies regarding transfer credits.
Goals of the major:
Data Science lies at the intersection of computer science, mathematics, and statistics. A student pursuing a
major in Data Science will develop a strong foundation in all three areas and complete coursework that
emphasizes the integration of the three. The capstone will ensure that students experience the challenges of
Data Science research. Students will graduate with the critical thinking needed to pose and refine questions
that can be answered with data in an ethical way with the statistical skills needed to draw meaning from data
appropriately with the computational skills needed to tackle practical data challenges with and the ability to
collaborate, communicate, and critique in the context of modern data.
Major requirements:
1. Eight (8) foundational courses:
Introductory Statistics: Any one of STAT 160, STAT 218, BISC 198, POL 299, PSYC 105, or
ECON 103/SOC 190
Intermediate Statistical Modeling: QR 260/STAT 260 (requires introductory statistics)
Advanced Statistical Modeling: STAT 318 (requires introductory statistics and linear algebra)
Introduction to Programming: CS 111
Data Structures: CS 230 (requires CS 111)
Machine Learning: Choose from CS 305, CS 313, CS 315, CS 333, CS 344, or CS 349
Multivariable Calculus: MATH 205 (requires MATH 116)
Linear Algebra: MATH 206 (requires MATH 205)
If a student places out of CS 111, they must choose an additional CS elective, as listed in (2). If a student
places out of MATH 205 or MATH 206, they must choose an additional MATH elective in consultation with
an advisor, usually MATH 220/STAT 220 or MATH 225. If a student substitutes a Quantitative Analysis
Institute Summer Program Certificate for QR 260/STAT 260, they must choose an additional STAT
elective, as listed in (2). After any such substitutions, the total number of courses for the data science
major must be ten plus the capstone (10.5).
2. Two (2) electives, including one from statistics and one from computer science, usually chosen from
the following list. See course descriptions for prerequisites. Note that some CS electives require MATH
225, which does not count toward the data science major.
CS 231: Foundational Algorithms
CS 232: Artificial Intelligence
CS 234: Data, Analytics, and Visualization
CS 244: Machine Learning
CS 299/PHIL 222: Research Methods for Ethics of Technology
CS 305: Machine Learning
CS 313: Computational Biology
CS 315: Data Science for the Web
CS 331: Advanced Algorithms
CS 333: Natural Language Processing
CS 344: Deep Learning
CS 349: Probabilistic Foundations of Machine Learning
MATH 220/STAT 220: Probability
QR 309/STAT 309: Causal Inference
STAT 219: Spatial Statistics
STAT 221: Statistical Inference
STAT 228: Multivariate Data Analysis
STAT 320: Introduction to Bayesian Statistical Methods
3. The data science major capstone course, DS 340H (0.5 credits). DS 340H must be taken at Wellesley.
Students will be assigned to enroll in DS 340H during a particular senior year semester. Prior to enrolling
in DS 340H, students must have completed QR 260/STAT 260, STAT 318, or the QAI Summer Program,
and a 300-level CS course that counts toward data science.
Honors
A student may achieve honors by writing a thesis, if the student’s GPA in major courses over the 100-level
meets the college’s requirements. See Academic Distinctions.
Further information:
Further information—e.g., policies regarding honors theses, courses taken elsewhere, and double majoring or
minoring in related fields—will be provided by the data science faculty.
Transition from previously approved individual structured major in Data Science: Students entering in Fall 2023
or later will complete the 10.5-unit major in Data Science rather than the previous individual structured major.
Any student who entered before Fall 2023 but did not have an individual major proposal approved before Fall
2023 will complete the 10.5-unit major. Students whose proposals for individual structured majors in data
science were approved prior to Fall 2023 may either complete their planned individual major sequences or
speak to their advisors about shifting to the 10.5-unit major. Changing from an approved individual major to
the 10.5-unit major requires the approval of the Data Science Director.
DS Courses
Course ID: DS340H Title: Capstone in Data Science
Senior data science majors enroll in this course in order to meet the major’s capstone requirement. The goal is
to integrate and solidify the concepts learned in previous major courses. Students will demonstrate the ability
to conduct applied projects via the steps in the data science process. Students will complete the capstone with
the critical thinking needed to pose and refine questions that can be answered with data in an ethical way; the
statistical skills needed to draw meaning from data appropriately; the computational skills needed to tackle
practical data challenges; and the ability to collaborate, communicate, and critique in the context of modern
data. The course is also a chance to practice and demonstrate key technical skills, such as code sharing on
github or a strong command of data science libraries in both Python and R. At the end of the course, students
will have created a project or portfolio that can be shared publicly. The course must be taken for a letter grade.
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: QR 260/STAT 260 or STAT 318 or QAI Certificate, and at least
one 300-level CS course that counts toward the data science major. Permission of the instructor required.;
Instructor: Joseph, McEwan, Mustafaraj, Pattanayak, W. Wang, Wilmer; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and
Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: DS350 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 10; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and
Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: DS350H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and
Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Course ID: DS360 Title: Senior Thesis Research
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 10; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and
Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall; Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research
(360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty member. If
sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second semester.;
Course ID: DS370 Title: Senior Thesis
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 10; Prerequisites: DS 360 and permission of the department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Fall and Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior
Thesis Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty
member. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second
semester.;
East Asian Languages and Cultures
The Department of East Asian Language and Cultures offers EALC majors and minor with three different tracks
focusing on The Chinese Language and Cultures, Japanese Language and Cultures, and Korean Language
and Culture.
The languages and cultures of China, Japan and Korea play a critical role in our increasingly interconnected
world. Through rigorous study of these enduring and ever more relevant East Asian languages and cultures,
our students experience the life-changing rewards of alternative perspectives, greater confidence, and sharper
cognitive abilities. Deeply fulfilling on a personal level, coursework in EALC prepares students for the global
world of professional possibility that lies beyond Wellesley.
East Asian Languages and Cultures Major
Goals for all students taking East Asian Languages and Cultures courses
Comprehend literary works, newspaper reports, historical accounts, social media, audiovisual
materials, and other authentic materials in the target language at the intermediate advanced level
Present ideas in the target language and master levels of formality appropriate to specific social and
professional settings
Deepen understanding of East Asian socio-cultural practices through classroom work and study
abroad experience
Demonstrate knowledge of East Asian classical traditions as well as modern contemporary East Asian
national literatures and cultures
Identify salient marks of East Asian national cultures and draw connections among them
Assemble research materials in both English and primary language sources
Demonstrate analytic ability by employing methodologies that pertain to the subject of study
The department reserves the right to place a student in the language course for which she is best prepared
regardless of the number of units she has offered for admission.
East Asian Languages and Cultures Major
The Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures trains students to achieve fluency in Chinese,
Japanese, and/or Korean language; attain familiarity with the cultural, literary, and linguistic traditions of East
Asia; and become sophisticated readers of East Asian texts. EALC majors generally choose to focus on one
area of East Asia: China, Japan or Korea. At the same time, the Department recommends that students take
one or more courses with the EALC designation. (These courses cover China, Japan, and Korea in one
semester.) Students are strongly encouraged to begin their study of an East Asian language during their first
year at Wellesley. Students with intermediate or advanced language proficiency are required to take a
placement test to determine their proper course level. All students will choose an advisor from faculty within
the department and will design their major in consultation with their advisor. Additionally, the Department
strongly recommends that students spend a summer, semester, or full year studying at an approved program
in the country where their language is spoken.
The EALC-Chinese major consists of a minimum of 8 units distributed as follows:
1. Gateways to East Asia (EALC 221)
2. Three core language courses to be fulfilled by either:
Track One: CHIN 202, CHIN 301, CHIN 302
Track Two: CHIN 203, CHIN 204, and CHIN 306
3. Two non-language courses, of which one must be a 200-level survey course.
4. Two 300-level courses taken at Wellesley. One of these courses must be an advanced seminar in
English with the CHIN designation. Only one may have the EALC designation.
5. Students who wish to study two East Asian languages must finish 202 in one language before
beginning the second one.
6. One unit from another department at Wellesley may count toward the major provided the course is
relevant to the student’s program of study.
7. Only one independent study (350) can count toward the major.
The EALC-Japanese major consists of a minimum of 8 units distributed as follows:
1. Gateways to East Asia (EALC 221)
2. Three core language courses to be fulfilled by JPN 202, JPN 231, JPN 232
3. Two non-language courses of which one must be a 200-level survey course
4. Two 300-level courses taken at Wellesley. One of these must be an advanced 300-level seminar in
English with a JPN designation. Only one may have the EALC designation.
5. Students who wish to study two East Asian languages must finish 202 in one language before
beginning the second one.
6. One unit from another department at Wellesley may count toward the major provided the course is
relevant to the student’s program of study.
7. Only one independent study (350) can count toward the major.
The EALC-Korean major consists of a minimum of 8 units distributed as follows:
1. Gateways to East Asia (EALC 221)
2. Three core language courses to be fulfilled by KOR 202, KOR 231, KOR 232
3. Two non-language courses of which one must be a 200-level survey course
4. Two 300-level courses taken at Wellesley. EALC courses at the 300-level satisfy the requirement.
Students on the Korea track may also take one 300-level from the China and Japan tracks.
5. Students who wish to study two East Asian languages must finish 202 in one language before
beginning the second one.
6. One unit from another department at Wellesley may count toward the major provided the course is
relevant to the student’s program of study.
7. Only one independent study (350) can count toward the major.
Sample China-track major:
CHIN 103 & CHIN 104
Advanced Beginning Chinese
CHIN 203 & CHIN 204
Advanced Intermediate Chinese
CHIN 306
Advanced Readings in Twentieth-Century Literature and Culture
CHIN 220 or CHIN 320
The Fall of the Ming
CHIN 208
Modern Chinese Literature
CHIN 311
Dream of the Red Chamber (in English)
CHIN 382
Science Fiction and the Future of China
EALC 221
Gateways to East Asia
Sample Japan-track major:
JPN 101 & JPN 102
Beginning Japanese
JPN 201 & JPN 202
Intermediate Japanese
JPN 231 & JPN 232
Selected Readings in Advanced Japanese (3rd-year)
JPN 280
Japanese Popular Culture
JPN 309
Japanese Social Science Readings (in Japanese)
JPN 352
Postwar Japanese Literary and Visual Culture (in English)
EALC 221
Gateways to East Asia
EALC 236
The Girl in Modern East Asian Culture(in English)
Sample Korea-track major:
KOR 101 & KOR 102
Beginning Korean
KOR 201 & KOR 202
Intermediate Korean
KOR 206
An Introduction to Korean Language and Culture(In English)
KOR 231 & KOR 232
Advanced Intermediate Korean
KOR 256
Gender and Language in Modern Korean Culture
KOR 309
Professional Korean Through contemporary Texts and
Multimedia
EALC 221
Gateways to East Asia
EALC 345
Seminar: Language, Nationalism, and Identity in East Asia
Honors in East Asian Languages and Cultures
The only route to honors in the Chinese Language and Culture and Japanese Language and Culture majors
requires writing a thesis and passing an oral examination. To be admitted to the thesis program, a student
must have a grade point average of at least 3.5 in all work in the major field above the 100 level; the
department may petition on her behalf if her GPA in the major is between 3.0 and 3.5. See Academic
Distinctions.
Teacher Certification in East Asian Languages and Cultures
Students interested in seeking certification in teaching Chinese or Japanese should speak with the chairs of
the EALC department and the Education department early in their college career.
Transfer Credits in East Asian Languages and Cultures
The transfer of credit (either from another American institution or from a program abroad) is not automatic.
Students wishing to transfer credit from another institution must present proof of course content and
performance to the EALC chair in the form of syllabi, written work, exams, and transcripts, as well as establish
which EALC requirements are replaced by the transferred credits. Students wishing to transfer credit for
language courses may additionally be required to take a placement test administered by the department upon
their return to Wellesley. Relevant coursework at MIT (usually under the 21F or 21H designation) may be
counted as Wellesley courses with the permission of the chair.
For students wishing to count transfer credit toward a major or minor in the department, the following
restrictions apply:
A minimum of four units of coursework for the major or a minimum of two units of coursework for the
Chinese, Japanese, and Korean minors must be completed within EALC at Wellesley
A maximum of three units towards the major and two units toward the minor may be transferred from
another institution
Non-language courses at the 300 level must be taken within the department for credit toward the major
in Chinese and Japanese.
Advanced Placement Policies and Language Requirement in East Asian Languages and
Cultures
A student entering Wellesley must have an Advanced Placement score of 5 or SAT II score of 690 to satisfy the
foreign language requirement. AP courses will not be counted toward majors or minors offered by the EALC
department. All students who wish to register for a Chinese, Japanese, or Korean class must take the
appropriate placement examination. The department reserves the right to place a new student in the language
course for which she seems best prepared regardless of her AP or SAT II score.
International Study in East Asian Languages and Cultures
In order to obtain credit for international study, students must obtain prior consent from the Office of
International Study and the EALC department chair, as well as satisfy the requirements for transferring credit
listed above.
East Asian Languages and Cultures-Chinese Related Courses
CPLT 236 / EALC 236
The Girl in Modern East Asian Culture(In English)
1.0
EALC 221
Gateways to East Asia (in English)
1.0
EALC 225
Traditional Romances of East Asia(In English)
1.0
EALC 325
Traditional Romances of East Asia (in English)
1.0
EALC 345
Seminar: Languages, Nationalism, and Identity in East
Asia(in English)
1.0
East Asian Languages and Cultures-Japanese Related Courses
CPLT 236 / EALC 236
The Girl in Modern East Asian Culture(In English)
1.0
EALC 221
Gateways to East Asia (in English)
1.0
EALC 225
Traditional Romances of East Asia (in English)
1.0
EALC 325
Traditional Romances of East Asia (In English)
1.0
EALC 345
Seminar: Languages, Nationalism, and Identity in East
Asia(in English)
1.0
East Asian Languages and Cultures-Korean Related Courses
AMST 212
Korean American Literature and Culture(In English)
1.0
CPLT 236 / EALC 236
The Girl in Modern East Asian Culture(In English)
1.0
EALC 221
Gateways to East Asia (in English)
1.0
EALC 225
Traditional Romances of East Asia (in English)
1.0
EALC 325
Traditional Romances of East Asia (in English)
1.0
EALC 345
Seminar: Languages, Nationalism, and Identity in East
Asia(In English)
1.0
Chinese Language and Culture Minor
Requirements for the Minor in Chinese Language and Culture
The minor in Chinese Language and Culture consists of five courses distributed as follows:
1. Two core language courses to be fulfilled by either
Track 1: CHIN 202 and CHIN 301 or
Track 2: CHIN 204, and one of the following: CHIN 306 or CHIN 307, or CHIN 310
2. Two non-language CHIN or EALC courses drawn from the offerings of faculty in the department,
including one at the 300-level (not including CHIN 310):
CHIN 208, CHIN 209, CHIN 211/CHIN 311, CHIN 212/CHIN 312, CHIN 213/CHIN 313, CHIN 223/CHIN
323, CHIN 225, CHIN 230/CHIN 330, CHIN 231/CHIN 331, CHIN 232/CHIN 332, CHIN 243, CHIN
244/CHIN 344, CHIN 245/CHIN 345, CHIN 326, CHIN 338, CHIN 339, CHIN 343, CHIN 381 and EALC
221, EALC 225/EALC 325.
3. The fifth course may be a non-language course drawn from the above, an advanced language course
(for Track 1, CHIN 302 or above; for Track 2, any of CHIN 306, CHIN 307, or CHIN 310), or, with the
permission of the chair, a course with significant China-related content taken outside the department.
Students entering with advanced language preparation may substitute alternative literature/language courses
as necessary with departmental permission. Students should work out their program in consultation with their
advisors.
Japanese Language and Culture Minor
Requirements of the Minor in Japanese Language and Culture
The Japanese minor consists of a minimum of five units of language or non-language courses at the 200-level
or above with either JPN or EALC designations and normally includes JPN 201 and JPN 202. At least one
course must be a non-language course and at least one course must be taken at the 300 level. Students must
choose an advisor from within the Japanese program. Only one unit may be transferred from another
institution to fulfill requirements for the minor.
Korean Language and Culture Minor
Requirements of the Minor in Korean Language and Culture
The Korean minor consists of a minimum of five units of language or non-language courses at the 200-level or
above, normally including KOR 201 and KOR 202. At least one course must be a non-language course. No
more than one course may have the EALC designation, and the others should all have the KOR designation.
Upper-level language work is highly recommended. Students must choose an advisor from within the Korean
program. Only one unit may be transferred from another institution to fulfill requirements for the minor.
Students entering with advanced language preparation must still complete a year of Korean language and take
three additional units, following the guidelines above.
CHIN Courses
Course ID: CAMS203/CHIN243 Title: Chinese Cinema (in English)
This course explores the cinematic conventions and experiments employed by Chinese filmmakers over the
past hundred years. Unique Chinese film genres such as left-wing melodrama, martial arts films and model
play adaptations, as well as the three "new waves" in China's recent avant-garde cinema, will be examined and
discussed. Individual filmic visions and techniques experimented with by important directors such as Fei Mu,
Hou Hsiao-hsien, Zhang Yimou, and Jia Zhangke will be closely analyzed. Class discussions will aim to help
students understand the history, politics, and aesthetics of Chinese cinema. Theoretical aspects of film studies
will also be incorporated into class readings and discussions. No prior knowledge of China or film studies is
required.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: M. Song; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Every
other year; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CHIN101 Title: Beginning Chinese I
An introductory course that teaches the skills of listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing in
Mandarin Chinese. Emphasis is on pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and communication. Computer
programs for pronunciation, listening comprehension, grammar, and writing Chinese characters will be used
extensively.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: None. Open only to students with no Chinese language
background.; Instructor: M. Chen; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CHIN102 Title: Beginning Chinese II
An introductory course that teaches the skills of listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing in
Mandarin Chinese. Emphasis is on pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and communication. Computer
programs for pronunciation, listening comprehension, grammar, and writing Chinese characters will be used
extensively.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: CHIN 101 or placement by the department.; Instructor: M.
Chen; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CHIN103 Title: Advanced Beginning Chinese I
An introductory course that teaches the skills of listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing in
Mandarin Chinese. Emphasis is on pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and communication. Computer
programs for pronunciation, listening comprehension, grammar, and writing Chinese characters will be used
extensively.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Placement by the department. Open to students who can speak
some Chinese (Mandarin or other Chinese dialects), or who have some knowledge in reading and writing
Chinese characters.; Instructor: Zhao; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Fall;
Course ID: CHIN104 Title: Advanced Beginning Chinese II
An introductory course that teaches the skills of listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing in
Mandarin Chinese. Emphasis is on pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and communication. Computer
programs for pronunciation, listening comprehension, grammar, and writing Chinese characters will be used
extensively.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: CHIN 103 or placement by the department.; Instructor: Tang;
Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CHIN201 Title: Intermediate Chinese I
Further training in listening comprehension, oral expression, reading, and writing.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: CHIN 102 or placement by the department.; Instructor: Tang;
Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CHIN202 Title: Intermediate Chinese II
Further training in listening comprehension, oral expression, reading and writing.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: CHIN 201 or placement by the department.; Instructor: Chen;
Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered
this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CHIN203 Title: Advanced Intermediate Chinese I
Further training in listening comprehension, oral expression, reading, and writing.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: CHIN 104 or placement by the department.; Instructor: Chen;
Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CHIN204 Title: Advanced Intermediate Chinese II
Further training in listening comprehension, oral expression, reading, and writing.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: CHIN 203 or placement by the department.; Instructor: Zhao;
Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered
this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CHIN211 Title: Dream of the Red Chamber in Chinese Literature and Culture (in English)
Variously known in English as Dream of the Red Chamber, A Dream of Red Mansions, and The Story of the
Stone, Honglou meng is the most widely discussed Chinese novel of all time. Written in the mid-eighteenth
century, the novel offers telling insight into Chinese culture as it once was and as it remains today. The novel is
still wildly popular due to its tragic love story, its sensitive depiction of the plight of the talented woman in late
imperial culture, and its narrative intricacies. The goal of the course is to understand the novel both as a literary
text and as a cultural phenomenon. Optional extra sessions will accommodate those who wish to read and
discuss the novel in Chinese.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. Not open to students who have taken CHIN 311.; Instructor:
Widmer; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Notes: This course is also offered at the 300-level as CHIN 311.;
Course ID: CHIN214 Title: Love and Other Emotions in Ancient China
What are emotions? Are they innate and universal, or do they vary across time, societies, and languages? How
do humans express and describe emotions? How should individuals and societies relate to the experience and
expression of emotions? Such questions sparked an animated debate among early Chinese thinkers (5th c.
BCE–220 CE), a debate we will continue in this course. We begin by surveying ancient and modern theories of
emotion. The subsequent unit turns to the representations of different emotions in early Chinese literature and
philosophical writings, where we explore whether our experiences of love, joy, and grief are comparable
across ancient and modern contexts. In the final unit, we evaluate different philosophical proposals—from
Confucian, Daoist, and Legalist lineages—for how to cultivate and regulate emotions.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Du; Distribution Requirements: EC Epistemology and Cognition; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CHIN220 Title: The Fall of the Ming in 1644, An Event in World Culture (In English)
The Ming (1368) was a glorious dynasty, and its fall was “heard round the world." The course approaches its
glory and fall through novels (such as The Water Margin and The Plum in a Golden Vase), short stories (by
Feng Menglong and others), and dramas like Peach Blossom Fan. Elsewhere in East Asia, too, the Ming was a
theme in literature, especially at the time of its fall. Works by Chikamatsu (Japanese) and Ho Kyun (Korean)
serve as illustrations. Additionally, dramas from Holland and England provide some measure of the impact of
this event in Europe. In the last third of the course we will survey this group of writings by non-Chinese and use
them to show how reactions varied, depending on the nationality of the observer. Finally, we will read a
Cantonese opera composed in the twentieth century. It is one sign of the topic's continuing currency
throughout the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), and it highlights south China's longstanding resistance to the Qing.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. Not open to students who have taken CHIN 320.; Instructor:
Widmer; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; HS - Historical Studies; Typical Periods
Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Notes: This course is also offered at the 300-level as
CHIN 320.;
Course ID: CHIN233 Title: Masterworks of Chinese Fiction
Of China's six great novels, four (Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Outlaws of the Marsh, Journey to the West,
and Plum in the Golden Vase) were products of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). What were the reasons for
this important new development in Chinese literature? They include new patterns in consumption and
publishing, among other factors. And how did this development lead to the emergence of a theory of the
novel in the mid-seventeenth century? Here we will seek to understand the approaches of major theorists.
Finally, how do the four masterworks contrast with the Chinese short story, which underwent a parallel
advance at exactly the same time? The difference between complex and simple plots will be our key to an
answer. We will spend two to three weeks on each of the four novels then conclude with a look at some short
stories. Readings and discussions will be in English. Optional sessions discussing short selections of each
novel in Chinese will be offered intermittently.
Two short papers, one short report, and one final paper are required. No prerequisites for entering the
course.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: None. Not open to students who have taken CHIN 333.; Instructor:
Widmer; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: The course is also offered at the 300-level as CHIN 333.;
Course ID: CHIN236/CPLT237 Title: China on the Silver Screen
This course introduces students to the Chinese cultural and literary tradition through the lens of modern
reception and cinematic representation. Beginning with Confucius and ending with the last emperor of the
imperial period (221 BCE–1911 CE), we will explore key historical turning points, influential philosophical
works, and major literary genres. By pairing historical writings (in English translation) with iconic blockbusters
and arthouse films, students will analyze in what ways and to what ends film adaptations transform their source
materials. We will also delve into the complex and often fraught relationships between the past and present in
contemporary Sinophone contexts.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Du; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language
and Literature; ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CHIN242 Title: Supernatural China
Confucius in the Analects asserts that “The Master never spoke of the strange, the violent, the disorderly, and
the numinous.” Yet “recording the strange” was a thriving literary genre in classical and imperial China—one
collection of supernatural tales was in fact entitled What the Master Never Spoke Of. How do we understand
this contradiction? This course is a survey of stories and essays on ghosts, spirits, talking animals, and spooky
events, beginning from the earliest Chinese writings incised on turtle shells to the twentieth century. We will
examine changing worldviews and religious practices during these three millennia, retracing the storylines
retold around East Asia and across media ancient and modern.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Du; Distribution Requirements: REP - Religion,
Ethics, and Moral Philosophy; LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CHIN244 Title: Classical Chinese Theater (in English)
This course covers three basic categories of traditional theater in China. It begins with the short form known as
zaju of the Yuan Dynasty (thirteenth to the fourteenth centuries), when dramatic works began to be written by
identifiable authors. Next come the long and elaborate chuanqi (or kunqu) of the Ming and Qing Dynasties
(fourteenth to twentieth centuries), including the still performed Peony Pavilion by Tang Xianzu. The last
category is Peking opera, a form that originated during the second half of the Qing Dynasty, around 1790, and
is regularly performed today. Most of our dramas were written by men, but we will also look at a few by
women. The interrelation between forms will be discussed, as will the effects of the Cultural Revolution of 196676 on Peking opera and other opera forms. Lastly such perennial themes as Mulan and The White Snake will
be surveyed.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. Not open to students who have taken CHIN 344.; Instructor:
Widmer; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and
Video; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Notes: This course is also
offered at the 300-level as CHIN 344 with additional assignments.;
Course ID: CHIN245 Title: Chinese Women in a Century of Revolution (In English)
The period 1850-1950 witnessed five political revolutions in China. Each one had an impact on the status of
women. By the end of the hundred years, the stay-at-home, bound-footed gentlewoman was no more, and
old-style dreams in which women changed gender to pursue careers or fight wars had faded away. Instead a
whole new reality for women had emerged. This course explores these changes through the writings of male
sympathizers, western missionaries, and most importantly Chinese women themselves. In bridging the “late
imperial” and “modern” eras and in its emphasis on women’s voices, it offers a distinctive take on the period
under review. Although the story is Chinese, it is a part of women’s history worldwide.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None. Not open to students who have taken CHIN 345.; Instructor:
Widmer; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; HS - Historical Studies; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Notes: This course is also offered at the 300level as CHIN 345.;
Course ID: CHIN250 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CHIN250H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CHIN301 Title: Advanced Chinese I
This course is designed to further expand students' comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing skills.
Reading materials will be selected from newspapers, short stories, essays, and films. Students will study
Chinese and China from different perspectives. In addition to authentic audio and videotapes, Chinese
learning APPs will also be used as study aids. The class is conducted in Chinese.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: CHIN 202 or placement by the department.; Instructor: Zhao;
Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CHIN302 Title: Advanced Chinese II
Advanced language skills are further developed through reading, writing, and discussions. Reading materials
will be selected from a variety of authentic Chinese texts. Students will study Chinese and China from different
perspectives. In addition to authentic audio and videotapes, Chinese learning APPs will also be used as study
aids. The class is conducted in Chinese.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: CHIN 301 or placement by the department.; Instructor: Tang;
Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered
this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CHIN306 Title: Advanced Reading in Twentieth-Century Literature and Culture
This course is designed to further expand and refine students' language skills through intensive reading of
authentic Chinese materials, such as novels, short stories, essays, and plays and through viewing of
contemporary Chinese films. Particular attention will be paid to increasing levels of literary appreciation and to
enriching understanding of the sociocultural contexts from which our readings have emerged.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: CHIN 204 or CHIN 302 or placement by the department.; students
entering the course through CHIN 301 are strongly encouraged to first complete CHIN 302 as well.; Instructor:
Chen; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: CHIN311 Title: Dream of the Red Chamber in Chinese Literature and Culture (in English)
Variously known in English as Dream of the Red Chamber, A Dream of Red Mansions, and The Story of the
Stone, Honglou meng is the most widely discussed Chinese novel of all time. Written in the mid-eighteenth
century, the novel offers telling insight into Chinese culture as it once was and as it remains today. The novel is
still wildly popular due to its tragic love story, its sensitive depiction of the plight of the talented woman in late
imperial culture, and its narrative intricacies. The goal of the course is to understand the novel both as a literary
text and as a cultural phenomenon. Optional extra sessions will accommodate those who wish to read and
discuss the novel in Chinese. This course may be taken as CHIN 211 or, with additional assignments, as CHIN
311.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: One previous course on Chinese history or culture. Not open to
students who have taken CHIN 211.; Instructor: Widmer; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and
Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Notes: This course is
also offered at the 200-level as CHIN 211.;
Course ID: CHIN320 Title: The Fall of the Ming in 1644, An Event in World Culture (In English)
The Ming (1368) was a glorious dynasty, and its fall was “heard round the world." The course approaches its
glory and fall through novels (such as The Water Margin and The Plum in a Golden Vase), short stories (by
Feng Menglong and others), and dramas like Peach Blossom Fan. Elsewhere in East Asia, too, the Ming was a
theme in literature, especially at the time of its fall. Works by Chikamatsu (Japanese) and Ho Kyun (Korean)
serve as illustrations. Additionally, dramas from Holland and England provide some measure of the impact of
this event in Europe. In the last third of the course we will survey this group of writings by non-Chinese and use
them to show how reactions varied, depending on the nationality of the observer. Finally, we will read a
Cantonese opera composed in the twentieth century. It is one sign of the topic's continuing currency
throughout the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), and it highlights south China's longstanding resistance to the Qing.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None. Not open to students who have taken CHIN 220.; Instructor:
Widmer; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; HS - Historical Studies; Typical Periods
Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Notes: This course is also offered at the 200-level as
CHIN 220.;
Course ID: CHIN333 Title: Masterworks of Chinese Fiction
Of China's six great novels, four (Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Outlaws of the Marsh, Journey to the West,
and Plum in the Golden Vase) were products of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). What were the reasons for
this important new development in Chinese literature? They include new patterns in consumption and
publishing, among other factors. And how did this development lead to the emergence of a theory of the
novel in the mid-seventeenth century? Here we will seek to understand the approaches of major theorists.
Finally, how do the four masterworks contrast with the Chinese short story, which underwent a parallel
advance at exactly the same time? The difference between complex and simple plots will be our key to an
answer. We will spend two to three weeks on each of the four novels then conclude with a look at some short
stories. Readings and discussions will be in English. Optional sessions discussing short selections of each
novel in Chinese will be offered intermittently. Compared to CHIN 233, this course will have one extra paper
and one extra report.
Three short papers, two short reports, and one final paper are required. Students should have taken one
previous course in Chinese culture or history.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Not open to students who have taken
CHIN 233.; Instructor: Widmer; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods
Offered: Fall and Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: The course is also
offered at the 200-level as CHIN 233.;
Course ID: CHIN338 Title: Reading in Modern Chinese Literature
This course guides students to explore Chinese literary modernity through authentic literary texts written by
major Chinese writers of the past hundred years. It aims to give students the opportunity to deepen their
understanding of modern China in both its historical and cultural practice. Instead of language training, literary
and cultural analyses will be emphasized. Class discussions will be conducted in Chinese, and students are
expected to offer their critical responses to readings through oral presentations and papers written in Chinese.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: CHIN 306 and CHIN 307 or placement by the department.;
Instructor: Du; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CHIN344 Title: Classical Chinese Theater (in English)
This course covers three basic categories of traditional theater in China. It begins with the short form known as
zaju of the Yuan Dynasty (thirteenth to the fourteenth centuries), when dramatic works began to be written by
identifiable authors. Next come the long and elaborate chuanqi (or kunqu) of the Ming and Qing Dynasties
(fourteenth to twentieth centuries), including the still performed performed Peony Pavilion by Tang Xianzu. The
last category is Peking opera, a form that originated during the second half of the Qing Dynasty, around 1790,
and is regularly performed today. Most of our dramas were written by men, but we will also look at a few by
women. The interrelation between forms will be discussed, as will the effects of the Cultural Revolution of 196676 on Peking opera and other opera forms. Lastly such perennial themes as Mulan and The White Snake will
be surveyed.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: One previous course in Chinese history or culture. Not open to
students who have taken CHIN 244.; Instructor: Widmer; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and
Literature; ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered
this Academic Year: Spring; Notes: This course is also offered at the 200-level as CHIN 244.;
Course ID: CHIN345 Title: Chinese Women in a Century of Revolution (In English)
The period 1850-1950 witnessed five political revolutions in China. Each one had an impact on the status of
women. By the end of the hundred years, the stay-at-home, bound-footed gentlewoman was no more, and
old-style dreams in which women changed gender to pursue careers or fight wars had faded away. Instead a
whole new reality for women had emerged. This course explores these changes through the writings of male
sympathizers, western missionaries, and most importantly Chinese women themselves. In bridging the “late
imperial” and “modern” eras and in its emphasis on women's voices, it offers a distinctive take on the period
under review. Although the story is Chinese, it is a part of women's history worldwide. Additional reading and
writings will be assigned to students with advanced-level Chinese reading proficiency. This course may be
taken as CHIN 245 or, with additional assignments, as CHIN 345.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: One prior course in EALC, EAS or WGST. Not open to student who
have taken CHIN 245.; Instructor: Widmer; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; HS Historical Studies; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Notes: This
course is also offered at the 200-level as CHIN 245.;
Course ID: CHIN350 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Open to juniors and seniors.; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CHIN350H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: CHIN360 Title: Senior Thesis Research
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the department.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research
(360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty member. If
sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second semester.;
Course ID: CHIN370 Title: Senior Thesis
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: CHIN 360 and permission of the department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior
Thesis Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty
member. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second
semester.;
Course ID: CHIN381 Title: Eileen Chang (in English)
This seminar offers an intensive study of the writings of Eileen Chang, one of the most important Chinese
writers. Close analysis of her literary style will be combined with discussions on such key concepts of the
Chinese literary modernity: gender, nation, cosmopolitanism, affectivity, subjectivity, and diaspora. Her major
works will be read in biographical, historical and cultural contexts, with considerations of the classical novels
influencing her as well as the modern and postmodern writers and filmmakers working under her influences.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: One course at the 200 or 300 level on Chinese literature, history or
culture, or by permission of the instructor.; Instructor: M. Song; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and
Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: CHIN382/CPLT382 Title: Seminar: Science Fiction and the Future of China (In English)
This seminar guides students to explore the political, cultural, and epistemological changes represented in
Chinese science fiction. It contextualizes the genre’s evolution in the intellectual history of modern China,
where imagining the future of China is often the focus of contending ideologies and intellectual trends. The
course introduces students to three booms of Chinese science fiction, which all happened when China went
through drastic changes. The contemporary new wave of science fiction particularly presents a subversive
vision of China’s pursuit of power and wealth, a dystopian counterpart to the government-promoted “Chinese
dream.” This course examines the cutting-edge literary experiments that characterize the new wave, and
studies the transgression of gender, class, and nation in science fiction that evokes sensations ranging from
the uncanny to the sublime, from the corporeal to the virtual, and from the apocalyptic to the transcendent.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: One course at the 200 or 300 level on Chinese literature, history or
culture, or by permission of the instructor.; Instructor: O'Krent; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and
Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not
Offered;
EALC Courses
Course ID: CPLT236/EALC236 Title: The Girl in Modern East Asian Culture (In English)
In East Asia, the rise of the girl in literary and popular culture coincides with the appearance of modernity itself.
Beginning with the ‘modern girl,' we move chronologically, exploring coming-of-age tropes in East Asian
fiction, manga, anime, and film. How does the objectification of the adolescent girl illuminate issues around
ethnicity, national identity, sexuality, even globalization? What national anxieties hover around girls' bodies?
We read texts in English translation and explore models of female development that might aid us in our
exploration of this cultural phenomenon. Secondary readings include works by Sigmund Freud, Julia Kristeva,
Marianne Hirsch, Carol Gilligan, Elizabeth Grosz, among others.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Zimmerman; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CPLT328/EALC328 Title: Seminar: The Posthuman in Contemporary East Asian Culture
The posthuman points to a deep crisis of humanism. Its most powerful critique targets the fundamental
malfunction of the existing social order, epistemological paradigm, and modes of governance, production,
trade, and culture that have menaced the human conditions and harmed the planetary ecological system. The
posthuman thinking in an East Asian context motivates a reevaluation of various modernity projects and
reconsiders the position and potentials of humanity in terms of planetary consciousness. In contemporary East
Asian culture, posthuman images are particularly applied to reflections concerning the deteriorating ecological
system, evolution or devolution enabled by mutations of the political economy, and above all, an awareness of
multiplicity that replaces the human-centric singular form of globalization. This seminar guides students to
rethink about concepts like gender, sex, class, race, and species in the emerging cultural contexts of the
Chthulucene, the Neo-Baroque, virtual reality, digital consciousness, and the metaverse. The course integrates
theoretical studies to case analyses of literary works, films, TV dramas, video games, and digital artworks from
Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Mainland China, and the Asian diaspora across the Pacific.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: One course at the 200 or 300 level on East Asian literature, history,
or culture, or CPLT 180 or another CPLT course at the 200 or 300 level.; Instructor: M. Song; Distribution
Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical
Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: CPLT346/EALC346 Title: Seminar: The Chinese Script - A History of Writing in East Asia and
Beyond
This course narrates three thousand years of writing practices, with the Chinese script—the shared writing
system in premodern East Asian—as a through line. We will focus on the social implications of writing,
investigating questions such as how writing transformed political systems and interacted with ordinary people.
Units and topics of this course include: mechanics of writing systems, empire formation and writing
standardization, reading and writing practices in East Asia, evolving relationships between writings and (local,
vernacular, and national) languages, writing as a technology, cross-cultural interactions and receptions, and
finally, writing and gender. For the past two millennia, East Asia has been a source of media innovation. As we
migrate with the Chinese script from bamboo slips onto paper, from printed books onto computer screens, we
will tackle the theoretical toolkit and historical precedents for examining our current age of media disruption.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: One course at the 200 or 300 level on East Asian literature, history
or culture; or in Comparative Literature; or by permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Du; Distribution
Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; HS - Historical Studies; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: EALC123Y/LING123Y Title: First-Year Seminar: Kaleidoscope of East Asian Languages: Exploring
voices, values, and cultures
This seminar explores linguistic tapestry of East Asia, focusing on the distinct features, structures, and
variations that characterize Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. Through lively discussions and hands-on
projects, we will examine the unique linguistic and cultural heritages of these languages. From their intricate
writing systems and complex grammar to the diverse range of sociolinguistic patterns and dialects, we will
uncover the layers that make each language unique. Central to our exploration will be the role of Confucian
ideology, the vibrant influence of pop culture, and the transformative impact of AI technology on
communication. Through this exploration, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of how language
profoundly influences and mirrors the rich diversity of life and thought in East Asia.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: None. Open to First-Years only.; Instructor: Sun-Hee Lee;
Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit;
Course ID: EALC221 Title: Gateways to East Asia (in English)
What does it mean to live life to its fullest capacity - personally, socially and ethically? What does it mean to
succeed? To fail? To love? To fight? To dream? In search of answers to these questions, we read the classic
foundational texts of China, Japan, and Korea from Confucian and Taoist philosophy to romantic tales,
harrowing diaries and exquisitely crafted haiku. Bringing our knowledge as a China and a Japan specialist to
bear, we formulate critical perspectives on key works with the goal of understanding East Asian culture as a
whole and as different regional expressions. Join us as we explore the complexities of East Asian identity while
discovering something about the big questions we all confront today wherever - and whomever - we are.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Instructor: Zimmerman; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature;
Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Notes: No prior
background in the study of East Asia is required; all readings will be in English.;
Course ID: EALC225 Title: Traditional Romances of East Asia (in English)
The course begins with a brief introduction to an eleventh-century novel from Japan, Murasaki Shikibu's The
Tale of Genji. This work shows considerable awareness of Chinese culture, but the design is entirely original
and the aesthetics typically Japanese. There is no influence at all between Genji and our next subject, Cao
Xueqin's eighteenth-century masterpiece, Dream of the Red Chamber, also known as The Story of the Stone.
However, the similarities point to shared East Asian traditions, and the contrasts can be traced to major
differences in the aesthetics of China and Japan. For students who have already studied The Tale of Genjii or
Dream of the Red Chamber, alternative reading will be assigned. Later on we will take up three other pieces,
two from Korea and one from Vietnam. These two, as well, fit into a larger East Asian syndrome, but exhibit
national characteristics at the same time.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: None. Not open to students who have taken EALC 325.; Instructor:
Widmer; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: This course is also offered at the 300-level as EALC 325.;
Course ID: EALC292 Title: Remixing East Asia: Pop Culture Genres across Japan, Korea, and the Sinosphere
This course explores the circulation of genre across popular media forms in 20th and 21st century East Asia as
part of the legacy of Japanese colonialism. We will look at primary texts/media objects—fiction, films,
animation, tv shows, pop music, and video games—from Japan, Korea, and the broader Sinosphere that
embody popular genres including action, science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, horror, crime, and romantic
comedy. While thinking about definitions of "genre" in a popular context, we will also trace how different genres
and forms of media resonate with each other across different national and cultural contexts, with a particular
focus on how genre conventions are employed to grapple with imperial or colonial pasts.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Ward; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language
and Literature; ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: EALC325 Title: Traditional Romances of East Asia (in English)
The course begins with a brief introduction to an eleventh-century novel from Japan, Murasaki Shikibu's The
Tale of Genji. This work shows considerable awareness of Chinese culture, but the design is entirely original
and the aesthetics typically Japanese. There is no influence at all between Genji and our next subject, Cao
Xueqin's eighteenth-century masterpiece, Dream of the Red Chamber, also known as The Story of the Stone.
However, the similarities point to shared East Asian traditions, and the contrasts can be traced to major
differences in the aesthetics of China and Japan. For students who have already studied The Tale of Genjii or
Dream of the Red Chamber, alternative readings will be assigned. Later on we will take up three other pieces,
two from Korea and one from Vietnam. These two, as well, fit into a larger East Asian syndrome, but exhibit
national characteristics at the same time.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 10; Prerequisites: One 200-level course in either Chinese or Japanese language and
culture required. Not open to students who have taken EALC 225.; Instructor: Widmer; Distribution
Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Not Offered; Notes: This course is also offered at the 200-level as EALC 225.;
Course ID: EALC345 Title: Seminar: Language, Nationalism, and Identity in East Asia (In English)
Language constitutes an important marker of social identity at many levels, such as the individual, subcultures,
ethnic groups, and nations. Language has contributed to establishing unity, socio-cultural diversity, and
nationalism in East Asian Society. This course explores the function of language in forming national, ethnic,
and cultural identity and nationalism throughout the modernization process for China, Korea, and Japan. The
seminar will discuss how language has been interconnected with the shaping of intra-East Asian
literary/cultural practices, modern identity, and globalization. Students will acquire fundamental knowledge of
the dynamics of language and socio-cultural changes as well as comparative perspectives on
nationalism/colonialism and national identity in East Asian communities. Basic knowledge of and familiarity
with a particular language/region (China, Korea, or Japan) and its historical, socio-linguistic backgrounds are
required.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: One 200-level course in either Chinese, Japanese, or Korean
language and culture required.; Instructor: Lee; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature;
Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
JPN Courses
Course ID: JPN101 Title: Beginning Japanese I
Introduction to the modern standard Japanese language. Emphasis on developing proficiency in listening,
speaking, reading, and writing, using basic expressions and sentence patterns. Four 75-minute classes plus
one blended learning session.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: None; Instructor: Maeno; Typical Periods Offered: Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: JPN102 Title: Beginning Japanese II
Introduction to the modern standard Japanese language. Emphasis on developing proficiency in listening,
speaking, reading, and writing, using basic expressions and sentence patterns. Four 75-minute classes plus
one blended learning session.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: JPN 101 or equivalent.; Instructor: Maeno; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: JPN201 Title: Intermediate Japanese I
Continuation of JPN 101-JPN 102. The first semester will emphasize further development of listening and
speaking skills with more complex language structures as well as proficiency in reading and writing. The
second semester will emphasize reading and writing skills. Four 75-minute classes plus one blended learning
session.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: JPN 101-JPN 102 or placement by the department.; Instructor:
Torii-Williams; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: JPN202 Title: Intermediate Japanese II
Continuation of JPN 101-JPN 102. The first semester will emphasize further development of listening and
speaking skills with more complex language structures as well as proficiency in reading and writing. The
second semester will emphasize reading and writing skills. Four 75-minute classes plus one blended learning
session.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: JPN 201 or placement by the department.; Instructor: ToriiWilliams; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: JPN231 Title: Selected Readings in Advanced Japanese I
This course is designed for the students who have completed the second year of Japanese (JPN 201-JPN
202). Each lesson introduces you to practical vocabulary items, grammatical structures, and cultural
orientations that give you the ability to discuss such topics in a more advanced and culturally appropriate
manner. Throughout the course, the development of more fluent speech and stronger literacy will be
emphasized by studying more complex and idiomatic expressions. Acquisition of an additional few hundred
kanji characters will be part of the course. The class will be conducted entirely in Japanese. Three classes per
week.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: JPN 201-JPN 202 or placement by the department.; Instructor:
Torii-Williams; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: JPN232 Title: Selected Readings in Advanced Japanese II
A continuation of JPN 231, this course further develops literacy in Japanese. Students focus on intensive
reading of various styles of written Japanese, writing on different topics, and development of fluent oral skills.
Japanese movies will be used for reinforcement of grammar and for discussion. Class discussion will be
conducted entirely in Japanese. Three classes per week.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: JPN 231 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Torii-Williams;
Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered
this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: JPN250 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: JPN250H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: JPN251/THST251 Title: Japanese Literature from Myth to Manga (in English)
This course explores Japanese literature from the seventh to the nineteenth centuries––including myths,
poetry, narrative romances, diaries, essays, military tales, Noh drama, haiku, puppet plays, kabuki, and ghost
stories––then traces its modern afterlife to film, television, and manga. Students will develop a critical and
historically grounded appreciation of Japan's rich and varied literary tradition by analyzing it in light of such
topics as religious practice, aesthetic ideals, dreams, desire, subjectivity, Chinese influence, the supernatural,
war, gender, and sexuality.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Goree; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and
Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: JPN252 Title: Supernatural Japan (in English)
In 1776, the Japanese writer Ueda Akinari set down a famous collection of ghost stories entitled Tales of
Moonlight and Rain. Beginning with this collection, we will explore how representations of the supernatural
were both embedded in and transformed by discourses of modernity. Throughout the twentieth century,
writers such as Tanizaki Jun'ichiro, Akutagawa Ryunosuke, Izumi Kyoka, and Enchi Fumiko kept the
supernatural strand alive. In tales of the fantastic and the strange, they also made trenchant commentary on
the state of their society. We read (and contrast) literary and visual texts to explore alternative visions of
Japan's rush to modernize.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Zimmerman; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: JPN260 Title: Introduction to Modern Japanese Literature and Media
This course offers an introduction to modern Japanese literature and media (in translation) from the 1890s to
the present, covering materials including poetry, novels, short stories, photography, and film. Through close
readings of selected works, we will address social, cultural and philosophical issues in the context of the
historical transformations over the past hundred and fifty years. We will trace a variety of responses to
questions of identity formation for the self and the nation, modernism and colonialism, communal expression
and activism, gender, trauma and memory, nature and the environment, and the transformation of media
ecologies in postwar and contemporary Japan. No previous knowledge of Japanese literature, culture, or
history is expected or assumed. All readings are presented in English translation. Students with Japanese
language ability are, however, encouraged to read original texts if they so wish.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: C. Ward; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: JPN261 Title: Contemporary Japanese Literature: Translationese, Japanese
Many contemporary Japanese novelists, beginning with Murakami Haruki, have been criticized for writing in
language that sounds foreign to a domestic audience—more “translationese” than Japanese. Indeed, many
contemporary Japanese authors live outside Japan, write in other languages in addition to Japanese, and/or
come from minority backgrounds within Japan that have complicated relationships to standardized Japanese.
In this course we will read contemporary works of Japanese literature through the lens of translation as both a
readerly and writerly practice, as well as a means by which to think through how we define the boundaries of a
given language or national literature. We will engage with short stories, poetry, screenplays, criticism and
novels to examine how writers use different linguistic registers, genres, and formal techniques to explore
questions of community, identity, gender, and even language itself. In addition, we will look at some theoretical
and historical approaches to the study of translation in Japan as necessary background for these discussions.
We will also think about how adaptation—across literary traditions or genres—relates to translation. While
works examined in this course may themselves be read in English translation, students with advanced
Japanese are encouraged to read in the original.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: C. Ward; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: JPN280 Title: Japanese Pop Culture: From Haiku to Hello Kitty (in English)
A critical exploration of popular culture in Japan from its isolation in the 1600s to its globalization today. Topics
include advertising, anime, architecture, art, fashion, film, food, games, literature, magazines, manga, music,
performance, sports, television, and travel. Students engage directly with these topics by analyzing cultural
phenomena, from geisha to baseball, in light of historical and theoretical perspectives drawn from the
disciplines of literary criticism, cultural studies, film studies, and anthropology—all in an effort to understand
Japan through patterns of consumption, cultural memory, gender, media, national identity, race, and sexuality.
The course demonstrates the complexity and appeal of what is arguably the major alternative to American
popular culture. No prior background in Japanese is required; all readings are in English translation.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Instructor: Goree; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; ARS Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: JPN290 Title: Geisha, Samurai and the Birth of Tokyo (English)
Japan enjoyed tremendous political stability under samurai rule for 265 years before opening up to the West in
the late 19th century. Far from static, however, this era, known as the Edo period (1603-1868), was one of
dynamic economic growth, social change, intellectual ferment, and artistic experimentation, when a vibrant
urban culture emerged and spread to cities and villages across the Japanese archipelago. Many of the things
we associate with traditional Japanese culture today, including haiku, kabuki, sumo, geisha, sushi, manga,
and the samurai ethos, emerged or developed into maturity at this time. This course introduces students to
Edo Japan by way of its rich visual and literary cultures, with particular emphasis on the representation of
sexuality, gender, violence, honor, and otherworldly phenomena. No knowledge of Japan or Japanese
required.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: Goree; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered; Notes: Ann E. Maurer '51
Speaking Intensive Course.;
Course ID: JPN308 Title: Advanced Japanese Through Short Fiction and Essays
In this course, students will read original works of short fiction and essays in Japanese by well-known
contemporary authors. We will explore various genres and popular themes in Japanese literature and look at
authors' styles and voice. The course will be completely in Japanese except when translation into English
takes center stage. In either case, the major emphasis will be on discussion of the works in class. Through
these works, students will also be introduced to advanced Japanese grammar, expressions, patterns, kanji,
and vocabulary.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: JPN 232 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Goree;
Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: JPN309 Title: Advanced Japanese Through Contemporary Japanese Social Science
This course aims to achieve advanced level fluency through current news articles and broadcast news in
Japanese. Students will learn a wide range of vocabulary and expressions through class discussions,
presentations and individual writing projects.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: JPN 232 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Maeno;
Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: JPN314 Title: Contemporary Japanese Narrative (in English)
Students read and discuss contemporary fiction by women in Japanese as they improve reading and speaking
skills, and learn how to translate fiction from Japanese to English. Weekly translation exercises and periodic
translation workshops build confidence as students develop their own translation style. For the final project,
students choose a contemporary short story and translate it in collaboration with the instructor. Class
conducted in English. Two weekly meetings plus individual meetings with instructor.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: JPN 232 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Zimmerman;
Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: JPN350 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Open to juniors and seniors.; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: JPN350H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: JPN352 Title: Seminar: Postwar Japanese Literature and Visual Culture (in English)
With the lifting of state censorship in the postwar period, Japanese writers and artists broke new ground,
wrestling with the legacy of the war (Oe Kenzaburo, Mizuki Shigeru), upending gender norms (Kono Taeko,
Uchida Shungiku), unveiling less visible aspects of Japanese society (Nakagami Kenji, Yu Miri), or even
forging new modes of representation (Murakami Haruki). Drawing on fiction, manga, and film, we embed texts
in their historical and social contexts, listening for the "hum of the times." No Japanese required.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: One course on Japan, or permission of the instructor.; Instructor:
Zimmerman; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: JPN358 Title: Haruki Murakami and Modern Japanese Literature (in English)
The fiction of the Japanese writer Haruki Murakami has often been described as being closer to “American
literature” than to the modern Japanese literary canon. His official website even names Raymond Chandler,
Kurt Vonnegut and Richard Brautigan as “influences.” In this course, we will test that assumption, holding
Murakami’s work up against the mirror of Japanese short fictions from 1900-2022. Moving chronologically, we
read broadly, covering half of Murakami’s major novels, as well as a dozen short fictional and non-fictional
works. Given that Murakami’s work has been translated into 50 languages, we also explore how translation
practices shape reception. From Japanese to Polish to Chinese, we explore the multiple worlds—and worldmaking practices-- of Haruki Murakami. We also study two films that are based on his work. Taught in English,
no knowledge of Japanese is necessary.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: One literature course from English, Comparative Literature, EALC,
or any language department. Permission of the instructor required.; Instructor: Zimmerman; Distribution
Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: JPN360 Title: Senior Thesis Research
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the department.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research
(360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty member. If
sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second semester.;
Course ID: JPN370 Title: Senior Thesis
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 10; Prerequisites: JPN 360 and permission of the department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall; Notes: Students enroll in Senior
Thesis Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty
member. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second
semester.;
KOR Courses
Course ID: KOR101 Title: Beginning Korean I
An introductory course on standard conversational Korean for students who have little or no knowledge of
Korean. The course will provide basic skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing, with a focus on spoken
language proficiency. The course will emphasize the development of communication skills in given situations
and tasks, and provide an introduction to sociocultural interests and daily life in Korea. Four 75-minute classes
with regular individual meetings.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: J. Song; Typical Periods Offered: Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: KOR102 Title: Beginning Korean II
An introductory course on standard conversational Korean for students who have little or no knowledge of
Korean. The course will provide basic skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing, with a focus on spoken
language proficiency. The course will emphasize the development of communication skills in given situations
and tasks, and provide an introduction to sociocultural interests and daily life in Korea. Four 75-minute classes
with regular individual meetings.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: KOR 101 or equivalent; Instructor: J. Song; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: KOR201 Title: Intermediate Korean
A continuation of KOR 101-KOR 102. The first semester will emphasize further development of listening and
speaking skills with more complex language structures as well as proficiency in reading and writing. The
second semester will emphasize reading and writing skills. Four 75-minute classes with regular individual
meetings.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: KOR 101- KOR 102 or placement by the department.;
Instructor: Hwang; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: KOR202 Title: Intermediate Korean
A continuation of KOR 101-KOR 102. The first semester will emphasize further development of listening and
speaking skills with more complex language structures as well as proficiency in reading and writing. The
second semester will emphasize reading and writing skills. Four 75-minute classes with regular individual
meetings.
Units: 1.25; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: KOR 201, or placement by the department.; Instructor: Hwang;
Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered
this Academic Year: Spring; Notes: Students who are placed into KOR 202 must continue at the third-year level
(KOR 231 or KOR 232) to complete the Foreign Language requirement.;
Course ID: KOR209H Title: Dynamic Korea (Wellesley-MIT in Seoul)
This three-week-intensive study abroad course is designed to expand the students’ Korean language skills
while further developing their sociocultural understanding of Korea by utilizing critical engagement and
analytical thinking to communicate effectively with native speakers of Korean. In particular, the course will
employ a variety of approaches and methods to develop intercultural and interactional competence at an
intermediate level. Students will practice appropriate manners and language use based on the sociocultural
awareness and interactional practices they learn in the course. Students will experience Korea through: (i)
Language: intensive language training + collaborative work with an individual language buddy, (ii) Culture:
hands-on cultural activities + excursions + projects, and (iii) Community: homestay + community service. The
course takes a student-centered and project-based approach to language acquisition. Students will become
aware of the structural, conceptual, social and cultural aspects associated with language use in both Korean
and their own native language(s).
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 10; Prerequisites: KOR 201 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: J. Song;
Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: KOR231 Title: Advanced Intermediate Korean I - Formal Conversation and Presentation Skills
This third-year Korean course is designed for students to develop an advanced level of language proficiency
by focusing on communication and discussion skills, and cross-cultural understanding, and critical and
creative thinking ability. Students will improve their linguistic competence through student-led discussions,
presentations, debates, and various individual projects. The integrated activities and applications are designed
to expand advanced level vocabulary including formal expressions and Hanja, grammar, and cultural
knowledge. Media resources and readings using TV drama, movies, broadcasted news and blogs will provide
enriched information on contemporary Korean society and lifestyle.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: KOR 201-KOR 202 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: S.
Lee; Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered
this Academic Year: Fall; Notes: Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking Intensive Course.;
Course ID: KOR232 Title: Advanced intermediate Korean II - Developing multiliteracy and formal writing skills
This course is a continuation of KOR 231. More emphasis will be placed on enhancing students' reading and
writing fluency. Students will read various authentic materials including newspaper articles, formal essays,
short stories, and business letters. Class activities and assignments will help students learn how to write in
formal and academic settings. These include writing analytical papers, critical reviews, resumes, job
applications, business correspondence, etc. Under the guidance of the instructor each student will present
and write a critical review as a final project. Through this course, students will be able to expand their linguistic
capacity to an advanced level. The class will be conducted entirely in Korean.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: KOR 231 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Hwang;
Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered
this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: KOR246/LING246 Title: Digital Language: Corpus Linguistics and its Applications
Advances in computer technology have revolutionized the ways linguists can approach their data. By
accessing large digital bodies of text (corpora) and searching for phenomena of interest, we can uncover
complexities in naturally-occurring data and explore broader issues utilizing linguistic patterns and frequency
information. This course presents a practical introduction to corpus linguistics, an extremely versatile
methodology of language analysis using computers.
Some of the fundamental questions to explore include; what is a corpus, and what corpora exist? How are
corpora constructed and linguistic annotation added? What tools are available for search, annotation, and
analysis? Students will also learn how corpora are used in diverse areas such as sociolinguistics, discourse
analysis, child language acquisition, and language change as well as language learning and teaching and
develop their own research ideas. Students who register for KOR 246 will be expected to do their coursework
using Korean language texts.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: LING 114 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Sun-Hee Lee;
Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year;
Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: KOR250 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Distribution Requirements: LL Language and Literature; ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Course ID: KOR250H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 15; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Course ID: KOR256 Title: Gender and Language in Modern Korean Culture (in English)
Postwar modernization and industrialization have brought dramatic changes in Korean society. In spite of
remarkable economic growth and rapid social progress, Korean women still struggle with gender inequality.
This course explores the relationship between language use and cultural views of womanhood in modern
Korea, using phonetics, semantics, discourse analysis, and sociolinguistics. By examining actual language use
in myths, movies, ads, and popular culture, we explore how sociolinguistic factors shape gender dichotomies,
notions of individual identity, and ethnicity. Substantial evidence of linguistic data will be used to clarify the
connection between language and gender as we address the challenges faced by women of East Asia.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None.; Instructor: S. Lee; Distribution Requirements: EC Epistemology and Cognition; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Spring; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: KOR307 Title: Advanced Readings in Modern Korean Narratives: Webtoons, Dramas, Films, and
Stories
This advanced Korean language course explores the rich tapestry of modern Korean narratives, including
webtoons, dramas, films, and literary stories. Designed to provide students with an immersive experience in
Korean language and culture, the course aims to enhance language proficiency in reading, listening, and
critical analysis through engagement with authentic materials and creative expressions. Students will engage
in critical examination, discussion, and creative projects, focusing on the themes, narratives, and aesthetic
innovations characteristic of both digital and traditional Korean storytelling forms. The course seeks to broaden
students' understanding of contemporary Korean society and its cultural nuances, as well as the art of
storytelling, thereby advancing their Korean language skills to a higher level of fluency. Through this
comprehensive approach, students will not only improve their language proficiency but also gain a deep
appreciation for the richness and cultural diversity inherent in Modern Korean Narratives.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: KOR 232 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Sun-Hee Lee;
Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: KOR309 Title: Professional Korean Through Contemporary Texts and Multimedia
This course aims at achieving advanced level fluency in reading and writing Korean through the study of
various texts and multimedia. Course "texts" include contemporary works of Korean literature, current
newspaper articles, broadcast news, and clips of television shows and films. The course will develop
sophisticated interpretive and presentational skills in formal contexts while enhancing the student's level of
literary appreciation and intellectual analysis. The focus is on mastery of a wide range of vocabulary and
idiomatic expressions, individual writing projects, classroom discussion, and presentations on assigned topics.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: KOR 202 or permission of the instructor.; Instructor: Lee;
Distribution Requirements: LL - Language and Literature; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: KOR350 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 10; Prerequisites: KOR 309 or permission of the department and instructor.; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: KOR350H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 15; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: KOR360 Title: Senior Thesis Research
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the department.; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and
Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall; Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research
(360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty member. If
sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second semester.;
Course ID: KOR370 Title: Senior Thesis
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: KOR 360 and permission of the department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Fall and Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall; Notes: Students enroll in Senior
Thesis Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty
member. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second
semester.;
East Asian Studies
An Interdepartmental Major
East Asian Studies is an interdisciplinary major offered jointly by faculty from departments at the College
whose research and teaching interests focus on East Asia and from the Department of East Asian Languages
and Cultures (EALC). The major is designed for students with a broad interest in East Asia. It encourages
students to familiarize themselves with one or more countries or societies of East Asia and also requires that
students have an area of concentration, which may be based on a country/culture or academic discipline. To
major in EAS, students must fulfill requirements in Language studies, Humanities, and History and Social
Sciences (see below). Through this combination of breadth and depth, students learn about the historic links
between East Asian societies and how ideas, cultures, and policies flow across and shape life in East Asia
today.
East Asian Studies Major
Goals for the East Asian Studies Major
To familiarize students generally with the arts, histories, languages and literatures, religions, and the
social, political, and cultural systems of East Asia
To develop fuller expertise in a specific area of study, whether by country, or scholarly discipline
To ensure a firm foundation in at least one of three East Asian languages: Mandarin Chinese,
Japanese, or Korean
Requirements for the East Asian Studies Major
Prospective East Asian Studies majors should begin study of an East Asian language as soon as possible in
their first year. The program also recommends that students take one or more courses that explore East Asia
(such as HIST 274, REL 108, or EALC 225) in their first two years to attain familiarity with the region. The
program encourages students to:
Familiarize themselves with several East Asian societies and cultures.
Choose an area of concentration that is country/culture-based or based on an academic discipline. For
example, students may select a focused study of one country or culture (e.g. China, Japan, Korea(s)),
or select a disciplinary or interdisciplinary focus (see below).
Prospective majors should consult with a member of the East Asian Studies faculty as early as possible to
discuss their academic plans. Majors devise their own programs of study in consultation with an advisor from
the student's area of concentration. Both the major advisor and the program director must approve proposals
for the major.
Ten units are required for the major, consisting of the following:
1. Language courses: four units.
All students must complete at least four language courses above the 100 level in the language most
appropriate to their area of concentration. (Students will not receive credit toward the major for the first
year of language study.) Those who begin their language study at Wellesley in a 300–level language
class must still complete at least four language courses. Students with native or near native fluency in an
East Asian language may replace the four units of language with non-language EAS courses, in
consultation with their advisor. At least 2 of the non-language courses for heritage speakers must come
from the EALC department. Language study beyond what is required for the major is strongly
recommended.
All majors are also encouraged to spend at least a summer or a semester studying abroad in China,
Japan, Korea, or Taiwan. The East Asian Languages and Cultures Department, through the chairperson
of EALC, must approve plans for language study taken away from Wellesley and to be applied toward the
major.
2. Non-language courses: six units
(1) All majors must also take at least one non-language course on East Asia in each of the following
categories:
i. Humanities
ii. History and Social Science
(2) A minimum of three non-language courses are required to fulfill a selected concentration, and two
must be at the 300 level.
i. Country/culture-based concentrations may focus on one of the following: China, Japan, Korea(s).
ii. Discipline or focused interdisciplinary-based concentrations that are normally possible at Wellesley
include arts and visual studies, history, linguistics, literature, politics, religion, and women's and gender
studies. Under unusual circ*mstances, and with the approval of her advisor and the program director, a
student may design her own disciplinary concentration. Majors normally declare their concentration no
later than the spring semester of their junior year.
(3) A minimum of four non-language courses must be taken at Wellesley, including the required two units
of 300-level courses. Of the two required 300-level courses, only one may be a 350, 360, or 370.
(4) A maximum of two non-language courses taken outside Wellesley can count toward the major.
(5) Some courses can count as a language or non-language course for the purpose of fulfilling
requirements for the major. Each course unit can be credited only once toward the major. No doublecounting (e.g. as both a language course and non-language course) is permitted.
(6) One course in Asian American studies may be counted toward the major, provided that the course
addresses a significant aspect of East Asian traditions, culture, or society in its global, cross-cultural
contexts. Students should consult with their advisors.
Honors in East Asian Studies
The only route to honors in the major is writing a thesis and passing an oral examination. A grade point
average of at least 3.5 in the major, above100-level courses, is the minimum requirement for application.
Students must also submit a dossier of required material, including a thesis proposal, to the EAS director and
the Faculty Advisory Committee, which will approve students for admission. For details about the dossier, see
below. The Faculty Advisory Committee may petition on behalf of a student whose GPA in the major is
between 3.0 and 3.5, if the rest of her dossier is particularly strong. [For more details, see Honors Information
and Thesis Process.]
1. By spring break of the junior year, craft your topic in rough form and find an adviser.
2. By the end of the first week of senior year, submit a 2-3 page prospectus to the EAS chair, who will
circulate it to the faculty steering committee. A preliminary bibliography should be submitted at the
same time.
3. The prospectus and bibliography should both be drawn up in consultation with the adviser.
4. A transcript (official or unofficial);
5. A writing sample, preferably a research paper for an East Asian Studies class.
Transfer Credits in East Asian Studies
In order to obtain Wellesley credit for any EAS-related course taken at another institution during the academic
year or summer, the student must obtain approval from the College Registrar and the program director prior to
enrolling in the course. First the Registrar must award the appropriate college credit for each unit. Second, the
approval of the course/s to be credited to the EAS major must be granted by the program director. Students
should present relevant syllabi and other materials about the prospective course to the director. Students,
especially those taking EAS courses abroad, may be required to contact the course instructor in order to
obtain specific details about the course in cases where the online course description may be insufficient to
make an informed decision.
Courses for Credit Toward the East Asian Studies Major
Language Courses (Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, Korean): See offerings in the Department of East Asian
Languages and Cultures (EALC)
Humanities:
AMST 212
Korean American Literature and Culture
1.0
ARTH 238
Chinese Art and Architecture
1.0
ARTH 240
Asian Art and Architecture
1.0
ARTH 248
Chinese Painting: Theories, Masters, and Principles
1.0
ARTH 249
Japanese Art and Architecture
1.0
ARTH 255
Twentieth-Century Chinese Art
1.0
ARTH 337
Seminar: The Song Imperial Painting Academy
1.0
ARTH 341
Seminar: The Landscape Painting of China, Korea, and
Japan
1.0
ARTH 346
Seminar: Poetic Painting in China, Korea, and Japan
1.0
CAMS 203 / CHIN 243
Chinese Cinema (In English)
1.0
CHIN 208
Writing Modern China (in English)
1.0
CHIN 211
Dream of the Red Chamber in Chinese Literature and
Culture (in English)
1.0
CHIN 220 / CHIN 320
The Fall of Ming in 1644, An Event in World Culture(In
English)
1.0
CHIN 226
City in Modern Chinese Lit &Film (In English)
1.0
CHIN 233 / CHIN 333
Masterworks of Chinese Fiction (In English)
1.0
CHIN 239
Popular Culture in Modern China
1.0
CHIN 244
Classical Chinese Theater (in English)
1.0
CHIN 245
Chinese Women in a Century of Revolution (In English)
1.0
CHIN 311
Dream of the Red Chamber in Chinese Literature and
Culture (in English)
1.0
CHIN 326
The City in Modern Chinese Literature and Film (in
English)
1.0
CHIN 338
Reading in Modern Chinese Literature
1.0
CHIN 344
Classical Chinese Theater (in English)
1.0
CHIN 345
Chinese Women in a Century of Revolution (In English)
1.0
CHIN 381
Eileen Chang (in English)
1.0
CHIN 382
Seminar: Sci-Fi & Future of China (In English)
1.0
CPLT 236 / EALC 236
The Girl in Modern East Asian Culture
1.0
EALC 221
Gateways to East Asia (in English)
1.0
EALC 225
Traditional Romances of East Asia (in English)
1.0
EALC 325
Traditional Romances of East Asia (in English)
1.0
EALC 345
Seminar: Language, Nationalism, and Identity in East
Asia (In English)
1.0
JPN 251 / THST 251
Japanese Writers Explore Their World (in English)
1.0
JPN 252
Supernatural Japan (in English)
1.0
JPN 280
Japanese Pop Culture: From Haiku to Hello Kitty (in
English)
1.0
JPN 290
Geisha, Samurai and the Birth of Tokyo
1.0
JPN 308
Advanced Japanese Through Short Fiction and Essays
1.0
JPN 314
Translating Japanese Narrative
1.0
JPN 352
Seminar: Postwar Japan in Word and Image (in English)
1.0
JPN 356
Seminar: Hauntings in Modern Japan (In English)
1.0
KOR 206
An Introduction to Korean Language and Culture (in
English)
1.0
KOR 246 / LING 246
Digital Language: Corpus Linguistics (In English)
1.0
KOR 256
Gender and Language in Modern Korean Culture (in
English)
1.0
REL 108
Introduction to Asian Religions
1.0
REL 253
Buddhist Thought and Practice
1.0
REL 254
Chinese Thought and Religion
1.0
REL 255
Japanese Religion and Culture
1.0
REL 257
Contemplation and Action
1.0
REL 353
Seminar: Zen Buddhism
1.0
CHIN 338, JPN 314: Fulfill either Language or Humanities requirement for the major.
History and Social Sciences:
HIST 269
Japan, the Great Powers, and East Asia, 1853-1993
1.0
HIST 274
China, Japan, and Korea in Comparative and Global
Perspectives
1.0
HIST 277
China and America: Evolution of a Troubled Relationship
1.0
HIST 278
Reform and Revolution in China, 1800 to the Present
1.0
HIST 280
Topics in Chinese Commerce and Business
1.0
HIST 395
International History Seminar: Legacies of Conquest:
Empires in Chinese and World History
1.0
PEAC 119Y / REL 119Y
First-Year Seminar: Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Yasukuni
Shinto Shrine
1.0
POL2 208
Politics of China
1.0
POL2 304
Nation-building and Nationalism in East Asia
1.0
EAS Courses
Course ID: EAS250 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 10; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Course ID: EAS350 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Open to juniors and seniors.; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: EAS360 Title: Senior Thesis Research
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the director.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall; Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research (360) in
the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty member. If sufficient
progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second semester.;
Course ID: EAS370 Title: Senior Thesis
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: EAS 360 and permission of the director.; Typical Periods Offered:
Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall; Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis
Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty
member. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second
semester.;
Economics
Economics is the theoretical and empirical study of the universal problems of scarcity, choice, and human
behavior. Unlike business administration, which deals with specific procedures by which business enterprises
are managed, economics examines a broad range of institutions and focuses on their interactions within a
structured framework.
Economics Major
Goals for the Economics Major
Our majors should attain
1. a basic understanding of economic principles
2. an ability to engage in critical reasoning
3. competency in making written and oral arguments
Our majors should attain skills that enable them to be more informed and engaged citizens. Economics majors
will understand fundamental economic principles, apply those concepts to evaluate arguments, and construct
oral and written arguments of their own. A basic understanding of economic principles means students will
identify situations in which scarcity of resources requires that individuals, firms and societies make trade-offs,
and recognize the opportunity costs embodied in those choices. Students will analyze efficiency and equity in
market outcomes, the role of government in a market economy, the costs and benefits of international trade,
the challenge of stabilizing the macroeconomy, and the factors that raise the long-term growth rate of the
economy. Students will also assess the logic of an economic argument by applying both analytical and
quantitative tools, for example by using empirical evidence to support or reject a proposition. Finally, having
demonstrated command of core concepts in economics, and an ability to judge the logic that undergirds
economic proposals, students will produce oral and written presentations that demonstrate their competency.
Requirements for the Economics Major
The economics major consists of a minimum of nine units. The major must include courses in
microeconomics (ECON 101 or ECON 101P, and ECON 201), macroeconomics (ECON 102 or ECON 102P,
and ECON 202), and statistics (ECON 103 and ECON 203), as well as at least two 300-level units taken at
Wellesley (ordinarily not including ECON 350, ECON 360, or ECON 370). One semester of mathematics at
Wellesley at the level of MATH 115 or above is a prerequisite for ECON 201, ECON 202 and ECON 203. QR
260/STAT 260 and QR 309/STAT 309 can be counted as major electives. Students need not complete ECON
103 if they have completed STAT 160, STAT 218, PSYC 105 or PSYC 205. However, they must take an
additional Economics elective to complete the minimum requirement of nine units in the major.
Choosing courses to complete the major requires careful thought. All majors should choose an advisor and
consult them regularly. Students interested in economics and its applications in international relations might
want to consider the interdepartmental major in International Relations-Economics.
Honors in Economics
The department offers students two honors programs. Under program I, a student completes two semesters of
independent research (ECON 360 and ECON 370) culminating in an honors thesis. Under program II, a
student completes one semester of independent research (ECON 350) related to previous 300-level course
work, and then submits to an examination in economics that includes the topic covered in her research
project. Ordinarily, a student is expected to complete all of the core course work and one 300-level course
before enrolling in the honors program. Admission to the honors program requires students to have a GPA of
3.5 or higher in their economics courses above the 100 level. All honors candidates are expected to participate
in the Economics Research Seminar (ECON 380), for which they receive 0.5 units.
Transfer Credit in Economics
In order to obtain credit for any economics course taken at another institution during the summer or academic
year, approval must be obtained in advance from the department’s transfer credit advisor. In general, courses
from two-year colleges will not be accepted at any level. Courses taken elsewhere normally will not be
transferred at the 300 level. ECON 201, ECON 202, and ECON 203 should ordinarily be taken at Wellesley.
Transfer students wishing to obtain transfer credit for economics courses taken prior to enrollment at Wellesley
should contact the department's transfer credit advisor.
AP and IB Credit in Economics
AP credit: Students who receive a 5 on the AP Microeconomics exam can place out of ECON 101. Students
who receive a 5 on the AP Macroeconomics exam can place out of ECON 102 (although we encourage such
students to take ECON 102 since a full semester of college macroeconomics will typically cover more
material). Students cannot use AP Statistics to place out of ECON 103. AP credits do not count towards the
minimum number of major or minor units.
IB credit: Students who receive a 5, 6, or 7 on higher-level IB courses can place out of ECON 101 and ECON
102, although the department recommends that students place out of those courses only if they receive a 7.
Economics Minor
Requirements for the Economics Minor
The economics minor consists of ECON 101 or ECON 101P, ECON 102 or ECON 102P, and ECON 103, as
well as two additional 200-levelunits (ordinarily excluding ECON 201, ECON 202, ECON 203, ECON 250, and
ECON 251H). Students need not complete ECON 103 if they have completed STAT 160, STAT 218, PSYC 105
or PSYC 205. However, they must take an additional Economics elective to complete the minimum
requirement of five units for the minor.
ECON Courses
Course ID: ECON101 Title: Principles of Microeconomics
This first course in economics provides the fundamental tools for exploration of the field. Microeconomics
considers the decisions of households and firms about what to consume and what to produce, and the
efficiency and equity of market outcomes. Supply and demand analysis is developed and applied. Policy
issues include price controls, competition and monopoly, income inequality , and the role of government in
market economies. Students who have AP or IB credit in economics, and who elect ECON 101, forfeit the AP
or IB credit. ECON 101P is an alternative course open to students who have not fulfilled the Quantitative
Reasoning (QR) component of the Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: Fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the
Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement.; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social
and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Fall;
Course ID: ECON101P Title: Principles of Microeconomics
This first course in economics provides the fundamental tools for exploration of the field. Microeconomics
considers the decisions of households and firms about what to consume and what to produce, and the
efficiency and equity of market outcomes. Supply and demand analysis is developed and applied. Policy
issues include price controls, competition and monopoly, income inequality, and the role of government in
market economies.
Econ 101P is open to (but is not limited to) students who do not meet the QR prerequisites for ECON 101 and
is also appropriate for students who, because of their previous preparation in economics and mathematics,
would benefit from additional academic support for their study of introductory economics. Additional class
meeting slots will emphasize fluency with mathematical tools needed for success in economics. Students are
normally expected to enroll concurrently in ECON 251H. Students who have AP or IB credit in Economics, and
who elect ECON 101P, forfeit the AP or IB credit.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: None. Enrollment is by permission of the instructor. First
generation students and students with QR scores below 10 will be sent an explicit invitation to join. Concurrent
enrollment in ECON 251H is expected but is not a requirement.; Instructor: Rothschild; Distribution
Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ECON102 Title: Principles of Macroeconomics
This course follows ECON 101 in continuing to build fundamental tools for exploration of the field. The course
analyzes the aggregate dimensions of a market-based economy. Topics include the measurement of national
income, economic growth, unemployment, inflation, business cycles, the balance of payments, and exchange
rates. The impact of government monetary and fiscal policies is considered. Students who have AP or IB credit
in economics and who elect ECON 102 forfeit the AP or IB credit. ECON 102P is an alternative course open to
students who have not fulfilled the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the Quantitative Reasoning &
Data Literacy requirement.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: ECON 101 or ECON 101P. Fulfillment of the Quantitative
Reasoning (QR) component of the Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement.; Instructor: Staff;
Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: ECON102P Title: Principles of Macroeconomics
This course follows ECON 101 in continuing to build fundamental tools for exploration of the field. The course
analyzes the aggregate dimensions of a market-based economy. Topics include the measurement of national
income, economic growth, unemployment, inflation, business cycles, the balance of payments, and exchange
rates. The impact of government monetary and fiscal policies is considered.
ECON 102P is open to (but is not limited to) students who do not meet the QR prerequisites for ECON 101 and
is also appropriate for students who, because of their previous preparation in economics and mathematics,
would benefit from additional academic support for their study of introductory economics. Additional class
meeting slots will emphasize fluency with mathematical tools needed for success in economics. Students are
normally expected to enroll concurrently in ECON 251H. Students who have AP or IB credit in economics, and
who elect 102P, forfeit the AP or IB credit.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: ECON 101 or ECON 101P. Enrollment is by permission of the
instructor. First generation students and students with QR scores below 10 will be sent an explicit invitation to
join. Concurrent enrollment in ECON 251H is expected but is not a requirement. Students who took ECON
101P will be given priority in admission to ECON 102P.; Instructor: Weerapana; Distribution Requirements:
SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Spring;
Course ID: ECON103/SOC190 Title: Introduction to Probability and Statistical Methods
An introduction to the collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of quantitative data as used to
understand problems in economics and sociology. Using examples drawn from these fields, this course
focuses on basic concepts in probability and statistics, such as measures of central tendency and dispersion,
hypothesis testing, and parameter estimation. Data analysis exercises are drawn from both academic and
everyday applications.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 30; Prerequisites: ECON 101 or ECON 101P or one course in sociology. Fulfillment
of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement. Not
open to students who have taken or are taking STAT 160, STAT 218, PSYC 105 or PSYC 205.; Instructor: Giles,
Levine, Swingle (Sociology); Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods
Offered: Summer; Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Course ID: ECON201 Title: Intermediate Microeconomic Analysis
Intermediate microeconomic theory: analysis of the individual household, firm, industry, and market, and the
social implications of resource allocation choices. Emphasis on application of theoretical methodology.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: All of the following -- ECON 101 or ECON 101P, ECON 102 or
ECON 102P, and one math course at the level of MATH 115 or higher. The math course must be taken at
Wellesley.; Instructor: Abeberese, McKnight, Rothschild, Skeath; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and
Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: ECON202 Title: Intermediate Macroeconomic Analysis
Intermediate macroeconomic theory: analysis of fluctuations in aggregate income and growth and the balance
of payments. Analysis of policies to control inflation and unemployment.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: All of the following -- ECON 101 or ECON 101P, ECON 102 or
ECON 102P, and one math course at the level of MATH 115 or higher. The math course must be taken at
Wellesley.; Instructor: Hilt, Neumuller; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: ECON203 Title: Econometrics
This course introduces students to the methods economists use to assess empirical relationships, primarily
regression analysis. Issues examined include statistical significance, goodness-of-fit, dummy variables, and
model assumptions. Includes an introduction to panel data models, instrumental variables, and randomized
and natural experiments. Students learn to apply the concepts to data, read economic research, and write an
empirical research paper.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 21; Prerequisites: All of the following -- ECON 101 or ECON 101P, ECON 102 or
ECON 102P, and one math course at the level of MATH 115 or higher. The math course must be taken at
Wellesley. One course in statistics (ECON 103, PSYC 105, PSYC 205, STAT 160, or STAT 218) is also
required.; Instructor: Giles, McKnight, Park, Shastry; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral
Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: The
Credit/Non Credit grading option is not available for this course. Letter graded only.;
Course ID: ECON204 Title: Big Ideas in Economics: Contributions of Nobel Laureates
Economics is the only social science in which the Nobel prize is awarded, and the list of winners and citations
showcases the evolution of the discipline and economic ideas with staying power. This course will use the
Nobel Prize as a starting point for students to apply what they have learned in principles of economics courses
by exploring how economists have framed, and answered, important empirical and theoretical questions in our
field. Topics may include incentives and decision-making; poverty, inequality, and welfare concerns; market
design, firm behavior, and competition; externalities; financial markets; economic growth and macroeconomic
equilibrium; the application of empirical methods to social problems; and possible future prize-winning ideas.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: ECON 101 or ECON 101P and ECON 102 or ECON 102P.;
Instructor: Werkema; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods
Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ECON213 Title: International Finance and Macroeconomic Policy
This course introduces the study of macroeconomics in an open economy. Topics include basic features of
foreign exchange markets, the structure of the balance of payments accounts, and the effectiveness of
macroeconomic policy under fixed and flexible exchange rates and varying degrees of capital mobility. The
course also examines the evolution of the international financial system, the role of the IMF, the creation of the
European Monetary Union, and the recent financial crises in East Asia, Russia, and Brazil.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: ECON 101 or ECON 101P and ECON 102 or ECON 102P.;
Instructor: Weerapana; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods
Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ECON214 Title: Trade Policy
More than half of all the goods and services produced in the world are traded across national boundaries.
While economists agree that international trade is beneficial overall, allowing consumers to get more kinds of
goods at lower prices, politicians and citizens often see trade as harmful to their interests. This course will
examine the economic argument in favor of trade, explore the reasons why nations choose restrictive trade
policies and even engage in trade wars, and analyze the consequences of those policies for economic well
being. We will also consider the climate consequences of the movement of goods around the world. The
course will make significant use of a case discussion format requiring class participation.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: (ECON 101 or ECON 101P) and (ECON 102 or ECON 102P). ;
Instructor: Velenchik; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ECON215 Title: Tax Policy
This course considers the role of taxation in the economy. The course studies how taxation affects economic
efficiency, income distribution, capital formation, and microeconomic incentives. Major topics include the
effects of the individual income tax, the corporate income tax, Social Security taxes, estate taxes, property
taxes, green taxes, sales taxes, and the role of international tax incentives in a global economy.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: ECON 101 or ECON 101P. ECON 102 or ECON 102P
recommended.; Instructor: Rothschild; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ECON220 Title: Development Economics
This course is an introduction to the study of the key issues affecting economic development in low- and
middle-income countries. We will use economic analysis to gain an understanding of these key issues and
review policy options. Specific topics will include growth, population, health, education, gender equality, credit
markets, trade and foreign aid.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Either ECON 101 or ECON 101P and either ECON 102 or ECON
102P. ECON 103 recommended.; Instructor: Abeberese; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and
Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ECON222/PEAC222 Title: Games of Strategy
Should you sell your house at an auction where the highest bidder gets the house, but only pays the secondhighest bid? Should the U.S. government institute a policy of never negotiating with terrorists? The effects of
decisions in such situations often depend on how others react to them. This course introduces some basic
concepts and insights from the theory of games that can be used to understand any situation in which
strategic decisions are made. The course will emphasize applications rather than formal theory. Extensive use
is made of in-class experiments, examples, and cases drawn from business, economics, politics, movies, and
current events.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 21; Prerequisites: ECON 101 or ECON 101P. Open to Sophom*ores, Juniors, and
Seniors.; Instructor: Skeath; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Notes: Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking Intensive
Course.;
Course ID: ECON226/EDUC226 Title: Economics of Education Policy
Uses a microeconomic framework to analyze important questions in education policy about school finance,
organization, efficiency, and equity. Is education a private good? What are the costs and benefits of
expanded education for individuals, communities, and countries? What are the consequences of more
widespread early childhood education and college attendance? What is the role of teachers, peers, and
families in education? Does school choice promote student achievement? Applies concepts such as
comparative statics, subsidies, externalities, perfect and imperfect competition, cost-benefit analysis, and
welfare analysis to these and other questions. Each semester includes one or two policy discussions on
contemporary issues in education.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: ECON 101 or ECON 101P. ECON 102 or ECON 102P and ECON
103 recommended.; Instructor: Werkema; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis;
Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ECON228/ES228 Title: Environmental and Resource Economics
This course considers the economic aspects of resource and environmental issues. After examining the
concepts of externalities, public goods, and common property resources, we will discuss how to measure the
cost and benefits of environmental policy in order to estimate the socially optimal level of the environmental
good. Applications of these tools will be made to air and water pollution, renewable and nonrenewable
resources, and global climate. In addressing each of these problems we will compare various public policy
responses such as regulation, marketable permits, and tax incentives.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: ECON 101 or ECON 101P.; Instructor: Keskin; Distribution
Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ECON229 Title: Women in the Economy
This course uses economic theory and empirical analysis to examine the lives of women and their role in the
economy. We first discuss the economics of gender and note that the research on the economics of gender
tends to fall into three areas: analyses of labor markets, analyses of policies and practices to address issues
facing working women and their families, and analyses of the economic status of women across countries.
After that introduction, we will discuss women's educational attainment and participation in the labor market,
gender segregation and the gender pay gap, discrimination, division of labor within household, and work
versus family-life balance. In the second segment we will review government and company policies, like
affirmative action, aimed at issues faced by working women and families. The final section will examine
international evidence on the economic status of women and their changing role in the world economy.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: ECON 101 or ECON 101P and ECON 103, or permission of the
instructor.; Instructor: Kerr; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods
Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ECON232 Title: Health Economics
This course explores the health care sector and health policy issues from an economic perspective. Topics to
be discussed include the demand for health insurance, the supply of health care, health care costs, health
outcomes and disparities, and the recent U.S. health care reform law. The course focuses primarily on the
U.S., with some discussion of these issues in an international context.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: ECON 101 or ECON 101P.; Instructor: Coile; Distribution
Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ECON233 Title: Microeconomics of Pandemics
Pandemics like the COVID-19 crisis can exact a heavy toll in the loss of human life. Yet their consequences
may also include job losses and business failures, volatility in stock and product markets, and (potentially
permanent) changes to global supply chains, work, education, and cities. In this course, we examine
pandemics through a microeconomic lens. Topics to be explored include the health costs of pandemics, the
economics of vaccines, insuring individuals against pandemic-related risks, racial and socioeconomic
disparities in pandemic impacts, the effects of pandemics on firms and markets, and government interventions
to combat pandemics. In exploring these topics, we will use standard microeconomic tools including the
supply and demand model, models of consumer and firm behavior, cost-benefit analysis, and the expected
utility model. We will read current research on COVID-19 as well as research on earlier events like the 1918
influenza pandemic.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: ECON 101 or ECON 101P. ECON 103 (or equivalent)
recommended. Not open to students who have taken ECON 232 or ECON 332.; Instructor: Coile; Distribution
Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ECON241/LAST241 Title: Poverty and Inequality in Latin America
The course is a survey of economic development in Latin America, with an emphasis on public policies aimed
at reducing poverty and inequality. How can we define and measure development? How did Latin American
governments pursue development over the 20th century and into the 21st? How does contemporary social
and education policy contribute to the reduction of poverty and inequality? The course introduces students to
policy evaluation, with a focus on understanding and writing about field experiments in Latin America.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: ECON 101 or ECON 101P.; Instructor: McEwan; Distribution
Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ECON250 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Fall;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: ECON250H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit;
Course ID: ECON251H Title: Wellesley Initiative for Scholars of Economics (WISE)
This course is designed to deepen students' engagement with scholarship in Economics. Enrollment is by
invitation only and will draw from students concurrently enrolled in the core required courses for the major or
minor. The class will introduce students to current research in Economics, presented by different faculty
members, and link that research to skills and concepts covered in core required courses. Students will gain a
better understanding of the ways the tools they are learning in their courses can be applied to real world
issues.
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: None. Enrollment is by invitation only.; Instructor: Rothschild,
Weerapana; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit. The class
meets once per week for 75 minutes. It earns 0.5 units and may be repeated once for additional credit.;
Course ID: ECON301 Title: Advanced Microeconomic Analysis
Further development and application of the tools of analysis developed in ECON 201 (Intermediate Micro).
Students will study advanced topics in consumer and producer theory, including strategic models of firm
behavior in the presence of market power and many-good models of household behavior. Emphasis on
mathematical manipulation of models and effective communication of advanced theoretical reasoning and
results.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: ECON 201. MATH 205 recommended.; Instructor: Skeath;
Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ECON302 Title: Advanced Macroeconomics
In this course, students will learn about, and apply, mathematical techniques and econometric tools from
doing macroeconomic analysis. In terms of mathematical preparation, students are expected to have a good
knowledge of calculus and will be introduced to relevant topics in linear algebra, differential equations, and
dynamic optimization. In terms of econometrics, students will learn about time-series econometrics and vector
auto-regressions. Economic applications will include economic growth, search models of unemployment, New
Keynesian models for macroeconomic policy evaluation, and dynamic stochastic general equilibrium models.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: All of the following - ECON 201, ECON 202, ECON 203, MATH
205.; Instructor: Neumuller; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods
Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ECON303 Title: Advanced Econometrics and Data Science
This course will develop students' understanding of causal inference in cutting-edge empirical research.
Students will develop tools for their own work and enhance their ability to critically evaluate research in the
social sciences. How should a researcher approach an empirical question? How should a policymaker
evaluate the impact of a program? Topics include randomized experiments, instrumental variables, panel data,
regression discontinuity designs and machine learning. Applications will emphasize research on the frontier of
applied microeconomics.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: Either ECON 203 or QR 260/STAT 260, and either ECON 201 or
MATH 205.; Instructor: Park; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ECON306 Title: Economic Organizations in U.S. History
This course will use the insights of organization theory to analyze the development of the U.S. economy. The
main topics to be examined will include: the evolution of the U.S. banking and financial system and the
institutional changes underlying each phase of its development; the contractual foundations of business
organizations and the choice between partnerships and the corporate form; the rise of big business and the
great merger wave of the 1890s and the legal changes that made these developments possible; and the
regulatory innovations of the Securities and Exchange Commission in the 1930s. The course will employ a
variety of sophisticated theoretical and empirical methods in analyzing these developments and will present
them in comparative international perspective.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: ECON 201, ECON 202 and ECON 203.; Instructor: Hilt; Distribution
Requirements: HS - Historical Studies; SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ECON310 Title: Public Economics
This course explores the reasons for government intervention in the economy and the responses of
households and firms to the government's actions. Economic models and empirical research are used to
analyze tax policies and spending programs. Topics include the effect of taxes on savings and labor supply,
externalities and public goods, and social insurance programs such as social security and unemployment
insurance.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: ECON 201 and ECON 203.; Instructor: Giles; Distribution
Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ECON311 Title: Economics of Immigration
This course examines the economic causes and consequences of international migration, both historically and
in the present, with a focus on the U.S. experience. We explore changes in immigration law over time and the
political debates surrounding immigration in the past and present. Topics include: the effect of immigrants on
the wages of the native born; immigrants' use of welfare and other social services; and immigrants'
involvement in crime and their treatment in the criminal justice system. In each case, students will discuss the
popular perception, the theory, and the empirical evidence, with a focus on the public policy alternatives for
dealing with each issue.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: ECON 201 and ECON 203.; Instructor: Butcher; Distribution
Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ECON312 Title: The Economics of Globalization
This course examines the reasons for the integration across borders of the markets in goods and the factors of
production, and the consequences of these trends. In the first part of the course we discuss the history of
globalization. We then investigate the rationale and record of international trade, the immigration of labor, and
global financial flows. We examine issues related to international public goods, and the need for collective
solutions to such global problems as pandemics and pollution. We also investigate the records of international
governmental organizations.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: ECON 201.; Instructor: Joyce; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year:
Spring;
Course ID: ECON313 Title: International Macroeconomics
This course deals with economic activity in an open economy. Students learn basic concepts, including the
balance of payments, exchange rates, and capital flows. The impact of government policies in open
economies is analyzed. The last section examines financial crises and the role of the IMF.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: ECON 201, ECON 202 and ECON 203.; Instructor: Joyce;
Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ECON314 Title: Advanced International Trade
This course analyzes the causes and consequences of international trade. The theory of international trade
and the effects of trade policy tools are developed in both perfect and imperfect competition, with reference to
the empirical evidence. This framework serves as context for the consideration of several important issues: the
effect of trade on income inequality, the relationship between trade and the environment, the importance the
World Trade Organization, strategic trade policy, the role of trade in developing countries, and the effects of
free trade agreements.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: ECON 201 and ECON 203; Instructor: Abeberese; Distribution
Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ECON318 Title: Economic Analysis of Social Policy
This course uses economic analysis to evaluate important social policy issues in the United States, focusing
on the role of government in shaping social policy and its impact on individuals. Does welfare make people
work less or have more children? Why is the teenage birthrate so high, and how might it be lowered? How do
fertility patterns respond to changes in abortion policy? Theoretical models and econometric evidence will be
used to investigate these and other issues.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: ECON 201 and ECON 203; Instructor: Levine; Distribution
Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ECON320 Title: Economic Development
This class introduces students to the research field of economic development. We will examine some of the
big topics in economic development and how economists study them. For example, we will study key aspects
of life for poor households in the developing world, such as fertility, education, and savings, through the lens of
economic theory. We will consider interventions and policy options designed to improve outcomes and
examine related empirical evidence. Students will study recent research in this area and, for the final project,
propose a research project on a question of relevance in development economics.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: ECON 201 and ECON 203.; Instructor: Shastry; Distribution
Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ECON321 Title: Corporate Finance
This course analyzes the major financial decisions facing firms from the perspective of a manager making
choices about what investments to undertake, how to finance these projects, and how best to manage their
risks. This course is particularly focused on the underlying economic models that are relevant for making these
choices. Topics include capital budgeting, links between real and financial investments, optimal capital
structure, dividend policy, and firm valuation. Additional topics may include corporate risk management,
corporate governance, corporate restructuring, such as mergers and acquisitions, and start-up/entrepreneurial
financing.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: ECON 103/SOC 190 (or equivalent course) and ECON 201.;
Instructor: Neumuller; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ECON322 Title: Strategy and Information
How do individuals and groups make decisions? The core of the course is traditional game theory: the formal
study of the choices and outcomes that emerge in multiperson strategic settings. Game theoretic concepts
such as Nash equilibrium, rationalizability, backwards induction, sequential equilibrium, and common
knowledge are motivated by and critiqued using applications drawn from education policy, macroeconomic
policy, business strategy, terrorism risk mitigation, and good old-fashioned parlor games.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: ECON 201 and ECON 103. MATH 205 recommended.; Instructor:
Rothschild; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ECON323 Title: Finance Theory and Investments
This course provides a rigorous treatment of the fundamentals of finance. Topics include the valuation of
distant cash flows, pricing financial instruments such as stocks, bonds and options, portfolio choice, and
equilibrium theories of asset pricing. Where possible, modern academic research that relates to these topics
will be introduced and discussed.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: ECON 201 and ECON 203.; Instructor: Hilt; Distribution
Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ECON324 Title: Behavioral Economics
Why do people give to charity? What can be done to convince more people to save money in retirement
plans? This course explores these and other questions by introducing psychological phenomena into standard
models of economics. Evidence from in-class experiments, real-world examples, and field and laboratory data
is used to illustrate the ways in which actual behavior deviates from the classical assumptions of perfect
rationality and narrow self-interest.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: ECON 201 and ECON 203.; Instructor: Shurchkov; Distribution
Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and Spring; Semesters
Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall;
Course ID: ECON326 Title: Advanced Economics of Education
The course uses microeconomy theory and statistical methods to analyze education policy. What are the
private and social returns to investments in schooling, and why do so many students leave school early? What
are promising approaches for attracting and motivating good teachers? How should scarce public resources
be invested in the quality of public schools, and what role should the private sector play in education policy?
Students will learn how to read and critique empirical research, with an emphasis on understanding
experimental and quasi-experimental research designs. Students will refine their skills in empirical data
analysis, including the replication of classic papers using primary data.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: ECON 201 and ECON 203.; Instructor: McEwan; Distribution
Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ECON327 Title: The Economics of Law, Policy and Inequality
This course uses an economic framework to explore the persistence of inequality in the U.S. The course will
pay special attention to racial inequality. We will use economic theory to analyze the rules governing important
societal institutions, like the criminal justice system, to understand their theoretical implications for inequality.
After examining the theory, we will closely examine the empirical evidence that tests for discrimination in
criminal procedures, school finance, residential choices, media coverage, labor market outcomes, and more.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: ECON 201 and ECON 203.; Instructor: Park; Distribution
Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ECON328/ES329 Title: Environmental Issues in Developing Countries
Poor sanitation, inadequate waste management, contaminated water supplies and exposure to indoor air
pollution affect millions of people in developing countries and pose continuing risks to their health. The
objective of this course is to provide students with a set of theoretical, econometric and practical skills to
estimate the causal impact of environmental policies and programs with a particular focus on less-developed
countries. Examples from the readings will explore the effect of laws, NGO programs or natural experiments on
environmental quality and sustainability. Students will learn to critically analyze existing studies and to gauge
how convincingly the research identifies a causal impact. Students will use these skills to develop an
evaluation plan for a topic of their choice at the end of the term.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: ECON 201 and ECON 203.; Instructor: Keskin; Distribution
Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ECON330 Title: Institutional Research and Policy Analysis in Higher Education
This course will introduce students to economics research and policy analysis related to decisions made in
university settings by students, instructors and administrators. The course will emphasize practical, real-world
applications of empirical methods to Wellesley College taken from published research. Potential topics include
the determinants and consequences of course and major choice; peer and roommate effects on students’
learning; the effects of academic advising; and the impact of grading policies on student and faculty behavior.
We plan to invite selected alumnae back to campus to discuss their research and their careers in public policy
and data science. The course will require that students complete a project related to institutional research at
Wellesley. These projects could include (1) analysis of an existing data set that has been gathered by a
campus “client” such as, for example, the Office of Institutional Research, the Office of Residential Life, or
Career Services; (2) working with a specific department, program or instructor to help them design and/or
carry out a curricular or programmatic innovation and assess its effectiveness; (3) design a proposal for a
prospective evaluation of a campus-wide policy (such as a randomized trial). This is an experimental teamtaught course supported by ER&D.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: ECON 201, ECON 203.; Instructor: McEwan, Weerapana;
Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Every other year;
Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall;
Course ID: ECON332 Title: Advanced Health Economics
This course applies microeconomics to issues in health, medical care, and health insurance. Emphasis is
placed on policy-relevant empirical research. Topics include the impact of health insurance on health, the
interaction between health insurance and the labor market, the government's role in health care, the
economics of medical provider reimbursem*nt, and the effects of medical malpractice policy.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: ECON 201 and ECON 203.; Instructor: McKnight; Distribution
Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Spring;
Course ID: ECON334 Title: Macroeconomics in Practice
How do practitioners—including policymakers, financial market participants, and economic forecasters—
actually use the tools of macroeconomics? This course builds on Intermediate Macro and Econometrics to
deepen your understanding of how the macroeconomy and macro policy really work. Key questions include:
What challenges and puzzles are raised by recent macro developments? How are textbook macro models
implemented empirically and how do they need to be extended to capture recent developments? How
have/should monetary and fiscal policymakers respond given the (sometimes) inadequacy of models and
other real-world complexities? Course assignments will include both a policy simulation and a macro
forecasting exercise. Step beyond Econ 202 to develop a more sophisticated understanding of
macroeconomics.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: ECON 202 and ECON 203.; Instructor: Sichel; Distribution
Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this
Academic Year: Not Offered;
Course ID: ECON335 Title: Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Economic Journalism
Students will combine their knowledge of economics, including macro, micro, and econometrics, with their
skills at exposition, in order to address current economic issues in a journalistic format. Students will conduct
independent research to produce bi-weekly articles. Assignments may include coverage of economic lectures
by well-known economists, book reviews, economic data releases, and recent journal articles. Students also
may write an op-ed and a blog post. Class sessions will be organized as workshops devoted to critiquing the
economic content of student work.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 12; Prerequisites: All of the following - ECON 201, ECON 202, ECON 203.; Instructor:
Sichel; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and Behavioral Analysis; Other Categories: CSPW Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing; Typical Periods Offered: Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic
Year: Spring;
Course ID: ECON341 Title: Industrial Organization
This course uses applied microeconomic theory to study the relationships between firm conduct, market
structure, and industry performance. Topics include monopoly power and imperfect competition, price
discrimination, product differentiation, firm entry/exit, advertising, and standard setting. The course will
introduce the possibility that free markets may not produce the socially optimal set of products. Emphasis will
be divided equally between the strategic implications of the models and the policy implications.
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: ECON 201; Instructor: Staff; Distribution Requirements: SBA Social and Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Not
Offered;
Course ID: ECON350 Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor. Open to juniors and seniors.; Typical
Periods Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring;
Course ID: ECON350H Title: Research or Individual Study
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor.; Typical Periods Offered: Fall and
Spring; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Spring; Fall; Notes: Mandatory Credit/Non Credit.;
Course ID: ECON360 Title: Senior Thesis Research
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 15; Prerequisites: Permission of the department.; Typical Periods Offered: Spring;
Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research
(360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty member. If
sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second semester.;
Course ID: ECON370 Title: Senior Thesis
Units: 1; Max Enrollment: 25; Prerequisites: ECON 360 and permission of the department.; Typical Periods
Offered: Spring; Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Spring; Notes: Students enroll in Senior
Thesis Research (360) in the first semester and carry out independent work under the supervision of a faculty
member. If sufficient progress is made, students may continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second
semester.;
Course ID: ECON380H Title: Economics Research Seminar
A seminar for senior economics majors engaged in independent research. Students will learn about the use of
empirical techniques in economics, including the opportunity to engage with the research of prominent
economists, who present their work at the Calderwood and Goldman seminars hosted by the department.
Students will also present and discuss their own research at weekly meetings. Students may not accumulate
more than 0.5 credit for this course.
Units: 0.5; Max Enrollment: 20; Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor required. Limited to Senior
Economics majors doing independent research.; Instructor: Hilt; Distribution Requirements: SBA - Social and
Behavioral Analysis; Typical Periods Offered: Fall; Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall; Notes:
Mandatory Credit/Non Credit.;
Education Studies
Education is a broadly interdisciplinary field of study, drawing on a wide variety of knowledge and experience.
It occurs through interactions across actors, such as those between students and teachers and in the
interconnected settings of schools, families, and communities. Students examine how features of these
settings shape teaching and learning. They will analyze and reflect on fundamental topics and problems in
education, integrate theoretical frameworks, and examine purposes and values intrinsic to education in
society, while emphasizing connections between research and action, theory and practice. Students are
encouraged to blend on-campus learning with experiences in schools and communities.
Students will gain tools and perspectives that will be useful in education during an era of rapidly increasing
racial, ethnic, social and linguistic diversity and technological change. Courses in education engage with past
and present efforts to adapt and respond to this increasing diversity, centering the role of social, cultural,
historical and political context and the lived experiences of educators, youth and communities.
Education Studies Major
Goals for the Education Studies Major
Students will engage in and understand the interdisciplinary study of education.
Students will develop their skills as critical thinkers, analytic writers and skilled researchers through
active experiences in course work, independent study, and supervised experiences in the field.
Students will explore the variety of educational settings where teaching and learning occurs, such as
schools, out-of-school settings, families, and communities.
Through an analysis of past and present school reform efforts, students will examine the various
purposes and goals of schooling as well as the role and function of curriculum, teaching, and
pedagogy to serve those purposes, including democracy, freedom, and justice.
Students will examine and understand how contextual factors such as social class, race, immigration,
demographic shifts and rural/suburban/urban contexts have influenced educational policies and
practices.
Students will make connections between educational theory and practice while also acknowledging
tensions that may occur between educational theory and practice.
Students will apply their learning in communities of practice such as school classrooms and
community agencies, where present educational problems and change efforts can be observed in their
full contexts.
Requirements for the Education Studies Major
Students are expected to complete nine units of coursework, six of which must be completed at Wellesley
College. The major consists of three primary requirements: education core coursework, a capstone
experience, and an additional suite of courses taken within the education department. Supplemental
documents to assist students in planning a course of study can be found on the education department
website.
Students must complete:
An education core course
Students majoring in education studies must take at least one of the following three core courses. Students
can also choose to take more than one core course as part of their fulfillment of the Education Research and
Theory course requirement. Students taking multiple core courses may take them in any sequence as none of
the core courses have prerequisites. Each course can be a good starting point for a student interested in
studying education. One way of illustrating the distinctions between the three core courses is that:
EDUC 120 provides a foundational understanding of the themes and major issues in education
EDUC 214 explores the life of the child through family, community, and local context
EDUC 215 explores schools as sites for understanding and transforming social inequalities
*Prior to the 2024-25 academic year, EDUC 216 was included in the core course grouping. Students who
completed EDUC 216 may use the course as a core course.
EDUC 120
Foundations of
Education: An
Introduction to
the Major
Themes,
Controversies,
and Theories in
the Field
1.0
EDUC 214
Ecologies of
Education: Youth,
Family,
Community, and
Power
1.0
EDUC 215
Educational
Inequality and
Social
Transformation in
Schools
1.0
An education studies capstone experience
All education studies majors will be required to take a capstone experience, with guidance on the selection
from their major advisor. Education capstone courses have a course number designation in the 330s. Students
may choose from the following two options and must declare their intentions by the end of their junior year:
Option 1: One course in the EDUC 330’s sequence: These capstone courses include critical inquiry
into educational theory and practice, often include an experiential component, and require the student
to develop skills in research and inquiry. Capstone courses are offered each year and vary depending
on availability. Some examples of capstone courses include: EDUC 334: Seminar. Ethnography in
Education: Race, Migration, and Borders; EDUC 335: Seminar. Urban Education: Equity, Research,
and Action; EDUC 336 Theorizing Race in Education through Counternarrative Inquiry; EDUC 339
Seminar: Critical Perspectives, Practice, and Reflection in Teaching and Curriculum (restricted to
students in the teacher certification program).
Option 2: EDUC 360/EDUC 370 (Senior Thesis)
At least four and up to seven additional courses from the list of Education Research and Theory courses.
Students are required to take at least four additional Education Research and Theory courses to complete their
major. These courses allow students to establish a foundation in the interdisciplinary study of education and
develop an integrated understanding of educational policy, research, and practice.
Students may also select up to three Curriculum and Teaching courses (which focus on teaching methods and