Smith College Catalog 2021-2022

6 The Academic Program The Academic Program Smith: A Liberal Arts College The tradition of the liberal arts reaches back into classical antiquity. Training the mind through the study of languages, literature, history, culture, society, mathematics, science, the arts and philosophy has for centuries been the favored approach in Europe and America for educating leaders. It is a general training, not intended as a preparation for any one profession. In the 19th century the liberal arts were characterized as providing “the discipline and furniture of the mind: expanding its powers, and storing it with knowledge,” to which was added, “The former of these is, perhaps, the more important of the two.” At many liberal arts colleges today this ideal is understood as implying both breadth and depth in each student’s course of studies, as well as the acquisition of crucial skills in writing, public speaking and quantitative reasoning. From its foundation in 1871 Smith has taken a progressive, expansive and student-oriented view of its role as a liberal arts college. To the studies of the humanities and sciences the college early added courses in art and music, a substantial innovation for its time. In the same spirit the faculty has continued to integrate the new and the old, respecting all the while the individual needs of, and differences among, its students. As an early dean of the faculty wrote, it “is always the problem of education, to secure the proper amount of system and the due proportion of individual liberty, to give discipline to the impulsive and wayward and largeness of opportunity to those who will make good use of it.” In the spirit of “individual liberty [and] largeness of opportunity” Smith College has since 1970 had no distribution requirements for graduation. In the interest of “discipline” each student must complete a major, to give depth to her studies, while to guarantee breadth she must take at least 64 credits outside the department or program of her major. As for “system,” the college assigns each beginning student a faculty member as academic adviser; each student later chooses a major adviser. Students, in consultation with their advisers, are expected to select a curriculum that has both breadth and depth, engages with cultures other than their own, and develops critical skills in writing, public speaking, and quantitative reasoning. The Smith faculty strongly recommends that students “pursue studies in the seven major fields of knowledge” listed below. Completion of a course in each of these areas is a condition for Latin Honors at graduation: to be eligible each student must take at least one course in each of the seven areas. Students who complete a course in each area will receive Liberal Arts Commendation and this will be noted on their transcripts. The Curriculum Each discipline within the liberal arts framework offers students a valid perspective on the world’s past, present and future. Therefore, we recommend that students pursue studies in the following seven major fields of knowledge: 1. Literature, either in English or in some other language, because it is a crucial form of expression, contributes to our understanding of human experience and plays a central role in the development of culture; 2. Historical studies, either in history or in historically oriented courses in art, music, religion, philosophy and theatre, because they provide a perspective on the development of human society and culture and free us from the parochialism of the present; 3. Social science, because it offers a systematic and critical inquiry into human nature, social institutions and human relationships; 4. Natural science, because of its methods, its contribution to our understanding of the world around us and its significance in modern culture; 5. Mathematics and analytic philosophy, because they foster an understanding of the nature and use of formal, rational thought; 6. The arts, because they constitute the media through which people have sought, through the ages, to express their deepest feelings and values; 7. A foreign language, because it frees one from the limits of one’s own tongue, provides access to another culture and makes possible communication outside one’s own society. We further recommend that students take performance courses offered in exercise and sport studies, because they provide opportunities for recreation, health and the development of skills for the complete person. Curricular Expectations and Requirements In the course of their educations, Smith students are expected to become acquainted with—to master, as far as they are able—certain bodies of knowledge, but they are also expected to integrate that knowledge with their experience outside the classroom. The list below summarizes those curricular and co-curricular expectations. While acknowledging that education can never be defined by a listing of skills, the faculty believes that such a listing may usefully contribute to the planning of an education, and it offers the list below in that spirit, as an aid to students as they choose their courses and assess their individual progress, and to advisers as they assist in that process. The college’s student learning goals, or the essential capacities, are the following: Ability to engage across difference in place, culture and time Creativity, curiosity and innovation Critical and analytical thinking Resilience and resourcefulness Self-awareness as a learner The Writing Requirement Each first-year student is required, during their first or second semester at Smith, to complete at least one Writing Intensive (WI) course with a grade of C- or higher. Based on their level of proficiency, students will be directed toward particular writing courses. Ada Comstock Scholars and transfer students are also required to complete at least one Writing Intensive course, with a grade of C- or higher, during their first two semesters at Smith. The Writing Intensive requirement can be satisfied before matriculation based on transcript review by the registrar, in conjunction with the Committee on Writing and Public Discourse. Why Have a Writing Intensive Requirement? Writing Intensive (WI) courses embrace the responsibility to prepare students for the writing tasks they will encounter as their intellectual careers at Smith unfold. Accordingly, first-year students in WI courses learn how to ask questions; to observe closely; to interrogate assumptions; to gather, analyze and present evidence; and to make careful, evidence-based arguments through writing. They hone these skills by engaging in a process of drafting and revising facilitated by timely, discriminating feedback from peers and instructors. Students can expect their WI courses to help them to: articulate a thesis or central argument, or to create a description or report, with an orderly sequence of ideas, effective transitions, and a purpose that is clear to the intended audience; support an argument or enrich an explanation with evidence; compose paragraphs that are focused and coherent; develop an awareness of library-supported research tools, and an ability to search for and evaluate relevant primary and secondary sources for scholarly work;

The Academic Program incorporate the work of others (by quotation, summary or paraphrase) concisely, productively, and with attention to the models of citation of the various disciplines and with respect for academic integrity; and edit work until it forcefully and persuasively communicates its meanings. The Structure of Writing Intensive Courses While there is no one way to learn to think deeply and write powerfully, students can count on WI courses to: be small enough to permit meaningful and consistent attention to the writing process (no WI course or WI section of a larger course may have more than 20 students, and most will have fewer); offer an array of discrete writing assignments and opportunities during the course of the semester (rather than a single, longer paper or project); and offer significant opportunities to revise work, guided by feedback from both instructors and peers. Beyond these shared commitments, students may find that their WI course will employ a variety of pedagogical strategies (informal writing, writing workshops, etc.); that the writing opportunities it provides may be shaped by the intellectual values and practices of a particular academic discipline; and that the course may offer opportunities to write in the public-facing genres (e.g., the op-ed, the position paper, the blog post) or for the array of media platforms (e.g., the podcast, the website, the video essay) where writing does its work today. The required WI course is the beginning, not the culmination of a student’s writing life at the college. Just as one’s thinking and learning is never finished, so working on the writing that enables that thinking and learning will continue across each student’s years at Smith, whether within the major or in the curriculum at large. For the bachelor of arts degree, there are no further required courses outside the student’s field of concentration. The college does, however, make two demands of the student: that she complete a major and that she take at least 64 credits outside the department or program of her major. The curricular requirements for the bachelor of science degree in engineering are listed in the courses of study section under Engineering. Furthermore, students who wish to become eligible for Latin Honors at graduation or who wish to have Liberal Arts Commendation indicated on their transcripts must elect at least one course (normally four credits) in each of the seven major fields of knowledge listed previously. Each student has the freedom and responsibility to choose, with the help of her academic advisers, a course of studies to fit her individual needs and interests. The curricular expectations and requirements for the degree therefore allow great flexibility in the design of a course of study leading to the degree. The Major A student’s program requires a minimum of 36 credits in a departmental or interdepartmental major. For the bachelor of arts degree, one-half of a student’s total program, or at least 64 credits, shall be taken outside the department or program of the major. Any course (including prerequisites) which is explicitly listed in the catalogue as required for, or counting toward, fulfilling the requirements of the major shall be considered to be inside the major for the purposes of this rule. The sole exception to the 64-credit rule is that in the case of a major requiring study of two foreign languages taught within a single department or program, no fewer than 56 credits shall be taken outside the department or program of the major. The requirements for each major are described at the beginning of the course listings for each major department and program. Normally, cross-listed and dual-prefixed courses are also considered to be inside the major. Students should refer to the semester’s schedule of classes for the most current information on cross-listed and dual-prefix courses. Students declare their majors no later than the registration period during the second semester of the sophomore year but may declare them earlier. Once 7 the major is declared, a member of the faculty in the major department, either chosen or assigned, serves as the student’s adviser. Major programs are offered in the following areas: Africana Studies Government American Studies History Anthropology Italian Studies Art Jewish Studies Astronomy Latin American and Latino/a Studies Biochemistry Mathematics Biological Sciences Medieval Studies Chemistry Middle East Studies Classical Languages and Literatures Music Computer Science Neuroscience Dance Philosophy East Asian Languages and Cultures Physics Economics Psychology Education and Child Study Religion Engineering Russian, East European and English Language and Literature   Eurasian Studies Environmental Science and Policy Sociology Film and Media Studies Spanish and Portuguese French Studies Statistical and Data Sciences Geosciences Study of Women and Gender German Studies Theatre World Literatures If the educational needs of the individual student cannot be met by a course of study in any of the specified majors, a student may design and undertake an interdepartmental major sponsored by advisers from at least two departments, subject to the approval of the Committee on Academic Priorities. Information on student-designed interdepartmental majors may be found below. Students in departmental majors or in student-designed interdepartmental majors may enter the honors program. On its official transcripts, the college will recognize the completion of no more than two majors, or one major and one minor, or one major and one Five College Certificate for each student, even if the student chooses to complete the requirements for additional majors, minors or certificates. In addition, the college will recognize the completion of no more than one concentration for each student. Normally, only three courses from any one major may count toward both the student’s major and the concentration. No minor or second major may be in the same department or program as the first major. Departmental Honors The Departmental Honors Program is for qualified students who want to study a particular topic or undertake research that results in a significant thesis or project within their major department or program during the senior year. Interested students should consult the director of honors in the major department or program about application criteria, procedures and deadlines. Students must have permission of the major department or program to enter the Departmental Honors Program. Information regarding the Departmental Honors Program may also be obtained from the dean of the senior class. The Minor Students may consider the option of a minor in addition to a major. A minor consists of a sequence, designated by the faculty, of 20 to 24 credits from one or more departments. The minor may not be in the same department or program as the student’s major. No more than two courses may be counted for both the major and the minor.

8 Concentrations A concentration gives students a way to organize a combination of intellectual and practical experiences, such as internships and service learning, around an area of interest. Students apply to concentrations and when selected they receive focused advising to help them design a program in their area of interest. The concentration allows for more flexibility than is possible within an academic minor, and students can pursue a concentration alongside a minor or a second major. The college currently offers the following concentrations: the archives concentration connects students with the Sophia Smith Collection, the College Archives and other archives and is designed to make our histories public through research projects and professional training; book studies connects students with the exceptional resources of the Mortimer Rare Book Room and the wealth of area book artists and craftspeople; the community engagement and social change concentration connects students to the Jandon Center for Community Engagement and helps students expand their understanding of local, national and global issues that affect communities and to develop the skills and values necessary to collaborate with communities as citizens and leaders; global financial institutions connects students to the Center for Women and Financial Independence and provides a course of study that combines academic courses, research, and fieldwork to deepen knowledge of global financial markets; the museums concentration connects students to the Smith College Museum of Art and other museums and gives students a foundation in the history of museums and the critical issues they engage; the poetry concentration connects students to the Smith College Poetry Center and provides a course of study designed to allow students to pursue work on and about poetry through a range of experiences and courses; the environmental concentration connects students to the Center for the Environment, Ecological Design and Sustainability (CEEDS) and integrates knowledge in support of environmental decisions and actions; translation studies offers students studying foreign language and culture an opportunity to refine their knowledge of the language through translation. Other academic concentrations are under development. Each concentration offers: 1. one or more gateway courses to introduce students to the major questions or methods that define the topic. 2. a number of courses at Smith or in the Five Colleges related to the topic from which students choose four or five, with the help of her adviser; 3. internships or service learning experiences that satisfy a requirement to complete two practical learning experiences; and 4. a capstone experience such as a seminar or a guided independent project that culminates in a public presentation, usually at Collaborations in the spring. Student-Designed Interdepartmental Majors and Minors This course of study must differ significantly from an established major or minor and must include concentrated work in more than one department. For majors, at least one of the departments or programs must itself offer a major. Majors are expected to include 36 to 48 credits in related courses in more than one department. Normally, a minimum of 24 credits are at the 200 level or higher and a minimum of eight are at the 300 level. One of the 300-level courses may be the integrating project. Examples of self-designed majors include linguistics, exercise science and logic. Minors are expected to include 20 to 24 credits in related courses in more than one department, of which no more than eight credits should be at the 100 level and at least four should be at the 300 level. Proposals for majors may be submitted no earlier than the first semester of the sophomore year and no later than the end of advising week of the second semester of the junior year. The deadlines for submission of proposals are Oc- The Academic Program tober 15, February 1 and March 15. Proposals for minors may be submitted to the Subcommittee on Honors and Independent Programs at any time after the major has been declared but no later than the end of the first semester of the senior year. The major or minor proposal must include a statement explicitly defining the subject matter and method of approach underlying the design of the major or minor; course lists; and, for the major, a clearly formulated integrating course or piece of work. Proposals must include letters of support from all advisers representing the areas of study central to the major and written recommendations signed by the chairs indicating approval of the departments or programs in the major. Information about student-designed interdepartmental majors and minors is available from the dean of the senior class. Five College Certificate Programs Five College Certificate Programs provide a directed course of study in various interdisciplinary fields through the resources available at the five area colleges. Certificate programs are offered in addition to or in conjunction with the student’s major. Certificates are awarded upon successful completion of a program by the appropriate Five College faculty councils on the recommendation of designated faculty advisers from the student’s home institution. Current certificate programs require that the student earn a grade of B or above in all courses counting for the certificate and many require students to demonstrate competence in a language other than English. Each institution determines the method by which competence will be measured.

Academic Calendar 2021-22. Fall Semester 2021. Friday, August 27. Central check-in for entering first-year students, transfer students, and Ada Comstock scholars. Friday, August 27-Wednesday, September 1. Orientation for entering students. Wednesday, September 1. Opening convocation. Thursday, September 2. Classes begin. Monday, September 6 .