An introduction to some of the major perspectives, themes, and issues in the field of Afro-American studies. Our focus is on the economic, social and political aspects of cultural production, and how these inform what it means to read, write about, view and listen to Black culture.

This course examines historical, critical and theoretical perspectives on the development of Black feminist theory/praxis. The course draws from the 19th century to the present, but focuses on the contemporary Black feminist intellectual tradition that achieved notoriety in the 1970s and initiated a global debate on Western and global feminisms. Central to our exploration is the analysis of the intersectional relationship between theory and practice, and of race, to gender and class. We conclude the course with the exploration of various expressions of contemporary Black feminist thought around the globe as a way of broadening our knowledge of feminist theory.

Offered as AFR 170 and ENG 235. An introduction to the themes, issues and questions that shaped the literature of African Americans during its period of origin. Texts include poetry, prose and works of fiction. Writers include Harriet Jacobs, Frances Harper, Charles Chesnutt, Frederick Douglass and Phillis Wheatley.

Designed to introduce students to the methods of inquiry used for research in Africana Studies. Through intensive study of a single topic (past examples: Toni Morrison's Beloved, the American South, The Black Seventies) students will consider the formation of the field, engage canonical texts, attend lectures and learn from scholars whose work is based in a variety of disciplines. Focus will be on the challenges and opportunities made possible by doing multi- and interdisciplinary research: how and why scholars ask and approach research questions and have conversations with each other. Students may explore and develop their own research project.

Why has the construction of archives that center on the experiences of people of African descent been so critical to black political, cultural, and social life? What do black archives look like and what do they offer us? How do they expand the way we consider archives in general? This course seeks to address these questions by examining the conception and development of black archives, primarily, although not exclusively, as they arose in the United States across the twentieth century. Enrollment limited to 20.

The course introduces students to the main theoretical interpretations of culture in the Caribbean, and gives an overview of Caribbean cultural history. Students will be expected to analyze the impact of colonialism, race, class, gender and sexuality in the formation of Caribbean cultural practices, and to interpret cultural expression in its broadest political sense. Key theoretical terms that are central to any understanding of Caribbean cultural thought – the plantation, diaspora, creolization – will be addressed in detail in the course. These key terms in Caribbean cultural thought are mobilized in order to give students the analytical tools to consider a wide variety of Caribbean cultural practices, identity formations, and ways of interpreting social reality in the region. Enrollment limited to 40.

This course examines the U.S. Black autobiographical tradition from the eighteenth century to the present. “Autobiography” is constituted broadly to include slave narratives, memoirs, travelogues, poems, speeches, sketches and essays. The class explores questions of form, genre, publication history, narrative voice, language, audience and other literary markers. Students examine the narratives' socio-political, historical and economic milieus. And students explore the tradition, they consider how Black autobiographers engage Carolyn Rodgers’ meditation-cum-query in, Breakthrough: “How do I put my self on paper/ The way I want to be or am and be/ Not like any one else in this/ Black world but me”

This course introduces some of the exciting and innovative approaches to cultural analysis that have emerged over the last three decades. Students apply these methods to a variety of texts and practices (stories, movies, television shows, music, advertisements, clothes, buildings, laws, markets, bodies) in an effort to acquire the tools to become skillful readers of American culture, and to become more critical and aware as scholars and citizens. Prerequisite: AMS 201 is recommended but not required.

This course is designed to introduce students to the interdisciplinary field of Native American and Indigenous Studies. This course looks at the diverse histories of Indigenous nations across North America, as well as histories of shared experiences with ongoing colonialism, legacies of resistance and connections to place. The class focuses on Indigenous perspectives, intellectual traditions and critical interventions across time through the work of historians, anthropologists, philosophers, literary scholars, Indigenous knowledge keepers, poets, writers and activists. This course is required for a Native American and Indigenous Studies focus for American Studies majors.

This course examines the history of U.S. occupation of Hawai'i as a case study of U.S. imperialism. The class examines the history of the rise and fall of the Hawaiian Kingdom, the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, the establishment of Hawai'i as a U.S. territory and the current status of Hawai'i as the 50th state in the United States. The class looks at the role of missionaries in introducing capitalist economy in Hawai'i, Native Hawaiian resistance to American annexation, indigenous land struggles as a result of urbanization and U.S. military expansion, Asian settlers in Hawai'i, revitalization of Hawaiian language and contemporary Native Hawaiian sovereignty movements for self-determination. (E)

In this course, we will consider such questions as: What do we know and how do we know it? What knowledges count as science? How is knowledge culturally situated? How has science been central to colonialism and capitalism and what would it mean to decolonize science(s)? Is feminist science possible? We will look at key sites and situations in media and popular culture, in science writing, in sociological accounts of science, in creation stories and traditional knowledges in which knowledge around the categories of race, gender, sex, sexuality, sovereignty, and dis/ability are produced, contested and made meaningful. Enrollment limited to 35.

Offered as AMS 267 and SWG 267. What is learned by reading Queer Ecologies alongside Butler’s Lilith’s Brood, or Over the Hedge as environmental racism? The class considers what it means to have a racialized and sexualized identity shaped by relationships with environments. How is nature gendered, racialized and sexualized? Why? How are analytics of power mobilized around, or in opposition to, nature? How are conceptions of “disability” and “health” taken up in environmental justice movements? Students investigate the discursive and practical connections made between marginalized peoples and nature, and chart the knowledge gained by queering our conceptions of nature and the natural. Enrollment limited to 20. (E)

Offered as AMS 351np and ENG 384np. A creative nonfiction writing workshop where students improve their writing using photography as muse, guide, foil and inspiration. Students write long, creative nonfiction pieces about current issues in American life using photography as a method for inspiring, analyzing and improving the prose. Students take photos, report and write, applying principles of photography such as point of view, depth of field, focus, flatness and timing to help with the essentials of narrative prose. Stories range from blog posts to profiles to fully realized long form, magazine-style, nonfiction articles. This is not a photography course, and if students' photography improves as a result, that is a happy accident. No prior experience with photography required. Enrollment limited to 12. Juniors and seniors only. Writing sample and instructor permission required.

Writing Sample and Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required.

What does it mean to be human? What is culture, and how does it shape the way we see the world? Why are some forms of cultural difference tolerated, while others are not? As the holistic study of the human experience, cultural anthropology addresses these questions in a world shaped by human migration, climate change, capitalist extraction, and global inequality. This course provides an overview of the discipline’s history, its distinctive method of ethnography, and the breadth of topics it addresses, including public health, race, the environment, gender, language, nationalism, software design, the body, music, cities, government, and more. First years and Sophomores only. Enrollment limited to 25.

What does it mean to be human? What is culture, and how does it shape the way we see the world? Why are some forms of cultural difference tolerated, while others are not? As the holistic study of the human experience, cultural anthropology addresses these questions in a world shaped by human migration, climate change, capitalist extraction, and global inequality. This course provides an overview of the discipline’s history, its distinctive method of ethnography, and the breadth of topics it addresses, including public health, race, the environment, gender, language, nationalism, software design, the body, music, cities, government, and more. First years and Sophomores only. Enrollment limited to 25.

What does it mean to be human? What is culture, and how does it shape the way humans see the world? Why are some forms of cultural difference tolerated, while others are not? As the holistic study of the human experience, cultural anthropology addresses these questions in a world shaped by human migration, climate change, capitalist extraction and global inequality. This course provides an overview of the discipline’s history, its distinctive method of ethnography and the breadth of topics it addresses, including public health, race, the environment, gender, language, nationalism, software design, the body, music, cities, government and more. First-years and sophomores only. Enrollment limited to 25.

Offered as ANT 135 and ARC 135. This course studies past cultures and societies through their material remains and explores how archaeologists use different field methods, analytical technique and theoretical approaches to investigate, reconstruct and learn from the past. Data from settlement surveys, site excavations and artifact analysis are used to address economic, social, political and ideological questions across time and space. This course is taught from an anthropological perspective, exploring key transitions in human prehistory, including the origins of food production, social inequality and state-level societies across the globe. Relevance of archaeological practice in modern political, economic and social contexts is explored. First-year and sophomores only. Enrollment limited to 30.

This course introduces students to the variety of methods of inquiry used for research in anthropology. Throughout the semester, students are introduced to methods of locating and analyzing information and sources, developing research questions and writing. Normally taken in the spring of the sophomore or junior year. Anthropology majors only. Prerequisite: ANT 130. Enrollment limited to 20. Instructor permission required.

Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required.

This course considers theories and practices of reinterpreting landscape through the lenses of indigeneity, transnational feminism and decoloniality. Through a broad range of theoretical and creative works, students explore alternative ways of knowing and relating to places—thinking across space and time, built structures and material absences, borders, embodiment and networks of relations. Discussions engage several ethnographic case studies across the Americas that closely examine the intersections of place, body and landscape. Students apply critical spatial practices by designing a digital project using textual, sonic and visual modes to remap a selected site based on ethnographic research. Enrollment limited to 30. (E)

Offered as ANT 224 and ENV 224. Anthropology seeks to understand human life in all its complexity, but what constitutes the human is far from straightforward. This course examines the changing ways that Anthropos is being understood in an era of rapid global climate change and our planet’s sixth mass extinction event, both driven by human activities. We review perspectives on the relationship between humans and their environment from various cultural perspectives, considering how they engage notions of race, class, and gender, and what they imply for nature conservation. Topics include modernity, pets, cyborgs, kinship, symbiosis, extinction, species invasions, settler colonialism and the Anthropocene concept. Enrollment limited to 30.

Drawing on a holistic, multidisciplinary perspective, this course considers food as a lens through which to examine issues of identity such as gender, family, community, nationality, religion and class. Food and drink are further considered in terms of how they sustain human life. The class explores the journey of food production, preparation, distribution and consumption as well as food scarcity, security and sovereignty. Local, national and global networks are examined in an attempt to better understand the cultural and nutritional importance of food and the role it plays in socioeconomic and political relationships. Ethnographic research will be conducted in the local community.

This course is a research seminar based on the history of the eugenics movement and other forms of racial pseudo-science in the United States.  After completing some general readings on the history of American eugenics, students will develop individual research projects based on the rise, decline and lingering impacts of the movement.  The focus in developing these projects will be on materials stored in the Smith College Archives, which range from the papers of  Harris Hawthorne Wilder, Morris Steggerda and other faculty who were involved in eugenics research to ephemeral materials that document the participation of Smith students in this research from the 1910s to the late 1930s. Enrollment limited to 12. Juniors and seniors only. Instructor permission required.

Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required.

This is a communication-oriented course in Arabic at the intermediate level, incorporating both Modern Standard and colloquial Arabic and providing students with an opportunity to hone their skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing. Students will expand their ability to create with the language while reenforcing fundamentals and expanding their knowledge of vocabulary, grammar and culture. In addition to in-class teamwork, students will produce a variety of essays, presentations and skits throughout the semester. Prerequisite: ARA 101 or equivalent.

This course students achieve an advanced level of proficiency in Modern Standard Arabic with an exposure to one Arabic colloquial variety using the four-skills (reading, writing, speaking, listening) approach. Students read within a normal range of speed, listen to, discuss and respond in writing to authentic texts by writers from across the Arab world. Text types address a range of political, social, religious and literary themes and represent a range of genres, styles and periods. All of these texts may include hypothesis, argumentation and supported opinions that covers both linguistic and cultural knowledge. This course covers Al-Kitaab Book 3, units 1-5, in addition to extra instructional materials. Prerequisite: ARA 202, or the completion of Al-Kitaab Book 2, or equivalent. Students must be able to use formal spoken Arabic as the medium of communication in the classroom.

Offered as ANT 135 and ARC 135. This course studies past cultures and societies through their material remains and explores how archaeologists use different field methods, analytical technique and theoretical approaches to investigate, reconstruct and learn from the past. Data from settlement surveys, site excavations and artifact analysis are used to address economic, social, political and ideological questions across time and space. This course is taught from an anthropological perspective, exploring key transitions in human prehistory, including the origins of food production, social inequality and state-level societies across the globe. Relevance of archaeological practice in modern political, economic and social contexts is explored. First-year and sophomores only. Enrollment limited to 30.

This course explores how art and architecture have profoundly shaped visual experiences and shifting understandings of the past and present. Featuring different case studies, each section includes work with original objects, site visits and writings about art. Unifying themes include: (1) materials, techniques and the patterns deployed to create space; (2) the design, function and symbolism of images and monuments; (3) artistic production and its relation to individual and institutional patronage, religion, politics and aesthetics; (4) issues turning on artists’ fame versus anonymity and uniqueness versus reproducibility; and (5) cross-cultural exchanges. Enrollment limited to 25.

This course explores how art and architecture have profoundly shaped visual experiences and shifting understandings of the past and present. Featuring different case studies, each section includes work with original objects, site visits and writings about art. Unifying themes include: (1) materials, techniques and the patterns deployed to create space; (2) the design, function and symbolism of images and monuments; (3) artistic production and its relation to individual and institutional patronage, religion, politics and aesthetics; (4) issues turning on artists’ fame versus anonymity and uniqueness versus reproducibility; and (5) cross-cultural exchanges. Enrollment limited to 25.

This course explores how art and architecture have profoundly shaped visual experiences and shifting understandings of the past and present. Featuring different case studies, each section includes work with original objects, site visits and writings about art. Unifying themes include: (1) materials, techniques and the patterns deployed to create space; (2) the design, function and symbolism of images and monuments; (3) artistic production and its relation to individual and institutional patronage, religion, politics and aesthetics; (4) issues turning on artists’ fame versus anonymity and uniqueness versus reproducibility; and (5) cross-cultural exchanges. Enrollment limited to 25.

This course explores how art and architecture have profoundly shaped visual experiences and shifting understandings of the past and present. Featuring different case studies, each section includes work with original objects, site visits and writings about art. Unifying themes include: (1) materials, techniques and the patterns deployed to create space; (2) the design, function and symbolism of images and monuments; (3) artistic production and its relation to individual and institutional patronage, religion, politics and aesthetics; (4) issues turning on artists’ fame versus anonymity and uniqueness versus reproducibility; and (5) cross-cultural exchanges. Enrollment limited to 25.

The meanings ascribed to art and architecture from any culture or period turn upon the interpreter’s preoccupations and methods. This colloquium examines contemporary debates within the discipline, locating them within the field’s own history. The class asks what kinds of knowledge historians of art and
architecture produce and legitimize? What kinds of questions do they ask, what means do they use to answer them? Considering art and architectural history as a living field, the focus falls on recent scholarship, with an eye to the dynamic ways in which it builds on and/or departs from the history of the
discipline. Enrollment limited to 18. Prerequisites: ARH 110 or a first-year seminar taught by a member of the department.

Offered as POR 201 and ARH 201. This course serves as an introduction in English to contemporary and modern Brazilian art. Course materials and class discussions address such topics as public vs. private art spaces, national vs. global identities, the role of art as agency for social change and as site of memory, activism, resistance and transformation.

This course explores many different aspects of life in the cities and sanctuaries of the ancient Near East, Egypt, Greece, Etruria and Rome. Recurrent themes include urbanism, landscapes and patterns of worship, including initiation, sacrifice and pilgrimage. The class probes how modern notions of the secular and the sacred influence interpretation and how sometimes the seemingly most anomalous features of the worship of Isis or of the juxtaposition of commercial and domestic space within a city can potentially prove to be the most revealing about life in another place and time. Group A, Counts for ARU

This multicultural course introduces students to the visual arts of Asia from the earliest times to the present. In a writing- and speaking-intensive environment, students will develop skills in visual analysis and art historical interpretation. Illustrated class lectures, group discussions, museum visits, and a variety of writing exercises will allow students to explore architecture, sculpture, painting, and other artifacts in relation to the history and culture of such diverse countries as India, China, Cambodia, Korea, and Japan. (E)

Artistic production under the first three Hanoverian kings of Great Britain. Topics include royal patronage; urban developments (London, Bath, Edinburgh); the English landscape garden; the English country house and its fittings; collecting and display; the Grand Tour; aesthetic movements (Gothic Revival, the Sublime, the Picturesque, Neoclassicism); artists’ training and careers (among others, the brothers Adam, Gainsborough, Hawskmoor, Hogarth, Reynolds, Roubiliac and Wright of Derby); maps, prints and books; center vs. periphery; and city vs. country. Reading assignments culled from primary and secondary sources; including travel and epistolary literature. Counts for ARU

This course examines global artistic tendencies since 1945 in their art-historical and socio-historical contexts. The class considers such developments as American abstraction and the rise of New York, neo-dada, pop, minimalism, conceptual art, earthworks, the influence of feminism, postmodernism, the politics of identity, conceptions of the site and the institution, global publics and the global culture of art and the theoretical issues and debates that help to frame these topics. Group B

This colloquium investigates the space between animal studies and art history. Examining case studies from the early modern period to the present, the class considers questions such as: What constitutes the animal, and how do images shape responses to this question? How and why have artists deployed animals as visual signs? How did the collection of animal specimens in the West both depend on and sustain networks of imperialism? Students' conversations will center around the meaningful role images and objects play in shaping understandings of the human, the animal, nature, identity and both human and animal culture. Prerequisite: ARH 110. Enrollment limited to 20. (E)

An introduction to the use of digital media in the context of contemporary art practice. Students explore content development and design principles through a series of projects involving text, still image and moving image. This class involves critical discussions of studio projects in relation to contemporary art and theory. Core studio materials are provided. Students are responsible for the purchase of additional supplies required for individual projects. Enrollment limited to 14. Instructor permission required.

Entering (first semester) first-years can register themselves without permission in September. For all other students: Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. This course is a permissions course, meaning all students are initially placed on the waitlist. Please read the course description to ensure you meet the listed prerequisites (if any). During November/April registration: The instructor will review the class roster and be in touch about enrollment once all students have had a chance to waitlist. There is nothing else you need to do in the meantime. Please do not submit a course waiver unless requested. During add/drop (Sept/Jan): You may register to the waitlist and contact the instructor about attending the first day of class. If you receive permission to take the course, you should submit a Course Eligibility Waiver.     

An introduction to visual experience through a study of the basic elements of drawing. Core studio materials are provided. Students are responsible for the purchase of additional supplies required for individual projects. Enrollment limited to 18. Instructor permission required.

Entering (first semester) first-years can register themselves without permission in September. For all other students: Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. This course is a permissions course, meaning all students are initially placed on the waitlist. Please read the course description to ensure you meet the listed prerequisites (if any). During November/April registration: The instructor will review the class roster and be in touch about enrollment once all students have had a chance to waitlist. There is nothing else you need to do in the meantime. Please do not submit a course waiver unless requested. During add/drop (Sept/Jan): You may register to the waitlist and contact the instructor about attending the first day of class. If you receive permission to take the course, you should submit a Course Eligibility Waiver.     

An introduction to visual experience through a study of the basic elements of drawing. Core studio materials are provided. Students are responsible for the purchase of additional supplies required for individual projects. Enrollment limited to 18. Instructor permission required.

Entering (first semester) first-years can register themselves without permission in September. For all other students: Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. This course is a permissions course, meaning all students are initially placed on the waitlist. Please read the course description to ensure you meet the listed prerequisites (if any). During November/April registration: The instructor will review the class roster and be in touch about enrollment once all students have had a chance to waitlist. There is nothing else you need to do in the meantime. Please do not submit a course waiver unless requested. During add/drop (Sept/Jan): You may register to the waitlist and contact the instructor about attending the first day of class. If you receive permission to take the course, you should submit a Course Eligibility Waiver.     

An introduction to visual experience through a study of the basic elements of drawing. Core studio materials are provided. Students are responsible for the purchase of additional supplies required for individual projects. Enrollment limited to 18. Instructor permission required.

Entering (first semester) first-years can register themselves without permission in September. For all other students: Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. This course is a permissions course, meaning all students are initially placed on the waitlist. Please read the course description to ensure you meet the listed prerequisites (if any). During November/April registration: The instructor will review the class roster and be in touch about enrollment once all students have had a chance to waitlist. There is nothing else you need to do in the meantime. Please do not submit a course waiver unless requested. During add/drop (Sept/Jan): You may register to the waitlist and contact the instructor about attending the first day of class. If you receive permission to take the course, you should submit a Course Eligibility Waiver.     

An introduction to visual experience through a study of the basic elements of drawing. Core studio materials are provided. Students are responsible for the purchase of additional supplies required for individual projects. Enrollment limited to 18. Instructor permission required.

Entering (first semester) first-years can register themselves without permission in September. For all other students: Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. This course is a permissions course, meaning all students are initially placed on the waitlist. Please read the course description to ensure you meet the listed prerequisites (if any). During November/April registration: The instructor will review the class roster and be in touch about enrollment once all students have had a chance to waitlist. There is nothing else you need to do in the meantime. Please do not submit a course waiver unless requested. During add/drop (Sept/Jan): You may register to the waitlist and contact the instructor about attending the first day of class. If you receive permission to take the course, you should submit a Course Eligibility Waiver.     

This cross-disciplinary studio course involves two-dimensional, three-dimensional and time-based approaches. Students are introduced to a range of conceptual and practical frameworks for making and thinking about art. This course is strongly recommended for students considering the art major. By emphasizing visual thinking, risk-taking and critical reflection, this course also has relevance for other disciplines. Core studio materials are provided. Students are responsible for the purchase of additional supplies required for individual projects. Enrollment limited to 15. Priority given to first years. Instructor permission required.

Entering (first semester) first-years can register themselves without permission in September. For all other students: Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. This course is a permissions course, meaning all students are initially placed on the waitlist. Please read the course description to ensure you meet the listed prerequisites (if any). During November/April registration: The instructor will review the class roster and be in touch about enrollment once all students have had a chance to waitlist. There is nothing else you need to do in the meantime. Please do not submit a course waiver unless requested. During add/drop (Sept/Jan): You may register to the waitlist and contact the instructor about attending the first day of class. If you receive permission to take the course, you should submit a Course Eligibility Waiver.     

This cross-disciplinary studio course involves two-dimensional, three-dimensional and time-based approaches. Students are introduced to a range of conceptual and practical frameworks for making and thinking about art. This course is strongly recommended for students considering the art major. By emphasizing visual thinking, risk-taking and critical reflection, this course also has relevance for other disciplines. Core studio materials are provided. Students are responsible for the purchase of additional supplies required for individual projects. Enrollment limited to 15. Priority given to first years. Instructor permission required.

Entering (first semester) first-years can register themselves without permission in September. For all other students: Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. This course is a permissions course, meaning all students are initially placed on the waitlist. Please read the course description to ensure you meet the listed prerequisites (if any). During November/April registration: The instructor will review the class roster and be in touch about enrollment once all students have had a chance to waitlist. There is nothing else you need to do in the meantime. Please do not submit a course waiver unless requested. During add/drop (Sept/Jan): You may register to the waitlist and contact the instructor about attending the first day of class. If you receive permission to take the course, you should submit a Course Eligibility Waiver.     

This cross-disciplinary studio course involves two-dimensional, three-dimensional and time-based approaches. Students are introduced to a range of conceptual and practical frameworks for making and thinking about art. This course is strongly recommended for students considering the art major. By emphasizing visual thinking, risk-taking and critical reflection, this course also has relevance for other disciplines. Core studio materials are provided. Students are responsible for the purchase of additional supplies required for individual projects. Enrollment limited to 15. Priority given to first years. Instructor permission required.

Entering (first semester) first-years can register themselves without permission in September. For all other students: Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. This course is a permissions course, meaning all students are initially placed on the waitlist. Please read the course description to ensure you meet the listed prerequisites (if any). During November/April registration: The instructor will review the class roster and be in touch about enrollment once all students have had a chance to waitlist. There is nothing else you need to do in the meantime. Please do not submit a course waiver unless requested. During add/drop (Sept/Jan): You may register to the waitlist and contact the instructor about attending the first day of class. If you receive permission to take the course, you should submit a Course Eligibility Waiver.     

This 7-week studio intensive explores print-based artworks and the expressive qualities of distribution, archive and exchange. We will use printmaking, binding and presentation techniques to consider the personal, collaborative and political scope of print media. Studio Art Workshops allow students with any level of experience to explore a thematic, expanded approach to art practice. When multiple workshops are offered, students may take different topics during the first and second half of the semester for a total of 4 credits. Up to 4 credits of workshops may count toward the Studio Art Major. No prerequisites. Majors and non-majors welcome. S/U only. Enrollment limited to 12. (E)

First half of semester course.

This 7-week studio intensive explores print-based artworks and the expressive qualities of distribution, archive and exchange. We will use printmaking, binding and presentation techniques to consider the personal, collaborative and political scope of print media. Studio Art Workshops allow students with any level of experience to explore a thematic, expanded approach to art practice. When multiple workshops are offered, students may take different topics during the first and second half of the semester for a total of 4 credits. Up to 4 credits of workshops may count toward the Studio Art Major. No prerequisites. Majors and non-majors welcome. S/U only. Enrollment limited to 12. (E)

Second half of semester course.

This 7-week studio intensive engages topics of social justice as central to our discussion and visual inquiry. Through studio work, artist research, class excursions and short readings, students will use drawing as an expansive medium to conceptualize and relate their ideas. This course is experimental in nature and will have no defined emphasis on traditional drawing techniques, instead we will take an expanded/interdisciplinary media approach to drawing, to explore how critical questions of social justice can be developed into impactful artworks. Studio Art Workshops allow students with any level of experience to explore a thematic, expanded approach to art practice. When multiple workshops are offered, students may take different topics during the first and second half of the semester for a total of 4 credits. Up to 4 credits of workshops may count toward the Studio Art Major. No prerequisites. Majors and non-majors welcome. S/U only. Enrollment limited to 12. (E)

First half of semester course.

This 7-week studio intensive engages topics of social justice as central to our discussion and visual inquiry. Through studio work, artist research, class excursions and short readings, students will use drawing as an expansive medium to conceptualize and relate their ideas. This course is experimental in nature and will have no defined emphasis on traditional drawing techniques, instead we will take an expanded/interdisciplinary media approach to drawing, to explore how critical questions of social justice can be developed into impactful artworks. Studio Art Workshops allow students with any level of experience to explore a thematic, expanded approach to art practice. When multiple workshops are offered, students may take different topics during the first and second half of the semester for a total of 4 credits. Up to 4 credits of workshops may count toward the Studio Art Major. No prerequisites. Majors and non-majors welcome. S/U only. Enrollment limited to 12. (E)

Second half of semester course.

This course builds working knowledge of multimedia digital artwork through experience with a variety of software, focusing on video and time-based media. Core studio materials are provided. Students are responsible for the purchase of additional supplies required for individual projects. Enrollment limited to 14. No prerequisites. Instructor permission required.

Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. This course is a permissions course, meaning all students are initially placed on the waitlist. Please read the course description to ensure you meet the listed prerequisites (if any). During November/April registration: The instructor will review the class roster and be in touch about enrollment once all students have had a chance to waitlist. There is nothing else you need to do in the meantime. Please do not submit a course waiver unless requested. During add/drop (Sept/Jan): You may register to the waitlist and contact the instructor about attending the first day of class. If you receive permission to take the course, you should submit a Course Eligibility Waiver.     

An introduction to more advanced theories and techniques of drawing, including the role of drawing in contemporary art. The emphasis of the class is on both studio work and class discussion. A major topic is the development of independent projects and practice. Students may require additional supplies and are responsible for purchasing them directly. Enrollment limited to 15. Prerequisite: ARS 163 or ARS 172 or equivalent. Instructor permission required.

Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. This course is a permissions course, meaning all students are initially placed on the waitlist. Please read the course description to ensure you meet the listed prerequisites (if any). During November/April registration: The instructor will review the class roster and be in touch about enrollment once all students have had a chance to waitlist. There is nothing else you need to do in the meantime. Please do not submit a course waiver unless requested. During add/drop (Sept/Jan): You may register to the waitlist and contact the instructor about attending the first day of class. If you receive permission to take the course, you should submit a Course Eligibility Waiver.     

Various spatial and pictorial concepts are investigated through the oil medium. Core studio materials are provided. Students are responsible for the purchase of additional supplies required for individual projects. Prerequisite: ARS 163 or equivalent. Enrollment limited to 18. Instructor permission required.

Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. This course is a permissions course, meaning all students are initially placed on the waitlist. Please read the course description to ensure you meet the listed prerequisites (if any). During November/April registration: The instructor will review the class roster and be in touch about enrollment once all students have had a chance to waitlist. There is nothing else you need to do in the meantime. Please do not submit a course waiver unless requested. During add/drop (Sept/Jan): You may register to the waitlist and contact the instructor about attending the first day of class. If you receive permission to take the course, you should submit a Course Eligibility Waiver.     

The human figure and other natural forms. Work in modeling and plaster casting. Core studio materials are provided. Students are responsible for the purchase of additional supplies required for individual projects. Enrollment limited to 15. Prerequisite: ARS 163, ARS 172 or equivalent. Instructor permission required.

Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. This course is a permissions course, meaning all students are initially placed on the waitlist. Please read the course description to ensure you meet the listed prerequisites (if any). During November/April registration: The instructor will review the class roster and be in touch about enrollment once all students have had a chance to waitlist. There is nothing else you need to do in the meantime. Please do not submit a course waiver unless requested. During add/drop (Sept/Jan): You may register to the waitlist and contact the instructor about attending the first day of class. If you receive permission to take the course, you should submit a Course Eligibility Waiver.     

This course introduces students to different installation strategies (e.g., working with multiples, found objects, light and site-specificity, among others). Coursework includes a series of projects, critiques, readings and a paper. Students may require additional supplies and are responsible for purchasing them directly. Enrollment limited to 12. Prerequisite: ARS 172 or equivalent. Instructor permission required.

Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. This course is a permissions course, meaning all students are initially placed on the waitlist. Please read the course description to ensure you meet the listed prerequisites (if any). During November/April registration: The instructor will review the class roster and be in touch about enrollment once all students have had a chance to waitlist. There is nothing else you need to do in the meantime. Please do not submit a course waiver unless requested. During add/drop (Sept/Jan): You may register to the waitlist and contact the instructor about attending the first day of class. If you receive permission to take the course, you should submit a Course Eligibility Waiver.     

(1) Investigates the structure of the book as a form; (2) provides a brief history of the Latin alphabet and how it is shaped calligraphically and constructed geometrically; (3) studies traditional and non-traditional typography; and (4) practices the composition of metal type by hand and the printing of composed type on the SP-15 printing presses. A voluntary introduction to digital typography is also offered outside class. Core studio materials are provided. Students are responsible for the purchase of additional supplies required for individual projects. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission required.

Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. This course is a permissions course, meaning all students are initially placed on the waitlist. Please read the course description to ensure you meet the listed prerequisites (if any). During November/April registration: The instructor will review the class roster and be in touch about enrollment once all students have had a chance to waitlist. There is nothing else you need to do in the meantime. Please do not submit a course waiver unless requested. During add/drop (Sept/Jan): You may register to the waitlist and contact the instructor about attending the first day of class. If you receive permission to take the course, you should submit a Course Eligibility Waiver.     

In nurturing architecture’s foundational principles of visual, material and conceptual experimentation, this course lays the foundation for subsequent studios, lifelong learning and curiosity for architectural design processes. It probes the material, organizational and spatial qualities of the ground, a shared horizontal territory inhabited by plants, people and buildings--one that is as much cultural as it is natural. Through iterative and analog processes, students integrate drawing and making to construct and reconstruct lines in the ground. Probing the physical and conceptual ground for natural or constructed patterns, students develop foundation-level design skills within the context of larger environmental and cultural discourses. Core studio materials are provided. Students are responsible for the purchase of additional supplies required for individual projects. Not open to students who have taken ARS 283. Enrollment limited to 15. Prerequisite: ARH 110 or equivalent. Instructor permission required.

Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. This course is a permissions course, meaning all students are initially placed on the waitlist. Please read the course description to ensure you meet the listed prerequisites (if any). During November/April registration: The instructor will review the class roster and be in touch about enrollment once all students have had a chance to waitlist. There is nothing else you need to do in the meantime. Please do not submit a course waiver unless requested. During add/drop (Sept/Jan): You may register to the waitlist and contact the instructor about attending the first day of class. If you receive permission to take the course, you should submit a Course Eligibility Waiver.     

An introduction to visual experience through a study of the basic elements of photography as an expressive medium. Each section involves either black and white or a combination of darkroom and digital processes. Core studio materials are provided. Students are responsible for the purchase of additional supplies required for individual projects. Enrollment limited to 15. Prerequisite: ARS 162 or ARS 172 or equivalent. Instructor permission required.

Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. This course is a permissions course, meaning all students are initially placed on the waitlist. Please read the course description to ensure you meet the listed prerequisites (if any). During November/April registration: The instructor will review the class roster and be in touch about enrollment once all students have had a chance to waitlist. There is nothing else you need to do in the meantime. Please do not submit a course waiver unless requested. During add/drop (Sept/Jan): You may register to the waitlist and contact the instructor about attending the first day of class. If you receive permission to take the course, you should submit a Course Eligibility Waiver.     

This course is an opportunity for students to expand upon their existing printmaking knowledge and learn how to layer and combine multiple processes such as intaglio, relief, monotype and lithography. The class pays attention to the unique marks made by each process; considers the relationship between drawn, digital and photographic images in print; and uses the capacity to print multiples as a means to construct physical, social or narrative forms. Core studio materials are provided. Students are responsible for the purchase of additional supplies required for individual projects. Prerequisite: at least one 200-level printmaking course or equivalent. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission required.

Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. This course is a permissions course, meaning all students are initially placed on the waitlist. Please read the course description to ensure you meet the listed prerequisites (if any). During November/April registration: The instructor will review the class roster and be in touch about enrollment once all students have had a chance to waitlist. There is nothing else you need to do in the meantime. Please do not submit a course waiver unless requested. During add/drop (Sept/Jan): You may register to the waitlist and contact the instructor about attending the first day of class. If you receive permission to take the course, you should submit a Course Eligibility Waiver.     

This research-based architectural design studio utilizes digital processes to analyze and reinterpret canonical architectural precedents, linking the digital to fluid conceptual ideas which are both historic and contemporary. In particular, the studio probes the spatial qualities of the moving body—as a site of both deep interiority and hyper-connectivity. In a return to the territory of the ground (see ARS 280), and within the larger context of ecologically and geopolitically induced migration and displacement, this studio investigates themes related to mobility and transience and the ways in which the body traverses territories of ground. Core studio materials are provided. Students are responsible for the purchase of additional supplies required for individual projects. Enrollment limited to 15. Prerequisites: ARS 280 and ARS 281 or equivalent. Instructor permission required.

Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. This course is a permissions course, meaning all students are initially placed on the waitlist. Please read the course description to ensure you meet the listed prerequisites (if any). During November/April registration: The instructor will review the class roster and be in touch about enrollment once all students have had a chance to waitlist. There is nothing else you need to do in the meantime. Please do not submit a course waiver unless requested. During add/drop (Sept/Jan): You may register to the waitlist and contact the instructor about attending the first day of class. If you receive permission to take the course, you should submit a Course Eligibility Waiver.     

This capstone course is required for all senior ARS majors. Students use the framework of the course to focus, challenge and re-conceptualize their studio work in media of their choice. Critiques, readings, written assignments, presentations and discussions support the development of an inventive and rigorous independent art practice. The semester culminates in a group exhibition. Core studio materials are provided. Students are responsible for the purchase of additional supplies required for individual projects. Enrollment limited to Smith College Senior ARS majors. Instructor permission required.

Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required.

Discover how the forces of nature shape our understanding of the cosmos. Explore the origin, structure and evolution of the Earth, moons and planets, comets and asteroids, the Sun and other stars, star clusters, the Milky Way and other galaxies, clusters of galaxies, and the universe as a whole. Designed for nonscience majors. Enrollment limited to 50. Instructor permission required.

Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required.

Discover how astronomers know about the universe by observing the light that comes to us from distant objects. View the sky with your naked eye, binoculars, and a small telescope. Take pictures with a professional telescope, and examine astronomical images. Designed for non-science majors. Enrollment limited to 20.

A comprehensive introduction to the study of modern astronomy, covering planets their origins, orbits, interiors, surfaces and atmospheres; stars their formation, structure and evolution; and the universe its origin, large-scale structure and ultimate destiny. This introductory course is for students who are planning to major in science or math. Prerequisite: MTH 111 or equivalent.

A calculus-based introduction to the observations and theoretical understanding of the structure and evolution of stars. Topics include astrometry, photometry, spectroscopy, the Planck function of thermal emission, cause of spectral emission and absorption lines, Boltzmann and Saha distributions of atomic energy levels and ionization states, the Hertzprung Russell diagram, binary stars and stellar mass determination, nuclear energy generation in stars, hydrodynamic equilibrium, equations of state, and the fates of stars. Prerequisites: [(PHY 117 and PHY 118) or PHY 119] and MTH 112.

This course provides an introduction to the techniques of gathering and analyzing astronomical data, with an emphasis on optical observations related to studying stellar evolution. Students use Smith’s telescopes and CCD cameras to collect and analyze their own data, using the Python computing language. Topics covered include astronomical coordinate and time systems; telescope design and optics; instrumentation and techniques for imaging and photometry; astronomical detectors; digital image processing tools and techniques; atmospheric phenomena affecting astronomical observations; and error analysis and curve fitting. Prerequisites: at least one of AST 224, AST 225, AST 226 or AST 228, and one physics course at the 200-level. Previous experience in computer programming is strongly recommended.

Chemical dynamics in living systems. Enzyme mechanisms, metabolism and its regulation, energy production and utilization. Prerequisites: BCH 252 and CHM 224. Corequisite: BCH 353 is optional for non-majors.

Investigations of biochemical systems using experimental techniques in current biochemical research. Emphasis is on independent experimental design and execution. Corequisite: BCH 352. Enrollment limited to 12.

Investigations of biochemical systems using experimental techniques in current biochemical research. Emphasis is on independent experimental design and execution. Corequisite: BCH 352. Enrollment limited to 12.

Known since the ancient Egyptians, cancers may be considered a set of normal cellular processes gone awry in various cell types. This seminar considers chemical and radiation carcinogenesis, oncogenesis, growth factor signaling pathways and the role of hormones in cancers, as well as the pathologies of the diseases. Prerequisites: BIO 202 and BIO 203. Enrollment limited to 12. Juniors and seniors only. Instructor permission required.

Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required.

Even with the wealth of microbial genomic data, microbiologists are faced with deciphering the ever-increasing complexity of macromolecules, their regulation and how this impacts bacterial pathogenesis. This hands-on research course will utilize state-of-the-art molecular biology and microbiology techniques in student/faculty-designed projects. This fully integrated lab/lecture course utilizes lectures for experimental design, discussion of relevant literature, protocol development, data analysis and other related topics to support the experimental work in the laboratory section. Prerequisites: BIO 230/BIO 231 or equivalent. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission required.

Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. Classroom: Ford 138.

Even with the wealth of microbial genomic data, microbiologists are faced with deciphering the ever-increasing complexity of macromolecules, their regulation and how this impacts bacterial pathogenesis. This hands-on research course will utilize state-of-the-art molecular biology and microbiology techniques in student/faculty-designed projects. This fully integrated lab/lecture course utilizes lectures for experimental design, discussion of relevant literature, protocol development, data analysis and other related topics to support the experimental work in the laboratory section. Prerequisites: BIO 230/BIO 231 or equivalent. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission required.

Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. Classroom: Ford 104.

Experiential, field-based course that seeks to ground students in the planted landscape and nurture a sense of place. Identification, morphology and uses of landscape plants including annuals, perennials, woody shrubs and trees, evergreens and groundcovers. Horticultural practices such as pruning, division, hybridizing, bulb planting, close observation, and design basics. Discussions will consider equity and access, local food systems, ecosystem services, urban greening and climate/sustainability. Field trips are an important component of the course. Projects include a field journal, short skill-share presentations, and a landscape design activity. Not open to students who have taken BIO 120/121. Enrollment limited to 15.

Experiential, field-based course that seeks to ground students in the planted landscape and nurture a sense of place. Identification, morphology and uses of landscape plants including annuals, perennials, woody shrubs and trees, evergreens and groundcovers. Horticultural practices such as pruning, division, hybridizing, bulb planting, close observation, and design basics. Discussions will consider equity and access, local food systems, ecosystem services, urban greening and climate/sustainability. Field trips are an important component of the course. Projects include a field journal, short skill-share presentations, and a landscape design activity. Not open to students who have taken BIO 120/121. Enrollment limited to 15.

Students in this course investigate the origin, nature and importance of the diversity of life on Earth; key ecological processes and interactions that create and maintain communities and ecosystems; principle threats to biodiversity; and emerging conservation strategies to protect the elements and processes upon which we depend. Throughout the semester, we emphasize the relevance of diversity and ecological studies in conservation. Corequisite: BIO 131 is recommended but not required.

Students will pull on their boots and explore local habitats that may include the Mill River, MacLeish Field Station, Smith campus Botanic Gardens and local hemlock forests. Students will gain experience with a diversity of organisms by conducting research projects that can enhance their understanding of ecology and conservation. Students will practice the scientific process and document their work in a lab notebook. Research skills developed will include hypothesis development, data collection, statistical analysis and presentation of results. Because research projects will vary seasonally, please see the Department of Biological Sciences website for more information. Enrollment limited to 16. Corequisite: BIO 130 recommended. (E)

Students will pull on their boots and explore local habitats that may include the Mill River, MacLeish Field Station, Smith campus Botanic Gardens and local hemlock forests. Students will gain experience with a diversity of organisms by conducting research projects that can enhance their understanding of ecology and conservation. Students will practice the scientific process and document their work in a lab notebook. Research skills developed will include hypothesis development, data collection, statistical analysis and presentation of results. Because research projects will vary seasonally, please see the Department of Biological Sciences website for more information. Enrollment limited to 16. Corequisite: BIO 130 recommended. (E)

Students will pull on their boots and explore local habitats that may include the Mill River, MacLeish Field Station, Smith campus Botanic Gardens and local hemlock forests. Students will gain experience with a diversity of organisms by conducting research projects that can enhance their understanding of ecology and conservation. Students will practice the scientific process and document their work in a lab notebook. Research skills developed will include hypothesis development, data collection, statistical analysis and presentation of results. Because research projects will vary seasonally, please see the Department of Biological Sciences website for more information. Enrollment limited to 16. Corequisite: BIO 130 recommended. (E)

Students in this course investigate the structure, function and physiology of cells; the properties of biological molecules; information transfer from the level of DNA to cell-cell communication; and cellular energy generation and transfer. The development of multicellular organisms and the physiology of selected organ systems is also explored. In addition to attending lectures, each student participates in discussion sections that focus on data analysis and interpretation while integrating mechanisms across scales. Corequisite: BIO 133 recommended but not required. Enrollment limited to 78.

Students in this course investigate the structure, function and physiology of cells; the properties of biological molecules; information transfer from the level of DNA to cell-cell communication; and cellular energy generation and transfer. The development of multicellular organisms and the physiology of selected organ systems is also explored. In addition to attending lectures, each student participates in discussion sections that focus on data analysis and interpretation while integrating mechanisms across scales. Corequisite: BIO 133 recommended but not required. Discussion sections limited to 24.

Students in this course investigate the structure, function and physiology of cells; the properties of biological molecules; information transfer from the level of DNA to cell-cell communication; and cellular energy generation and transfer. The development of multicellular organisms and the physiology of selected organ systems is also explored. In addition to attending lectures, each student participates in discussion sections that focus on data analysis and interpretation while integrating mechanisms across scales. Corequisite: BIO 133 recommended but not required. Discussion sections limited to 24.

Students in this course investigate the structure, function and physiology of cells; the properties of biological molecules; information transfer from the level of DNA to cell-cell communication; and cellular energy generation and transfer. The development of multicellular organisms and the physiology of selected organ systems is also explored. In addition to attending lectures, each student participates in discussion sections that focus on data analysis and interpretation while integrating mechanisms across scales. Corequisite: BIO 133 recommended but not required. Discussion sections limited to 24.

Students in this course investigate the structure, function and physiology of cells; the properties of biological molecules; information transfer from the level of DNA to cell-cell communication; and cellular energy generation and transfer. The development of multicellular organisms and the physiology of selected organ systems is also explored. In addition to attending lectures, each student participates in discussion sections that focus on data analysis and interpretation while integrating mechanisms across scales. Corequisite: BIO 133 recommended but not required. Discussion sections limited to 24.

This Laboratory Course introduces students to biological discovery and the biological research process. Students will gain hands-on experience with the use of modern biological research methods by participating in ongoing research with a variety of organisms. This includes scientific discovery, hypothesis development, data collection and analysis, as well as presentation of your own discoveries and results. Research projects vary with each Instructor. Corequisite: BIO 132.

This Laboratory Course introduces students to biological discovery and the biological research process. Students will gain hands-on experience with the use of modern biological research methods by participating in ongoing research with a variety of organisms. This includes scientific discovery, hypothesis development, data collection and analysis, as well as presentation of your own discoveries and results. Research projects vary with each Instructor. Corequisite: BIO 132.

This Laboratory Course introduces students to biological discovery and the biological research process. Students will gain hands-on experience with the use of modern biological research methods by participating in ongoing research with a variety of organisms. This includes scientific discovery, hypothesis development, data collection and analysis, as well as presentation of your own discoveries and results. Research projects vary with each Instructor. Corequisite: BIO 132.

This Laboratory Course introduces students to biological discovery and the biological research process. Students will gain hands-on experience with the use of modern biological research methods by participating in ongoing research with a variety of organisms. This includes scientific discovery, hypothesis development, data collection and analysis, as well as presentation of your own discoveries and results. Research projects vary with each Instructor. Corequisite: BIO 132.

This Laboratory Course introduces students to biological discovery and the biological research process. Students will gain hands-on experience with the use of modern biological research methods by participating in ongoing research with a variety of organisms. This includes scientific discovery, hypothesis development, data collection and analysis, as well as presentation of your own discoveries and results. Research projects vary with each Instructor. Corequisite: BIO 132.

The structure and function of eukaryotic cells. This course examines contemporary topics in cellular biology: cellular structures, organelle function, membrane and endomembrane systems, cellular regulation, signaling mechanisms, motility, bioelectricity, communication and cellular energetics. This course is a prerequisite for BCH 252. Prerequisites: BIO 132/BIO 133 and CHM 222. BIO 203 is recommended but not required.

Inquiry-based laboratory using techniques such as spectrophotometry, enzyme kinetics, bright field and fluorescence light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The emphasis is on student-designed projects. This course is a prerequisite for BCH 253. Corequisite: BIO 202.

Inquiry-based laboratory using techniques such as spectrophotometry, enzyme kinetics, bright field and fluorescence light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The emphasis is on student-designed projects. This course is a prerequisite for BCH 253. Corequisite: BIO 202.

Inquiry-based laboratory using techniques such as spectrophotometry, enzyme kinetics, bright field and fluorescence light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The emphasis is on student-designed projects. This course is a prerequisite for BCH 253. Corequisite: BIO 202.

Inquiry-based laboratory using techniques such as spectrophotometry, enzyme kinetics, bright field and fluorescence light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The emphasis is on student-designed projects. This course is a prerequisite for BCH 253. Corequisite: BIO 202.

Evolution frames much of biology by providing insights into how and why things change over time. For example, the study of evolution is essential to: understanding transitions in biodiversity across time and space, elucidating patterns of genetic variation within and between populations, and developing both vaccines and treatments for human diseases. Topics in this course include population genetics, molecular evolution, speciation, phylogenetics and macroevolution. Prerequisite: BIO 130 or BIO 132 or equivalent.

This general ecology course provides a conceptual foundation for understanding ecological processes from population dynamics to ecosystem function. Fundamental ecological concepts are covered within the context of current environmental challenges arising from global change. This framing illuminates how population dynamics, community composition and trophic interactions affect ecosystem function and ecosystem services. Corequisite: BIO 267. Prerequisite: Bio 130 or an equivalent course in ecology or environmental science. Enrollment limited to 18.

This general ecology laboratory course provides hands-on experience in the execution of ecological experiments in the field. Students will participate in study design, data curation, analysis, and interpretation. All statistical analyses will be conducted in R. Enrollment limited to 18. Corequisite: BIO 266.

The oceans cover over 75 percent of the Earth and are home to enormous biodiversity. Marine Ecology explores a variety of coastal and oceanic systems, focusing on natural and human-induced factors that affect biodiversity and the ecological balance in marine habitats. Using case studies, we study some successful conservation and management strategies, including Marine Protected Areas. This course uses a variety of readings, group activities and short writing assignments to develop vital skills such as effective oral, graphical and written communication; critical thinking; and problem solving. Enrollment limited to 24. Corequisite: BIO 269

The laboratory applies concepts discussed in lecture and uses several small-group projects in the field and laboratory to develop relevant skills for conducting marine-related research. Students learn to design and analyze experiments, and to write in the scientific style. Field trips to Maine and Cape Cod, MA provide hands-on experience with marine organisms in their natural habitats. Corequisite: BIO 268.

The laboratory applies concepts discussed in lecture and uses several small-group projects in the field and laboratory to develop relevant skills for conducting marine-related research. Students learn to design and analyze experiments, and to write in the scientific style. Field trips to Maine and Cape Cod, MA provide hands-on experience with marine organisms in their natural habitats. Corequisite: BIO 268.

Molecular level structure-function relationships in the nervous system. Topics include development of neurons, neuron-specific gene expression, mechanisms of neuronal plasticity in learning and memory, synaptic release, molecular biology of neurological disorders, and molecular neuropharmacology. Prerequisites: BIO 200 and NSC 210 or equivalent. Enrollment limited to 20.

While not considered living organisms, the recent COVID and recurrent and threatening influenza pandemics show us the havoc viruses can wreak; these unique acellular microbes will be the emphasis in this seminar. This course examines the impact of infectious diseases on our society. New pathogens are constantly being identified while existing pathogens have warranted increased investigation for multiple reasons, including as causative agents of pandemics, chronic disease or cancer; as increased threats due to multidrug resistance or immune evasion of current immunotherapies; as disease agents that disproportionately impact certain populations; and as agents of bioterrorism. Specific emphasis on the molecular basis of virulence in a variety of organisms is addressed along with the diseases they cause and the public health measures taken to address these pathogens. Prerequisites: BIO 202, BIO 204, BIO 230 or BIO 232, or equivalent. Enrollment limited to 12. Juniors and seniors only. Instructor permission required.

Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required.

Ongoing developments in high-throughput sequencing technologies have made genomic analysis a central feature of many scientific disciplines, including forensics, medicine, ecology, and evolution. This course will review the scope and applications of genome sequencing projects. After completing the course, students will be prepared to design a high-throughput sequencing project and interpret the results of genomic analysis. Prerequisite: BIO 230 or BIO 232. Enrollment limited to 40

This lab will cover genomic analysis pipelines from nucleic acid isolation to sequence analysis in Linux and R environments. Students will independently design and execute a high-throughput sequencing experiment to measure genetic variation in natural populations. Prerequisite: BIO 230, BIO 232 or equivalent. Corequisite: BIO 336. Enrollment limited to 12.

There is increasing evidence of epigenetic phenomena influencing the development of organisms and the transmission of information between generations. These epigenetic phenomena include the inheritance of acquired morphological traits in some lineages and the apparent transmission of RNA caches between generations in plants, animals and microbes. This seminar explores emerging data on epigenetics and discusses the impact of these phenomena on evolution. Participants write an independent research paper on a topic of their choice. Prerequisite: BIO 230, BIO 232 or equivalent. Enrollment limited to 12. Juniors and seniors only. Instructor permission required.

Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required.

Research design and methodology for field and laboratory studies of animal behavior. Prerequisite: BIO 260, BIO 272, BIO 362 or a statistics course. Enrollment limited to 15.

Understanding human induced climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time. This course approaches the topic from two different ways of knowing: plant biology and the arts. These paired approaches ground this course in the scientific underpinnings of climate change and its impact on biological life, creating a space to engage with what climate change means—for students, for the greater human community and for the earth. At the same time, students will explore how complex scientific content and deep existential challenges can be effectively communicated to the broader public. They will learn how plants physiologically interact with and respond to environmental change, read/discuss primary literature and relevant art works, and create/workshop art, popular science articles and/or data visualizations centered on climate change and its consequences. Prerequisites: BIO 130 and BIO 132. Enrollment limited to 15. Juniors and seniors only. Instructor permission required.

Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required.

Through this lab students will (1) become familiar with using tools to measure physiological processes (e.g. Li-Cor 600 to measure stomatal behavior, Osmometer to measure leaf water stress, PMS Pressure Chamber to measure plant water stress), (2) in groups, design an experiment investigating plant biological responses to climate change (e.g. drought, increased CO2 or temperature) to implement in growth chambers or a greenhouse, (3) execute the project and present the findings to the class and public through presentations of scientific findings and artistic interpretations of the findings through art or communication projects. Prerequisites: BIO 130 and BIO 132. Corequisite: BIO 368. Enrollment limited to 15. Instructor permission required.

Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required.

This course introduces students to the academic study of Buddhism through readings, lectures by Smith faculty and guests and trips to local Buddhist centers. Students critically examine the history of Buddhist studies within the context of numerous disciplines, including anthropology, art, cultural studies, gender studies, government, literature, philosophy and religion, with a focus on regional, sectarian and historical differences. Materials to be considered include poetry, painting, philosophy, political tracts and more. S/U only.

First half of semester course.

Offered as REL 261 and BUS 261. What can Buddhist texts and practices teach about analyzing and responding to contemporary forms of injustice, such as oppression based on race, caste, class, gender and sexuality? And how might responding to these forms of injustice lead to a reformulation of Buddhism? Drawing on classical and contemporary texts, this course addresses Buddhist contributions to the analysis of injustice and the practice of making social change. Working collaboratively, students explore the ethics of attention; the body, identity and identity politics; the place of anger in response to injustice; the phenomenology of marginalization and liberation; and the practice of violence and non-violence.​ (E)

Offered as SWG 245 and CCX 245. This course introduces students to key concepts, debates and provocations that animate the world of community, labor and electoral organizing for social change. To better understand these movements’ visions, students develop an analysis of global and national inequalities, exploitation and oppression. The course explores a range of organizing skills to build an awareness of power dynamics and learn activists’ tools to bring people together towards common goals. A central aspect of this course is practicing community-based learning and research methods in dialogue with community-based activist partners. Enrollment limited to 18.

Continued emphasis on the development of oral proficiency and functional literacy in modern Mandarin. Conversation and narrative practice, reading exercises, short composition assignments and work with multi-media content, culminating in a creative digital project. Prerequisite: CHI 111 or placement test. Enrollment limited to 15.

Continued emphasis on the development of oral proficiency and functional literacy in modern Mandarin. Conversation and narrative practice, reading exercises, short composition assignments and work with multi-media content, culminating in a creative digital project. Prerequisite: CHI 111 or placement test. Enrollment limited to 15.

Continued emphasis on the development of oral proficiency and functional literacy in modern Mandarin. Conversation and narrative practice, reading exercises, short composition assignments and work with multi-media content, culminating in a creative digital project. Prerequisite: CHI 111 or placement test. Enrollment limited to 15.

Building on the skills and vocabulary acquired in Chinese II, students learn to read simple essays on topics of common interest and develop the ability to understand, summarize and discuss social issues in contemporary China. Readings are supplemented by digital materials, and the semester ends with a creative digital project. Prerequisite: CHI 221 or placement test. Enrollment limited to 15.

This course mainly focuses on readings of cultural, political and social import. Through in-depth study and discussion of modern and contemporary texts and essays drawn from a variety of sources, students develop advanced reading, writing and discussion skills in Chinese and increase their understanding of modern and contemporary China. Prerequisite: CHI 302 or placement test.

The first semester of our core chemistry curriculum introduces the language(s) of chemistry and explores atoms, molecules and their reactions. Topics covered include electronic structures of atoms, structure shape and properties of molecules; reactions and stoichiometry. Enrollment limited to 16 per lab section. Multiple sections are offered at different times, as detailed in the Schedule of Classes. At the time of registration students must register for both a lecture and a lab section that fit their course schedule. Corequisite: CHM 111L

The first semester of our core chemistry curriculum introduces the language(s) of chemistry and explores atoms, molecules and their reactions. Topics covered include electronic structures of atoms, structure shape and properties of molecules; reactions and stoichiometry. Enrollment limited to 16 per lab section. Multiple sections are offered at different times, as detailed in the Schedule of Classes. At the time of registration students must register for both a lecture and a lab section that fit their course schedule. Corequisite: CHM 111L

The first semester of our core chemistry curriculum introduces the language(s) of chemistry and explores atoms, molecules and their reactions. Topics covered include electronic structures of atoms, structure shape and properties of molecules; reactions and stoichiometry. Enrollment limited to 16 per lab section. Multiple sections are offered at different times, as detailed in the Schedule of Classes. At the time of registration students must register for both a lecture and a lab section that fit their course schedule. Corequisite: CHM 111L

Lab Section. The first semester of our core chemistry curriculum introduces the language(s) of chemistry and explores atoms, molecules and their reactions. Topics covered include electronic structures of atoms, structure shape and properties of molecules; reactions and stoichiometry. Enrollment limited to 16 per lab section. Multiple sections are offered at different times, as detailed in the Schedule of Classes. At the time of registration students must register for both a lecture and a lab section that fit their course schedule. Corequisite: CHM 111

Lab Section. The first semester of our core chemistry curriculum introduces the language(s) of chemistry and explores atoms, molecules and their reactions. Topics covered include electronic structures of atoms, structure shape and properties of molecules; reactions and stoichiometry. Enrollment limited to 16 per lab section. Multiple sections are offered at different times, as detailed in the Schedule of Classes. At the time of registration students must register for both a lecture and a lab section that fit their course schedule. Corequisite: CHM 111