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 the exploration is the analysis of the intersectional relationship between theory and practice, and of race, gender and class. The course concludes 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 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 is 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. Enrollment limited to 18.

The course introduces students to the main theoretical interpretations of culture in the Caribbean and gives an overview of Caribbean cultural history. Students are 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 – are 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.

What does it mean to imagine the world otherwise? What does it mean to imagine place, time, space, beingness, and knowingness outside and beyond the realm of the real – beyond the supposed certainty of the known and knowable world? Through science fiction, fantasy, horror, and beyond, this course introduces students to Black writers who have fashioned literary worlds out of conjecture, out of possibility, out of questions and meditation –creating new roots and routes into Black epistemologies, Black livingness, and “Black ways of being.” Through the study of poetry, prose, and fiction, students journey into critical iterations of the Black Speculative literary tradition through the works of writers like George Schuyler, Samuel R. Delany, Octavia E. Butler, Jewelle Gomez, N.K. Jemisin, Tananarive Due, and others. Restrictions: Juniors and seniors only. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission required. (E)

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

This course looks closely at a series of canonical black texts. The intention is to examine these texts in their specific historical context with careful attention to their place within Africana intellectual history. This course either focuses on a series of intensive investigations of a set of major texts within Africana studies, or it operates thematically. A thematic treatment of the course involves taking one leading critical figure within the field – for example Frantz Fanon, Toni Morrison, Aimé Césaire, Paule Marshall or Kamau Brathwaite – and constructing the course around a reflection on their work and influence on the field of Africana studies. Restrictions: Juniors and seniors only. Enrollment limited to 15. Instructor permission required.

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

This course provides an introduction to understanding the concept and practice of human rights in Africa, including comprehending the historical context of these issues. In this regard, several questions are addressed including: What are human rights? Within the African context, are human rights universal or relative? Are human rights viewed as individual or collective in Africa? What is the international framework that affects the enforcement of human rights in Africa? What are the regional and national regimes for safeguarding human rights in Africa? What are some current human rights issues in Africa? Enrollment limited to 40. (E)

This course provides an introduction to American Studies through the interdisciplinary study of American history, life and culture. Students develop critical tools for analyzing cultural texts (including literature, visual arts, music, fashion, advertising, social media, buildings, objects and bodies) in relation to political, social, economic and environmental contexts. The course examines the influence of race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality and transnationality on conceptions of citizenship, and struggles over what it means to be an “American,” and how this has shaped the distribution of power, resources and wellbeing in the United States.

A seventeenth-century engraving imagines an encounter between two men wearing feathers and holding onto the same string of shells: depending on your perspective, this image looks like a scene of trade or one of theft at knife-point. In understanding moments from the past, representation and perspective shape not just interpretation, but sources themselves. Seeing moments as both trade and theft opens them to tellings and analyses from multiple perspectives, exposing overlooked elements and revealing the ways in which histories are made. This course introduces students to Early American history (c1500-1800) through the themes of trade, theft, representation and perspective.

Comedy has been a primary site for enacting and contesting citizenship in the United States. This course presents a history of comedy from the nineteenth century to the present to analyze the role of humor in shaping racial and gender stereotypes, as well as expressions of solidarity, resistance and joy among marginalized groups. Case studies include blackface minstrelsy, stand up comedy, sit-coms, satirical news, social media posts and cancel culture debates. This course applies cultural studies, affect theory, media studies, feminist studies and critical race studies to analyze the social, political, psychological and emotional work of comedy. Enrollment limited to 25.

Offered as AMS 267 and SWG 267. This course examines interrelationships of race, sex, sexuality, gender, queerness, disability, class, embodiment, nation, Indigeneity, nature, and sustainability through critical engagement with a body of scholarship known as Queer Ecologies, e.g. anti-racist feminist and queer scholarship on science, labor, popular culture, cultural and environmental preservation, politics, bodies, and sexual and reproductive practices. The course draws theoretical muscle from feminist science studies, queer of color critique, critical race theory, crip theory, feminist theory, and more. Students learn basic participant observation methods, read scholarship, and analyze cultural artifacts such as web and print advertisements, television shows, films, and fiction. Enrollment limited to 18. (E)

Offered as AMS 351mn and ENG 351mn. This nonfiction writing course cultivates creative work that takes inspiration from the discoveries, controversies, crimes, and unsolved mysteries of the sciences. Students’ writing is artful as well as informative, and the emphasis is on craft and creative process. Students read a wide range of writers who explore social issues through the lens of science, from Susan Sontag and Jamaica Kincaid to Elizabeth Kolbert and Anna Tsing. Students conduct interviews and do immersion research in their individual areas of interest while being guided through the process of producing a substantial work of science writing. Restrictions: Juniors and seniors only. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission required. (E)

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

This seminar combines historical, theoretical and material cultural sources about housing justice, and housing injustice, in the United States. A significant component of the course involves teaching students how to build a tiny house, while critically considering scholarly and popular cultural sources engaging the present, past and (potential) future roles of small homes in America. The course pays particular attention to cultural-historical trends in home size and location as a way to better understand race, class, disability, settler colonialism, gender, age, sexuality, “the urban,” nature, sustainability, nation, and other analytics key to cutting-edge American Studies scholarship. Restrictions: Juniors and seniors only. Enrollment limited to 10. (E)

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. Restrictions: First-years and sophomores only. Enrollment limited to 25.

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 sophomore or junior year. Prerequisite: ANT 130. Restrictions: Anthropology majors only. Enrollment limited to 20. Instructor permission required.

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

This course is a general introduction to anthropological analysis of politics and the political. Through a broad survey of anthropological texts and theories, this course explores what an ethnographic perspective can offer to the understandings of power and government. Special emphasis is placed on the role of culture, symbols and social networks in the political life of local communities. Examples are drawn from a number of case studies in Africa, East Asia, Latin America and the United States, and range in scale from studies of local politics in small-scale societies to analyses of nationalism and political performance in modern nation-states. Enrollment limited to 30.

What is a species? Where do species belong? These questions are central to nature conservation, and answering them has profound implications. For a few hundred million years since the supercontinent Pangea split, movement between continents was severely restricted. In just a few centuries, these oceanic barriers were all but erased by intercontinental trade and travel. Ecologists deem this reconnected world “New Pangea,” fearing that nonnative organisms might displace native ones, but anthropologists have long shown that belonging is rarely binary. This course contends that the moment demands interdisciplinary scrutiny to understand the politics of inclusion in the cosmopolitan multispecies communities. Corequisite: ANT 236L. Restrictions: Not open to first-years. Enrollment limited to 18.

A laboratory designed to facilitate student exploration of how species are defined and where they belong. Focus is on weedy plants from Earth’s most diverse and cosmopolitan plant family, the Compositae, beginning with the common dandelion. Students gain experience learning technical and descriptive skills from botany as well as critical thinking skills from the humanities and social sciences to interpret geographic patterns of diversity in a world of profound human disturbance. Activities include plant dissection under stereoscopes, fieldtrips to observe and collect plants, researching plant geographic histories, drawing and describing plants, writing a taxonomic description, and mounting herbarium specimens. Corequisite: ANT 236. Restrictions: Not open to first-years. Enrollment limited to 18.

Today there is a consensus in physical anthropology that there is no conclusive biological basis to the groupings commonly referred to as “races.” That is, “racial” categories are constituted socially, and naturalized through different cultural processes. However, anthropology has also been part of a long history of seeking biological bases for racial difference, and of using these supposed biological bases to justify different hierarchies and forms of exploitation. This course surveys some of the key moments of this history, focusing on how different “scientific” theories of race have impacted the lives of marginalized groups. Special emphasis is placed on how traces of these older, debunked theories of race continue to emerge in ways that impact public discourse.

Offered as MUS 258 and ANT 258. This course analyzes cultural performances as sites for the expression and formation of social identity. Students study various performance genres such as rituals, festivals, parades, cultural shows, music, dance and theater. Topics include expressive culture as resistance; debates around authenticity and heritage; the performance of race, class and ethnic identities; the construction of national identity; and the effects of globalization on indigenous performances. Enrollment limited to 30.

This course harnesses students’ current and previous coursework to address a real life ethnographic design problem. Working in conjunction with students enrolled in ANT 200, students help to design and carry out a qualitative research project led by an anthropology faculty member and gain insight into anthropology’s practical applications. Students are expected to take leadership roles, think creatively and concretely, work well collaboratively and see projects through to completion. Enrollment limited to 10. Instructor permission required.

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

Medicalization refers to the process through which behaviors, emotions, and social problems come to be framed and treated as medical conditions. From ADHD and depression to menopause, addiction, obesity, and risk factors such as high cholesterol, medicine increasingly shapes how everyday life is understood. This Calderwood Seminar explores how anthropologists analyze these processes and trains students to translate anthropological insights about medicine and society for public audiences. Cannot be taken S/U. Prerequisites: Coursework in Anthropology. Restrictions: Juniors and seniors only; Anthropology majors only. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission required.

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

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 course examines contemporary debates within the discipline, locating them within the field’s own history. The class asks: what kinds of knowledge do historians of art and architecture produce and legitimize? What kinds of questions do they ask, and 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. Prerequisites: ARH 110 or a first-year seminar taught by a member of the department. Enrollment limited to 18.

In what spaces are collections—of art and artifacts, plants and animals, papers and memories—held? What physical spaces have been created to house, preserve, sequester, and display such things? Upon what conceptual and infrastructural practices does collecting depend? To consider these questions, this class focuses on case studies from 1500-present, drawn from across the world: museums of ethnography and racial justice, private houses and public gardens, seed banks and aquaria. In addition, this class addresses the ethical implications of thinking about architecture and collecting—both literally and metaphorically—as joint, codependent endeavors. Counts for ARU. Enrollment limited to 30.

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.

Urban and architectural history of the Eternal City, comprising seven famous hills whose summits and slopes (and the valleys in between) are a cradle of Western civilization. Extensive readings in primary sources and the analysis of works of art of all types help students understand why Rome has constituted such an indispensable and inexhaustible point of emulative reference from the traditional date of its founding (21 April 753 BCE) to the fascist era and beyond. Considered as well is the relationship between city and country as expressed in the design of villas and gardens through the ages.

Mounting the throne in 1643 and dying in 1715, Louis XIV is the longest-ruling monarch in European history. This course examines how the visual arts served to fashion an extraordinary image of rulership, one already much imitated during that monarch's lifetime. In this period, France rose to both political and cultural prominence throughout Europe, and the institutional structure of many intellectual and artistic endeavors formed an important part of the centralized bureaucracy that came to define the state. Materials for study are drawn from literature, painting, sculpture, architecture, landscape design, festivals, the decorative arts, printed books, and numismatics. Restrictions: ARH 290 may be taken for credit a total of 4 times with different topics. Enrollment limited to 20.

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 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. Restrictions: ARH 290 may be taken for credit a total of 4 times with different topics. 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 may register. All other class years are Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. This course is a permission course, meaning 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 add yourself 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 may register. All other class years are Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. This course is a permission course, meaning 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 add yourself 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 may register. All other class years are Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. This course is a permission course, meaning 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 add yourself 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 may register. All other class years are Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. This course is a permission course, meaning 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 add yourself 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 may register. All other class years: Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. This course is a permissions course, meaning 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 add yourself 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 may register. All other class years: Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. This course is a permissions course, meaning 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 add yourself 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 may register. All other class years: Permission Required/Registration by Waitlist. During Add/Drop, Waiver Required. This course is a permissions course, meaning 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 add yourself 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 short writing assignments. 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.     

Investigates the structure of the book as a form and examines the formal, symbolic, and linguistic nature of the Latin alphabet. The course explores traditional and non-traditional typography using manual typesetting and letterpress printing, including some digital applications. 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.     

Relief printing from carved woodblocks can create images that range from precise and delicate to raw and expressionistic. It is a direct and flexible process that allows for printing on a variety of materials at large and small scales. Students use both ancient and contemporary technologies to produce black and white and color prints from single and multiple blocks. Core studio materials are provided. Students are responsible for the purchase of additional supplies required for individual projects. Prerequisite: ARS 163 or ARS 172, or equivalent. Enrollment limited to 15. 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. Restrictions: 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.     

Advanced problems in painting. Emphasis on thematic self-direction and group critical analysis. Core studio materials are provided. Students are responsible for the purchase of additional supplies required for individual projects. Enrollment limited to 12. Prerequisite: ARS 362 or equivalent. Instructor permission required.

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

This course is an opportunity for students to expand upon their existing printmaking knowledge and learn how to combine multiple processes such as intaglio, relief, monotype and lithography. The class explores printmaking as a transformative process that creates rich, layered color relationships, builds and responds to texture and converts information into multiples. Students have the chance to work at ambitious scales, including using print media to create installations, three-dimensional forms or distributable public projects. Hand-drawn, digital and photographic approaches are available. Core studio materials are provided. Students are responsible for the purchase of additional supplies required for individual projects. Prerequisite: one 4-credit 200-level printmaking course. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission required.

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

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. Prerequisites: ARS 280 and ARS 281 or equivalent. Enrollment limited to 15. 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. Restrictions: Seniors only; Smith College ARS majors only.

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.

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. Previous experience in computer programming strongly recommended. Prerequisites: AST 226 or AST 235; and one physics course at the 200-level.

Chemical dynamics in living systems. Enzyme mechanisms, metabolism and its regulation, energy production and utilization. Concurrent registration in BCH 353 is required for biochemistry majors. Prerequisites: BCH 252, CHM 223, BIO 202, and CHM 118 or CHM 224.

Investigations of biochemical systems using experimental techniques in current biochemical research. Emphasis is on independent experimental design and execution. Corequisite: BCH 352. Prerequisite: BCH 252, CHM 223, BIO 202 and either CHM 118 or CHM 224. 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. Prerequisite: BCH 252, CHM 223, BIO 202 and either CHM 118 or CHM 224. 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. Prerequisite: BCH 252, CHM 223, BIO 202 and either CHM 118 or CHM 224. Enrollment limited to 12.

An explicitly multidisciplinary introduction to the challenges, data , tools, and frameworks surrounding global health in the 21st century. Open to students of all majors, this course examines the biological, environmental, social, and political factors that dictate healthspans and lifespans at local, national, regional, and global scales. Students also explore the ways in which notions of health and disease are constructed, and the extent to which these definitions vary over time and culture. Most of the work in this course is done by small interdisciplinary groups. Enrollment limited to 40. Instructor permission required. (E)

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

Course focuses on the intersection of plants and people. Topics include introduction to landscape plants and their usage, plants as food, plants as urban green infrastructure, garden design history and current issues such as the colonial history of botanic gardens, native vs. disruptive species, and community gardening. Course includes lectures, guest lecturers and in-class discussions. Corequisite: BIO 121. Enrollment limited to 32.

Identification, morphology and use of landscape plants including annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs, groundcovers and evergreens. Use of the Botanic Garden outdoor collection as well as field trips are important components of the course. Course requirements include landscape design activities and creation of a Field Guide to plant materials covered in the course. Corequisite: BIO 120. Enrollment limited to 16.

Identification, morphology and use of landscape plants including annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs, groundcovers and evergreens. Use of the Botanic Garden outdoor collection as well as field trips are important components of the course. Course requirements include landscape design activities and creation of a Field Guide to plant materials covered in the course. Corequisite: BIO 120. Enrollment limited to 16.

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, principal threats to biodiversity, and emerging conservation strategies to protect the elements and processes upon which humans depend. Throughout the semester, the course emphasizes the relevance of diversity and ecological studies in conservation. Concurrent registration in BIO 131 is recommended but not required. Enrollment limited to 69.

Students 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 gain experience with a diversity of organisms by conducting research projects that can enhance their understanding of ecology and conservation. Students practice the scientific process and document their work in a lab notebook. Research skills developed include hypothesis development, data collection, statistical analysis and presentation of results. Because research projects vary seasonally, please see the Department of Biological Sciences website for more information. Concurrent registration in BIO 130 recommended.Enrollment limited to 16.

Students 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 gain experience with a diversity of organisms by conducting research projects that can enhance their understanding of ecology and conservation. Students practice the scientific process and document their work in a lab notebook. Research skills developed include hypothesis development, data collection, statistical analysis and presentation of results. Because research projects vary seasonally, please see the Department of Biological Sciences website for more information. Concurrent registration in BIO 130 recommended.Enrollment limited to 16.

Students 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 gain experience with a diversity of organisms by conducting research projects that can enhance their understanding of ecology and conservation. Students practice the scientific process and document their work in a lab notebook. Research skills developed include hypothesis development, data collection, statistical analysis and presentation of results. Because research projects vary seasonally, please see the Department of Biological Sciences website for more information. Concurrent registration in BIO 130 recommended.Enrollment limited to 16.

Students 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 gain experience with a diversity of organisms by conducting research projects that can enhance their understanding of ecology and conservation. Students practice the scientific process and document their work in a lab notebook. Research skills developed include hypothesis development, data collection, statistical analysis and presentation of results. Because research projects vary seasonally, please see the Department of Biological Sciences website for more information. Concurrent registration in BIO 130 recommended.Enrollment limited to 16.

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. Concurrent registration in BIO 133 recommended but not required. Enrollment limited to 40.

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. Concurrent registration in BIO 133 recommended but not required. Enrollment limited to 40.

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. Concurrent registration in BIO 133 recommended but not required. Enrollment limited to 40.

This laboratory course introduces students to biological discovery and the biological research process. Students 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 discoveries and results. Research projects vary with each Instructor. Concurrent registration in BIO 132 recommended but not required. Enrollment limited to 16.

This laboratory course introduces students to biological discovery and the biological research process. Students 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 discoveries and results. Research projects vary with each Instructor. Concurrent registration in BIO 132 recommended but not required. Enrollment limited to 16.

This laboratory course introduces students to biological discovery and the biological research process. Students 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 discoveries and results. Research projects vary with each Instructor. Concurrent registration in BIO 132 recommended but not required. Enrollment limited to 16.

This laboratory course introduces students to biological discovery and the biological research process. Students 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 discoveries and results. Research projects vary with each Instructor. Concurrent registration in BIO 132 recommended but not required. Enrollment limited to 16.

This laboratory course introduces students to biological discovery and the biological research process. Students 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 discoveries and results. Research projects vary with each Instructor. Concurrent registration in BIO 132 recommended but not required. Enrollment limited to 16.

In this course students learn how animal bodies function from the molecular to the organismal level and how the physiology of animals, including humans, has been shaped by evolution to enable survival in a wide range of environments. Course content is organized by body system (cardiovascular, respiratory, reproductive, etc.). Assignments provide opportunities for students to practice applying their knowledge of physiology to real-life situations, predicting the outcomes of experiments, and interpreting and writing about the primary literature. Concurrent registration in BIO 201 is recommended but not required. Prerequisites: BIO 132/ BIO 133 and CHM 111 or CHM 118. Enrollment limited to 60.

This course provides students with the opportunity to design and conduct experiments in human and animal physiology. Emphasis is on developing hypotheses, designing experiments, graphing data, interpreting results, and communicating in the scientific style. Prerequisite: BIO 200, may be taken concurrently. Enrollment limited to 18.

This course provides students with the opportunity to design and conduct experiments in human and animal physiology. Emphasis is on developing hypotheses, designing experiments, graphing data, interpreting results, and communicating in the scientific style. Prerequisite: BIO 200, may be taken concurrently. Enrollment limited to 18.

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. Enrollment limited to 40.

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. Enrollment limited to 40.

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. Enrollment limited to 16.

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. Enrollment limited to 16.

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. Enrollment limited to 16.

An exploration of genes and genomes that highlights the connections between molecular biology, genetics, cell biology and evolution. Students analyze the principal experimental findings that serve as the basis for the current understanding of topics in genetics including DNA, RNA, and protein structure and function, gene organization and networks, gene expression and regulation, the origins and evolution of molecular mechanisms, and the relationship between genotypes and phenotypes of interest. Students also examine the computational tools and rapidly expanding databases that have become central to contemporary biology. Concurrent registration in BIO 231 recommended. Prerequisites: BIO 130 or BIO 132 or equivalent. Enrollment limited to 50.

An exploration of genes and genomes that highlights the connections between molecular biology, genetics, cell biology and evolution. Students analyze the principal experimental findings that serve as the basis for the current understanding of topics in genetics including DNA, RNA, and protein structure and function, gene organization and networks, gene expression and regulation, the origins and evolution of molecular mechanisms, and the relationship between genotypes and phenotypes of interest. Students also examine the computational tools and rapidly expanding databases that have become central to contemporary biology. Concurrent registration in BIO 231 recommended. Prerequisites: BIO 130 or BIO 132 or equivalent. Enrollment limited to 50.

A laboratory designed to give students an introduction to genomics and the molecular biology of genetics. Students gain experience with a variety of classical and modern techniques used in human genetic analysis and several experiments using students' DNA are performed throughout the semester. Laboratory and computer-based projects include PCR, restriction analysis and DNA sequencing as well as contemporary bioinformatics and genome database analyses. Prerequisite: BIO 230 or BIO 232, normally taken concurrently. Enrollment limited to 16.

A laboratory designed to give students an introduction to genomics and the molecular biology of genetics. Students gain experience with a variety of classical and modern techniques used in human genetic analysis and several experiments using students' DNA are performed throughout the semester. Laboratory and computer-based projects include PCR, restriction analysis and DNA sequencing as well as contemporary bioinformatics and genome database analyses. Prerequisite: BIO 230 or BIO 232, normally taken concurrently. Enrollment limited to 16.

A laboratory designed to give students an introduction to genomics and the molecular biology of genetics. Students gain experience with a variety of classical and modern techniques used in human genetic analysis and several experiments using students' DNA are performed throughout the semester. Laboratory and computer-based projects include PCR, restriction analysis and DNA sequencing as well as contemporary bioinformatics and genome database analyses. Prerequisite: BIO 230 or BIO 232, normally taken concurrently. Enrollment limited to 16.

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 participate in study design, data curation, analysis and interpretation. All statistical analyses are conducted in R. Corequisite: BIO 266. Enrollment limited to 18.

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, the class studies 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. Corequisite: BIO 269. Enrollment limited to 24.

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 Rhode Island and Cape Cod, MA provide hands-on experience with marine organisms in their natural habitats. Corequisite: BIO 268. Enrollment limited to 12.

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 Rhode Island and Cape Cod, MA provide hands-on experience with marine organisms in their natural habitats. Corequisite: BIO 268. Enrollment limited to 12.

Offered as BIO 308 and NSC 308. Formerly BIO 310. Molecular level structure-function relationships in the nervous system. Topics include development of neurons and glia, neuron-specific gene expression, molecular biology of neurological disorders and the mechanisms of nervous system plasticity and repair. Prerequisites: BIO 200 and NSC 210 or equivalent. Enrollment limited to 20.

Instrument specific course highly recommended for students interested in using state-of-the-art microscopy techniques in research (special studies, honors, SURF, etc.). Participants get exposure to basic and advanced light and electron microscopy techniques available at Smith. Mechanical and optical components are reviewed. Operational parameters for improving image quality and data collection using digital imaging and image analysis techniques are discussed. Emphasis is on the use of these exciting technologies performing quality and up-to-date research in many disciplines ranging from the live science and geology to art and engineering. Evaluation is through engagement in assigned activities. 400-level work cannot overlap with this course work. S/U only. Restrictions: BIO 314 may not be repeated. Enrollment limited to 12.

An investigation of the emerging fields of synthetic biology and bionanotechnology drawn from semi-popular and primary research literature. What can be achieved by approaching biology from an engineering mindset? Specifically, what can be learned by treating biological components (proteins and nucleic acids) and systems (signaling and metabolic networks) as interchangeable machine-like parts? Students study examples of this intellectual and experimental approach and how its application has enhanced understanding of cell biology. Harnessing biological systems for the production of pharmaceuticals and hydrocarbon fuel sources is also considered. Finally, the course explores the prospect of affecting and interacting with cells using engineered nanoscale devices made from biological building blocks and the potential application of these techniques in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Prerequisite: BIO 202 or 230. Restrictions: Juniors and seniors only. Enrollment limited to 12. 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 ecology and evolution. This course reviews the scope and applications of genome sequencing projects. After completing the course, students are prepared to design a high-throughput sequencing project and interpret the results of genomic analysis. Corequisite: BIO 337. Prerequisite: BIO 230 or BIO 232. Enrollment limited to 15.

This lab covers genomic analysis pipelines from nucleic acid isolation to sequence analysis in Linux and R environments and introduces students to high performance computing. Students work collaboratively to design and execute a comparative genomics project and detect signatures of molecular evolution in the non-model genomes. Corequisite: BIO 336. Prerequisite: BIO 230, BIO 232 or equivalent. Enrollment limited to 15.

This colloquium explores—with the advantage of some perspective—the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, and examines the potential emergence of new infectious agents that threaten the human population. Using approaches drawn from epidemiology, history, modeling, ecology, and public policy, the course examines epidemics and pandemics past in an effort to predict and prepare for future pandemic risks. Prerequisite: Bio 102 or Bio 132 or equivalent. Enrollment limited to 24.

In this course, students explore the molecular mechanisms that drive the undifferentiated gonad to develop into either a testis or ovary. Science has a deep understanding of how these processes work in some species (e.g., mammals), but the molecular cascades in species with alternative methods of differentiation – including environmental or behavioral mediated sex determination mechanisms - remain elusive. This course investigates the molecular pathways across vertebrate lineages, emphasizing both compelling similarities and important differences. Students develop a deep understanding of the mechanisms and implications of various pathways of sex determination, which subsequently inform the work undertaken in the laboratory coupled to this course. Corequisite: BIO 357. Prerequisite: BIO 230 or BIO 232. (E)

The expression of sex determining genes varies throughout embryonic development. This laboratory provides students with hands-on wet laboratory techniques (e.g., RNA extraction), and data analysis skills in R and Linux environments. This is a semester-long, in-depth research experience where students extract and sequence gonadal RNA across development in a model species with temperature-dependent sex determination, the red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta); identify expressed genes at each stage; and confirm expression across tissues using targeted RNA in situ fluorescent hybridization (RNA-ISH) and confocal microscopy. The resulting data sets are extensively analyzed, including the implications of ongoing environmental changes. Corequisite: BIO 356. Prerequisite: BIO 230 or BIO 232. Enrollment limited to 16. (E)

“Sex” is often used to describe a suite of traits – such as gamete type, morphology, physiology and behavior – that are related to reproduction. These traits are not binary, and there is extensive diversity in sex and sexual reproduction among animals including humans. This seminar explores our current understanding of variation in sex, gonadal determination, reproductive physiology and sexual behavior in the natural world. The course creates a broader conceptualization of sex by integrating the evidence in primary research articles, reviews, books and essays by feminist and queer authors. Students complete an independent research project on a topic of their choice. Prerequisites: BIO 200, BIO 230 or BIO 232, or equivalent. Restrictions: Juniors and seniors only. Enrollment limited to 15. Instructor permission required.

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

This lab course involves field and laboratory investigations of plant ecology and conservation, with an emphasis on Northeastern plant species and plant communities. The labs explore interactions between plants and insects, visit wetland and upland habitats and investigate plant population dynamics at sites around western Massachusetts. Students gain hands-on experience with descriptive and experimental research approaches used to investigate ecological processes in plant communities and inform conservation of plant biodiversity. Enrollment limited to 20.

Understanding human induced climate change is one of the greatest challenges of this 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 explore how complex scientific content and deep existential challenges can be effectively communicated to the broader public. They learn how plants physiologically interact with and respond to environmental change; read and discuss primary literature and relevant art works; and create and workshop art, popular science articles and data visualizations centered on climate change and its consequences. Prerequisites: BIO 130 and BIO 132. Restrictions: Juniors and seniors only. Enrollment limited to 15. Instructor permission required.

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

This seminar provides the opportunity to meet and collaborate with the other students in the BIO MS program, gain experience describing and sharing planned thesis research with others, and develop professional skills related to crafting research proposals, reading and critiquing scientific literature, and public presentation.  This course is required for graduate students and must be taken both years.  Restrictions: BIO graduate students only. Instructor permission required.

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

Offered as BKX 202 and PYX 202. This course focuses on various professional practice aspects of publishing, including manuscript submissions, selection, poetry craft and literary citizenship, through Nine Syllables Press, in partnership with the Boutelle-Day Poetry Center. Students learn about the publishing industry and contemporary US poetry landscape. Students have the opportunity to directly participate in reading and selecting manuscripts for a chapbook to be published by Nine Syllables Press. Preference given to Poetry and Book Studies concentrators. Cannot be taken S/U. ENG 112 or BKX 140 recommended but not required. Instructor permission required. (E)

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

This course introduces students to the academic study of Buddhism through readings, lectures, and discussions. Students explore the ways that Buddhism is analyzed and interpreted through the perspectives of different academic disciplines, including anthropology, art, environmental humanities, gender studies, government, literature, philosophy, and religion. Each week features a different methodological approach. Materials to be considered include discourses of the Buddha, meditation manuals, painting, poetry, philosophical treatises, and more. This course meets during the first half of the semester only. S/U only.

First half of semester course.

Offered as REL 160 and BUS 160. Who was the Buddha? For some, he was an ordinary being who achieved awakening and became a teacher. For others, he was a savior and an enduring cosmic presence. And who is he now for the millions of Buddhists worldwide? This course examines how the figure of the Buddha has been understood, represented, and revered across Buddhist cultures. It explores depictions of the historical Buddha and conceptions of Buddhahood; asking what constitutes awakening; how exemplary lives shape communities; and how texts, art, and ritual create religious authority. Materials include scriptural sources, biographies, philosophical writings, painting, sculpture, film, and modern scholarship. (E)

Service learning, civic engagement, community-based participatory research and community service are familiar terms for describing forms of community-based learning (CBL) in higher education. Theorists and practitioners continue to debate how students and faculty can best join partners to support community-driven goals in areas nearby colleges and universities. Students consider these issues through exploring the literature of community engagement and learning from the experiences of those who practice its different forms. CCX 120 serves as a gateway course for the Community Engagement and Social Change Concentration. Students are introduced to the varied opportunities available at the college for engaging with communities. S/U only.

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. Prerequisite: CCX 120 or SWG 150. Enrollment limited to 18.

Using chemical reactions to make quantitative predictions is a foundational skill in chemistry. This skill is built on a set of quantitative approaches including dimensional analysis, reaction stoichiometry and physical measurement. Students build and refine these skills through both individual and group work in a small class setting. This course is a co- or prerequisite for CHM 111; students are recommended for this course on the basis of a short placement exam. For these students, successful completion of CHM 110 is required to enter any CHM courses with a CHM 111 prerequisite. Enrollment limited to 60.

The first semester of our core chemistry curriculum introduces the language(s) of chemistry and explores atoms, molecules and their reactions. Discussions 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. Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken CHM 118. Enrollment limited to 40.

The first semester of our core chemistry curriculum introduces the language(s) of chemistry and explores atoms, molecules and their reactions. Discussions 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. Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken CHM 118. Enrollment limited to 40.

The first semester of our core chemistry curriculum introduces the language(s) of chemistry and explores atoms, molecules and their reactions. Discussions 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. Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken CHM 118. Enrollment limited to 40.

The first semester of our core chemistry curriculum introduces the language(s) of chemistry and explores atoms, molecules and their reactions. Discussions 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. Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken CHM 118. Enrollment limited to 40.

The first semester of our core chemistry curriculum introduces the language(s) of chemistry and explores atoms, molecules and their reactions. Discussions 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. Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken CHM 118. Enrollment limited to 40.

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. 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. Enrollment limited to 16.

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. 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. Enrollment limited to 16.

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. 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. Enrollment limited to 16.

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. 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. Enrollment limited to 16.