The following descriptions are written by each department and program with first-year students in mind and offer valuable course selection and planning advice. You should make use of these descriptions in conjunction with the complete department and program descriptions http://catalog.williams.edu/.
AFRICANA STUDIES
Africana Studies is an exciting interdisciplinary program introducing students to the rich experiences of Diaspora and New World peoples of African descent. Music, dance, and art enliven the traditional disciplines, as does a strong emphasis on experiential and service learning. First and second year students are encouraged to take our Introductory class (Africana 200), offered in both the fall and the spring, as well as some of our exciting course offerings, including Race(ing) Sports: Issues, Themes and Representations of Black Athletes, Race Gender and the Alien Body: Octavia Butler’s Science Fiction, Time and Blackness, Transforming the New World and the Old: The Haitian and French Revolutions, Rastafari: Dread, Politics, Agency.
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AMERICAN STUDIES
Being an American has always meant more than U.S. citizenship. The American Studies program aims to develop an understanding of the range and complexity of the U.S., past and present, through the critical, interdisciplinary study of social and political struggles; race and ethnicity; the natural and built environment; the many forms of artistic and cultural expression in the US; and the critical theories and methods that illuminate these topics. For example, American Studies 101 examines essays, novels, autobiographies, poems, photographs, films, music, visual art, cityscapes, federal policies, mass movements, historical documents, and legal texts in order to grapple with questions of identity, power and imagination; struggle and social change; nation, empire, and borders; inequality, immigration, and assimilation; and the role of the U.S. and its products in the world. In engaging such topics, students also learn some of the distinctive ways of thinking that define American Studies as a field of cultural studies.
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ANTHROPOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY
The Department of Anthropology and Sociology aims to help students understand the nature and meaning of social life. We do this by providing an integrated examination of the intersection of culture, history, biography, and social structure in both Western and non-Western societies. Anthropology explores the full range of human experience by investigating and comparing culture and society across time and space, from tribal and peasant communities to ancient civilizations and complex, stratified societies like our own. Sociology studies the social and institutional matrices of contemporary industrial and post-industrial societies and the dilemmas facing the individual in our epoch.
The Department offers separate majors in Anthropology and in Sociology, along with a diverse array of courses in both disciplines. Committed to the unity of the social sciences, the two wings of the Department offer joint core courses (designated ANSO).
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ARABIC STUDIES
Arabic is at the forefront of current international affairs, the liturgical language of Muslims, and the idiom spoken by Arab Christians, Arab Jews, and many of the African and Middle Eastern Muslims across the world. Arabic is also the official language of 25 countries–each with a rich and varied culture. Students who enjoy challenge and discovery will be rewarded by studying al-lugha al-`arabiyya and unlocking its beautiful secrets as they progress through the curriculum.
Williams offers beginning, intermediate and advanced courses in Arabic that provide strong coverage of Modern Standard variety of the language. Beginners start with Arabic 101(F)-102(S) (a full-year course), and can continue with second- and third-year Arabic, as well as topical courses at the intermediate and advanced level.
The interdisciplinary major in Arabic Studies is now one of the most popular foreign language and culture majors at the college. Majors take at least four semesters of Arabic language, plus five additional courses in language, literature, history, religion, art, or other areas of Arabic culture. The Arabic Studies Program also sponsors formal and informal activities meant to provide different perspectives on the language and its culture. Students can attend a weekly Arabic language table, as well as special activities like Arab-themed dinners, poetry readings and talent shows, concerts, workshops, and movies. Learning Arabic also opens the door to study abroad in the Arab world: in recent years our students have studied in many countries including Morocco, Kuwait, Oman, Jordan, Israel, and Egypt, among others.
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ART
The Williams Art Department is essentially two departments in one—you can study art in its historical context in the art history wing (ArtH), and you can create artwork in the studio wing (ArtS). Our art history wing is located in Lawrence Hall, sharing space with the Williams College Museum of Art, and our state-of-the-art studio facilities, including a student gallery and student workspaces, are housed in Spencer. No other small liberal arts college has such a large department with such diverse offerings of courses; we encourage students at any level of previous experience to explore our broad curriculum and find the course that suits them. And you don’t need to become a major to take advanced courses in the Department. ArtH 101-102 and ArtS 100 are great foundation courses for any course you may want to take in future years. But start early! There is something for everyone in the Art Department, and many students expecting to take different paths find their home here.
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ASIAN AMERICAN STUDIES
What does it mean to do decolonial work? How are Black, Indigenous, Asian, and Latine struggles at times incommensurable and deeply intertwined? What is the 626? How is science, health, and medicine implicated in Cold War conflicts? What do you think of Everything Everywhere All At Once, Parasite, Beef? Asian American Studies at Williams gives students tools and a supportive community in which to ask and answer these kinds of questions and more. Our highly rated courses foster critical scholarly engagement and creative pursuits, and our students are some of the most active on campus! We encourage all students, regardless of identity or life experience, to take AAS courses, attend AAS events, and get to know AAS students and professors. We hope you’ll find that Asian American Studies is a crucial part of a strong ethnic studies curriculum, which is crucial to a meaningful and powerful liberal arts education.
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Concentration
ASIAN LANGUAGES, LITERATURES, AND CULTURES
Williams is a great place to learn Asian languages and cultures. The Department of Asian Languages, Literatures, and Cultures offers four levels of Chinese (Mandarin) and Japanese language courses in addition to courses on Chinese or Japanese literature, linguistics, or cultural studies taught either in English or in the target language. Our department welcomes both true beginners who have never learned these languages prior to Williams and those who wish to continue their studies in these languages. Students are strongly encouraged to begin or continue their language study during their first and sophomore years so that they can study abroad in Asia later on and reach the truly advanced level before graduating from Williams. The department offers three majors: Chinese, Japanese, and East Asian Languages and Cultures (EALC). The EALC major offers more flexibility for students who would like to pursue a major in Chinese studies or Japanese studies. It also offers a dual-language option for students who are interested in learning multiple Asian languages.
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ASIAN STUDIES
ASTRONOMY
Courses in Astronomy are available to anyone who is interested in studying the universe and in learning to follow new astronomical discoveries as they are made. The introductory courses begin on two levels: a non-science-major level (ASTR 101(F), 102(S), 104(S)) and a science-major level with physics and mathematics pre- or co-requisites (ASTR 111(F)). ASTR 101(F) Stars: From Suns to Black Holes and ASTR 102(S) Our Solar System and Others and, in alternate years, ASTR 104(S) The Milky Way Galaxy and the Universe Beyond, are broad survey courses. These courses are most appropriate for students without a great deal of mathematical background and for those not intending to major in the sciences or mathematics. ASTR 111(F) Introduction to Astrophysics is intended for prospective science or mathematics majors and for those with some exposure to physics and calculus. ASTR 111(F) is required for both the Astronomy and Astrophysics majors (described below). All introductory astronomy courses include observing with the telescopes atop the Thompson Physical Lab building as well as five afternoon lab sessions per semester.
The Astrophysics major, joint between the Astronomy and Physics Departments, is designed for students who plan to go on to graduate school in astronomy/astrophysics, physics, or planetary science as well as for students planning other careers for which a science background is useful. Prospective Astrophysics majors who have not had advanced-placement physics should plan to take PHYS 141(F) or 151(F) and MATH 140 in the fall, followed by PHYS 142(S), if needed, and MATH 150/151 in the spring. ASTR 111(F) could be taken in the fall of the sophomore year, though exceptionally motivated students often choose to take it in the fall of their first year along with physics and math. Students entering with advanced placement physics and/or math should especially consider taking ASTR 111 in the fall of their first year, and are encouraged to consult early with members of the Astronomy and Physics Departments about the best route through the major.
The Astronomy major, a major solely within the Astronomy Department, can be elected by those interested in Astronomy, but not intending to take all the physics and math in the Astrophysics major. It is especially valuable for those interested in secondary-school teaching or science journalism or as a double major along with Chemistry, Geosciences, or other fields. Prospective Astronomy majors should normally take ASTR 111(F) and MATH 140 in the fall of the first or second year. MATH 150/151 would then follow in the spring. The required physics courses (131(F) or 141(F), and 142(S) or 151(F)) would be taken either in the first year or in the sophomore year. First-year students unsure about choosing between the Astronomy major and the Astrophysics major should normally take PHYS 141 or 151 and MATH 104 in the fall, followed by PHYS 142, if needed, and MATH 105 in the spring. ASTR 111 can be postponed to the fall of the sophomore year, though exceptionally motivated students often choose to take ASTR 111 in the fall of their first year along with physics and math. Students entering with advanced placement in physics and/or math are encouraged to consult early with members of the Astronomy Department about the best route through the major.
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BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
The Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Program is designed to provide students with an opportunity to explore living systems in molecular terms. Biochemistry and molecular biology are at the interface between the chemical and biological methods of looking at nature; therefore, the program draws heavily from these disciplines. While chemistry is concerned with the relationship between molecular structure and reactions, and biology focuses on cells and organisms, biochemistry and molecular biology probe the details of the structures and interactions of molecules in living systems in order to provide the foundation for a better understanding of biological molecules both individually and as members of more complex structures.
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BIOINFORMATICS, GENOMICS & PROTEOMICS
The Bioinformatics, Genomics, and Proteomics curriculum involves faculty from the Physics, Mathematics/Statistics, Computer Science, Chemistry, and Biology departments and was designed to provide students with an understanding of these revolutionary new areas of investigation. There are many routes into this interdisciplinary field, so taking introductory courses in the related disciplines will open doors to the BIGP focused courses. Students interested in graduate work in bioinformatics, genomics, and proteomics should take BIGP courses and their prerequisites. Interested students are also encouraged to participate in independent research with members of the advisory faculty.
BIOLOGY
The Biology curriculum broadly covers all major subdivisions of the discipline, including ecology, developmental biology, evolution, animal behavior, physiology, neuroscience, evolution, cell biology, molecular biology, and biochemistry. Students begin engaging with these topics in our introductory courses. We welcome all first-year students who are interested in biology, regardless of their background in science and whether or not they intend to major, to take BIOL 101 The Cell in the fall and BIOL 102 The Organism in the spring. As indicated in the course catalog, students may take BIOL 102 in the spring before taking BIOL 101. However, they must still complete BIOL 101 to major in Biology.
BIOL 101 and 102 are prerequisites to our upper-level courses, so we encourage students who plan to major in biology, or think they may be interested in doing so, to take at least one of these courses in their first year. We also offer four 200-level biology courses that may interest first-year students. BIOL 220(S) Field Botany and Plant Natural History has no prerequisites. BIOL 203(F) Ecology, BIOL 204(S) Animal Behavior can be taken by students with strong backgrounds in science with the permission of the instructor. BIOL 212(F) Neuroscience has as its prerequisite either BIOL 101 or PSYC 101 (which cannot be satisfied by AP placement); first-year students who place out of BIOL 101 by the First Days exam may seek the permission of the instructor to enroll in this course. First-year students wishing to enroll in this course should be aware that the pace, level, and expectations for the student will be geared towards sophomores.
Although first-year students should normally enroll in BIOL 101 and 102, students with unusually strong backgrounds in biology may be permitted to elect a sophomore level course in lieu of BIOL 101 and/or BIOL 102 upon successful completion of a Biology Placement Exam given during First Days. Note, however, that students placed out of BIOL 101 and/or BIOL 102 do not receive credit towards the biology major for those courses; they must still take nine courses at Williams to fulfill major requirements.
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CHEMISTRY
Through a variety of individual courses and sequential programs, the Chemistry Department provides the opportunity for students to explore the nature and significance of chemistry while learning the fundamental concepts of the discipline. All of the introductory courses provide a foundation for further study as well as concentration in the subspecialties – organic, physical, inorganic, materials science, and biochemistry.
Most students will begin their study in the department in Chemistry 101 (Concepts of Chemistry), which may be taken in the fall or the spring semester. For students with little or no high school chemistry, we offer Chemistry 100 (Chemistry Matters) in the fall semester as preparation for Chemistry 101 in the spring semester. All students interested in taking Chemistry 100 or Chemistry 101 must complete a brief departmental survey to assist in determining the best first semester placement. After Chemistry 101, students will take Chemistry 200 (Advanced Concepts in Chemistry) and Chemistry 201 (Introduction to Organic Chemistry), in either order. After completing these courses, students can move into elective courses.
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CHINESE
The Department of Asian Languages, Literatures, and Cultures regularly offers four levels of instruction in Modern Standard Chinese (Mandarin), designed to enable the student to become proficient in aural comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing, as well as introductory courses in Classical Chinese, and occasionally, Cantonese and Taiwanese. The department offers disciplinary courses taught either in English or in Chinese on Chinese literature, linguistics, or cultural studies. Students are strongly encouraged to begin or continue their language study during their first and sophomore years so that they can study abroad in Asia later on and reach the truly advanced level before graduating from Williams. Students majoring in Chinese are strongly encouraged to study in mainland China or Taiwan during one or both semesters of their junior year, or during the summer. We hold an active Chinese Language Table in a college dining hall where students and faculty meet weekly for lively conversations in Chinese. The department sponsors various extracurricular activities each year, so as to give students a chance for contact with the language and culture outside the classroom.
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CLASSICS
Classics at Williams includes a broad range of courses in the Greek and Latin languages and the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean. Courses in Greek and Latin enable students to increase their linguistic facility as they study important authors, subjects, and periods and develop a variety of methodological skills. Courses in Classical Studies, in which texts are read in English translation, introduce students to and make them familiar with the literature, history, mythology, art, archaeology, religion and philosophy of ancient Greece, Rome, and their broader Mediterranean contexts, as well as opportunities for more advanced or specialized study. All of our offerings challenge students both to confront the foreignness of these ancient cultures and to explore the profound connections between them and our own.
We strongly encourage first-years not to delay continuing their study of Latin or Greek or starting one of these languages, especially if you intend to major and/or want to study abroad in your junior year. Students with several years of high school Greek should enroll in CLGR 201. For students with several years of high school Latin CLLA 201 is the preferred starting point, though in cases where scheduling conflicts arise it is possible to start with CLLA 302 in the spring semester instead.
Our Classical Studies courses (with the CLAS prefix) offer several excellent gateways into the study of ancient Greek and Roman cultures, and we encourage first-years to explore our 100- and 200-level offerings, none of which have prerequisites. Classical Studies courses also strengthen other departments and programs, including Comparative Literature, History, Philosophy, Art, Theatre, Religion, Environmental Studies, and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies.
COGNITIVE SCIENCE
Cognitive science is concerned with how humans, animals, and computers acquire, represent, manipulate, and use information. As an interdisciplinary field it combines research and theory from three central disciplines (computer science, cognitive psychology, and philosophy), two closely related disciplines (linguistics and neuroscience), and several more distantly related disciplines (e.g., biology, math, and anthropology).
Cognitive science researchers typically employ a collection of analytic and modeling tools from across traditional disciplinary boundaries. Thus, the methods and research agenda of cognitive science are broader than those of any of the fields that have traditionally contributed to cognitive science. The COGS Program at Williams is designed to offer a coherent program of study in cognitive science and provide students with the broad interdisciplinary foundation needed to approach issues of cognition.
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COMPARATIVE LITERATURE
You know what literature is. Or do you?
You’ve taken English in high school, devoured novels by your favorite author, discussed and debated your favorite films. At Williams, you have a chance to take your interest in literature into new territory with courses in Comparative Literature, studying literatures from around the world and exploring how texts of all sorts work within the cultures and times that produced them.
Williams has a thriving interdisciplinary Program in Comparative Literature that brings together faculty and coursework from many different departments. Through our courses, you will encounter works of literature from Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Greek, Japanese, Latin, Russian, Spanish, and other traditions, whether in English translation or in the original languages. These courses cover familiar genres and media like prose, poetry, and film, but also include a wide range of other texts—animation, theater, comics, pop music, even video games—that you may not have thought of as “literature.”
The major in Comparative Literature invites students to engage with literary works and literary theory across multiple language traditions. Our majors develop individualized courses of study that focus on the ideas and texts of real interest to them, incorporating courses from other departments and programs as well as courses offered within Comp Lit. The major also allows for study abroad in almost any place you can think of.
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COMPUTER SCIENCE
The goal of the major is to provide an understanding of algorithmic problem solving as well as the conceptual organization of computers and complex programs running on them. Emphasis is placed on the fundamental principles of computer science, building upon the mathematical and theoretical ideas underlying these principles.
The introductory and core courses build a broad and solid base for understanding computer science. The more advanced courses allow students to sample a variety of specialized areas including graphics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, advanced algorithms, distributed systems, and operating systems. Independent study and honors work provide opportunities for students to study and conduct research on topics of special interest.
The department offers a choice of four introductory courses; CSCI 102 The Socio-Techno Web, CSCI 103 Electronic Textiles, CSCI 104 Data Science and Computing For All, and CSCI 134 Introduction to Computer Science.
CSCI 134 provides an introduction to computer science with a focus on developing computer programming skills. These skills are essential to most upper-level courses in the department. As a result, CSCI 134 together with CSCI 136, are required as a prerequisite to most advanced courses in the department.
Those students intending to take several Computer Science courses are urged to take 134 early. Computer Science courses are often over-enrolled and interested students should pre-register for CSCI courses to maximize their chances of getting a spot. Those students interested in learning more about exciting new ideas in computer science, but not necessarily interested in developing extensive programming skills or majoring, should consider CSCI 102, CSCI 103, or CSCI 104.
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CONTRACT MAJOR
Qualified students with the talent and energy for working independently may undertake a contract major—a coherent study of an interdisciplinary subject not covered by a regularly offered major. The purpose of the Contract Major is to allow highly motivated students to follow a course of study outside the boundaries of established majors. In offering the option of a Contract Major, Williams College encourages students to draw upon the wealth of coursework offered at the college to develop a major that corresponds to their particular interests and goals.
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SELF-INSTRUCTIONAL LANGUAGES
The Self-Instructional Languages Program offers the possibility of studying languages not offered on a regular basis at the college and is designed to complement coursework in other areas. The Program originated in part from requests by a more diverse student body, faculty’s interests in emerging regional issues, and from the ever-pressing need to respond to the pluralistic realities of today’s world. Currently, students can study elementary American Sign Language, Hebrew, Hindi, Korean, Persian, Portuguese and Swahili in a self-instructional mode under the tutorial supervision of qualified fluent speakers and in consultation with senior language specialists from partner institutions.
DANCE
The purpose of the Dance Department is to educate students in the physical disciplines, cultural traditions, and expressive possibilities of dance. We provide the opportunity to study and experience dance as technique, composition, history, theory, and performance in the context of a liberal arts education. Our five ensembles study and perform throughout the academic year at the ’62 Center for Theatre and Dance and at venues on and off campus. Participation in these ensembles is through audition as well as by invitation of the directors.
Our department regularly offers workshops, master classes, artist residencies, internships, performances, field trips, and collaborations that reflect the vital role of dance in our community. Our courses can be taken for academic credit and/or physical education credit.
Artists and companies who have been in residence include: New York City Ballet members, Ronald K. Brown and Evidence, H.T. Chen & Dancers, Dianne Walker, Anouk van Dijk, Danis “La Mora” Perez and Francisco Mora Catlett, Compagnie Heddy Maalem, Obo Addy and Okropong, Liz Lerman, ZviDance, and Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company.
EAST ASIAN LANGUAGES AND CULTURES
The East Asian Languages and Cultures (EALC) major offered by the Department of Asian Languages, Literatures, and Cultures (DALLC) gives students an opportunity to pursue both language study and gain more in-depth knowledge about Chinese or Japanese culture. The major requires at least six semesters of language study (or the minimum proficiency equivalent to the completion of 302) in one East Asian language offered by the department (currently Mandarin Chinese or Japanese), two CHIN/JAPN disciplinary courses on Chinese/Japanese literature, linguistics, or cultural studies, and two approved electives related to Chinese or Japanese language and culture. This major offers a dual-language option: students who are able to complete the 402 level in either Chinese or Japanese by the end of their sophomore year can opt to learn a second Asian language and reach the Intermediate level in speaking that language by the time of graduation.
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ECONOMICS
You might think economics is all about business and finance, but there’s a lot more to it than that. Economists study diverse, wide-ranging topics, many of them directly relevant to public policy. Some examples include climate change, health, education, poverty, gender, and technological change. At its heart, economics is a set of analytical tools that help us understand current events and real-world issues.
Roughly one out of five Williams students majors in Economics, making it one of the most popular majors, and many classes in the department are of interest to non-majors. In fact, approximately 60% of Williams students take our introductory microeconomics class. Many of our electives are also excellent complements to other fields of study.
The economics major consists of nine courses, including five core classes in microeconomics (how individuals and firms make decisions), macroeconomics (how the national and global economies work), and econometrics (statistical tools designed for analyzing economic data), along with at least four electives. Economics majors and non-majors take a variety of lower-level and upper-level electives, including tutorials and senior seminars, which typically involve a significant research and writing component. Electives encompass a diverse range of topics, such as inequality, behavioral economics, poverty, race, gender, education, the environment, health, labor markets, taxation, trade, economic history, the economics of developing countries, econometrics, economic theory, corporate finance, and monetary policy. Many classes offered to the Center for Development Economics, a master’s program for professionals from developing countries, are cross-listed as electives for undergraduate students.
Students interested in studying economics who have not taken any economics should start with ECON 110 Principles of Microeconomics during their first year. Students who began studying economics in high school and plan to continue taking it at Williams should take the department’s placement exam. Department faculty use results from the placement exam, along with AP or IB exam scores or grades in A-levels, to determine the appropriate starting point for each student’s study of economics at Williams.
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ENGLISH
The study of English allows students to explore the critical role language and literature play in the shaping of human culture and social experience. Department courses cover a wide range of literary traditions, and acquaint students with a range of genres and cultural practices, including poetry, prose, drama, film, and mixed and emerging media.
60% or more of all Williams students take a 100-level English course during their first year, all of which satisfy part of the Writing Requirement. Taught as discussion classes, and with enrollments limited to 19 students per section,100-level English courses seek to develop students’ skills as close readers of literary texts and other works of imagination. All 100-level English courses develop analytical writing skills while introducing students to a variety of topics in the field of literary studies.
100-level English courses serve as the prerequisite for most other courses in the English Department. Students planning to take other English courses during their time at Williams should take a 100-level course in their first year.
First-year students who have received a 5 on the Literature Advanced Placement exam, or a 6 or 7 on the Higher Level International Baccalaureate, are not required to take a 100-level course as a prerequisite to more advanced work in the department. Such students may instead choose their first English course from among the department’s 200-level offerings, including a cluster of “Gateway” courses especially designed for first- and second-year students considering majoring in English. Although students with a 5 or better on the AP exam or an IB 6 or 7 are not excluded from taking 100-level English courses, please be aware that students with a lower score will be given first preference for 100-level courses. If you are having trouble finding an English course, please speak with the department assistant (Pat Malanga, [email protected]) during First Days.
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ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
Our world is facing increasingly complex and serious environmental problems. These issues require citizens, organizations, and governments to grasp scientific concepts, address conflicting human values, and make difficult economic, political and ethical choices. The curricular options in Environmental Studies—the major and concentration—are designed to prepare students to effectively address these questions by integrating perspectives and methodologies from the natural sciences, the social sciences, and the arts and humanities. In addition to the eleven course major, the program offers a six course concentration (designed to complement a major in a different discipline), and a seven course concentration in Maritime Studies, which builds on the course work completed through the Williams-Mystic Maritime Studies Program.
The Environmental Studies major has a “core” of six courses. All majors and concentrators are required to take ENVI 101 (Nature and Society) and ENVI 102 (Environmental Science). Incoming students with a strong interest in Environmental Studies should consider taking ENVI 101 during their first semester at Williams. (ENVI 101 is offered only in the fall semester of each year.) This gateway course is required because it provides an excellent overview of the most critical environmental issues, bringing together scientific, political, ethical and cultural perspectives. First year students planning to major or concentrate in Environmental Studies are encouraged, but not required, to take one or both of these 100-level courses in their first year. In addition to the six course core, each Environmental Studies major develops a 5-course specialization within the program, such as climate change, environmental chemistry, agriculture, or environmental design, in consultation with a faculty advisor.
ENVI students are encouraged to examine environmental issues in the vicinity of Berkshire County, other regions of the US, and the world. Many of our courses also include an experiential component so that students can learn the complexities of environmental issues first-hand. The Center for Environmental Studies (CES) manages the 2600-acre Hopkins Memorial Forest and the Environmental Analysis Laboratory in the Morley Science Laboratory. CES also sponsors a range of activities, events, and programs, including the Friday noon Log Lunch speaker series and a summer internship program.
Students interested in the program are encouraged to consult with members of the Environmental Studies Program and to contact the Environmental Studies Director or Associate Director.
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EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
The aim of the Williams Experiential Education Initiative, begun in 2002, is to infuse the college curriculum with experiential learning. The Initiative taps into the innovative spirit of Williams faculty, students and staff. Faculty select from the variety of experiential learning methodologies the tools they deem most suited to the learning goals of their courses.
As a result, the current curriculum features many vehicles for students to “learn by doing” including teaching in local and New York City schools, consulting for local governments and non-profits, mentoring at-risk youth, providing volunteer income tax assistance to low income working people, and conducting time-sensitive social policy research in South Africa.
The Center for Learning in Action supports the development of experiential courses and modules, helping faculty design and implement them and helping students find appropriate courses and projects.
A complete description of each experiential course and when it is offered may be found in the relevant department’s section of the College’s Course Catalog or Winter Study Program (WSP) offerings on the Registrar’s website.
FRENCH
Bienvenue & Welcome! The Williams French Program offers a diverse range of courses in French language and Francophone literature, film, and culture. Whether you want to improve your French language skills, prepare for study abroad in France or Morocco, or learn more about the Francophone literary and cinematic tradition, we encourage you to explore our courses and activities. Taught entirely in French, our language courses accommodate all levels, from beginning to intermediate and advanced. Taught by specialists in their fields, our literature courses explore the riches of French and Francophone fiction—as well as cinema, art, politics, and culture—from the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Revolution to the Nineteenth, Twentieth, and Twenty-First Centuries, from Europe and North America, to Africa and the Caribbean. In addition to our courses at Williams, we encourage students to study abroad with programs in France, Switzerland, Morocco, Sénégal, Martinique, Québec, and other countries in the Francophone World!
For more on everything French at Williams, see: https://french.williams.edu/
GEOSCIENCES
The Geosciences major offers an understanding of the evolution of our planet and its interacting global systems, from mountains to ice sheets, rivers to oceans, volcanoes to fossils. In this era of global change, geoscience provides the tools that can help us learn to live sustainably with our environment, and appreciate our place within the vastness of Earth history. Geosciences graduates have a wide range of career options including environmental consulting, hazard assessment, energy industries, outdoor education, working for geoscience and environment related government agencies and nonprofits, and research and teaching in universities, colleges, and secondary schools. No matter what field they enter, all our Geosciences graduates pursue their lives and careers with a deeper appreciation for the natural world around them. The major is designed to provide a solid grounding in the geosciences while being adaptable enough to accommodate diverse paths driven by student interests.
In 2024-2025 we have three 100-level courses, all of which are open to first years and assume no previous geoscience background. You can choose whichever one appeals to you, depending on whether you are more excited by how earthquakes and volcanoes shape our planet (102), the many facets of our oceans (104), or how earth and life have evolved and changed over time (101). Any 100-level course serves as a gateway to the major. All our professors work closely with students, and together we form a close-knit group taking joy in figuring out how the world works. Our students have opportunities to do research in exciting places (recent locations include Ireland, the Caribbean, Colorado, the Yukon, and Alaska). Students who enjoy lab work have analyzed samples from deep sea cores and have measured ancient organisms extracted from rock samples. Many present their work at national meetings, and meet today’s leading earth scientists. Come and join us!
Major
GERMAN
The College recommends that students develop fluency in at least one foreign language, and the best way to do this is to start in the first year. German offers exciting intensive language classes at the beginning, intermediate, and advanced level, which enable students to gain the proficiency needed for study abroad and for upper-level courses in German studies. The normal sequence for beginners is 101(F)-102(S) (a full-year course) that meets 5 times a week, 103(F), and 104(S). We are also offering a one-semester intensive beginner course in the spring, GERM 120(S). Our German students have the opportunity to practice their language skills by having weekly conversation meetings with Teaching Associates from Germany and Austria.
First-year students who have already studied German and who wish to continue should take the placement test administered during First Days and consult with the German Department in order to determine which course would be most appropriate for them.
The Department sponsors several extracurricular activities that are open to first-year students, including a bi-weekly Kaffeeklatsch and a bi-weekly German movie night, various festivals (such as an Austrian-German Film Festival) and celebrations (such as Oktoberfest and a Vienna Ball).
Every year a growing number of junior German students study in German-speaking countries, either by directly enrolling in a German or Austrian university or through an American program. Students must normally have completed two years of college-level German or the equivalent to study abroad in a German speaking country.
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GLOBAL STUDIES
The Global Studies Program features a cross-disciplinary and comparative curriculum. The program offers multiple tracks, on a region of the world or theme, around which students construct their global studies concentration.
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Concentration
HISTORY
The History curriculum and major encourage students to explore the many dimensions of the human past from a variety of perspectives. The History Department offers sixty to seventy courses each year, on the histories of various countries and regions–Africa, China, Europe, Japan, Latin America, the Middle East, South Asia, and the United States–as well as on transnational and comparative issues. All first-year students are welcome to take any of the first-year seminars or tutorials (100-level courses) or any of the broad surveys (200-level courses), and can also take advanced electives (300-level courses) with the instructor’s permission. First-year students who are considering a major in History are especially encouraged to take a first-year seminar or tutorial. These writing-intensive courses focus on specific topics of interest and are designed to familiarize students with the various ways in which historians study and try to understand the past. 200-level courses offer a survey of the history of a country, or of a particular region of the globe, over a long period of time. Both 100-level and 200-level courses serve as a strong basis from which to study the past at a more advanced level.
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INDEPENDENT STUDY
When a particularly able student wishes to study a subject not covered by the normal offerings of the college, arrangements may be made to undertake courses of independent study under faculty supervision.
INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES PROGRAM
This program is designed to facilitate and promote innovations in curricular offerings in relation both to interdisciplinary conceptual focus and experimental pedagogical form. It provides support for faculty and student efforts to develop a curriculum that creatively responds to intellectual needs and modes of teaching/learning that currently fall outside the conventional pattern.
Public health seeks to understand, and also to protect and improve, health at the level of a community or population. Communities make decisions and allocate resources that, intentionally or not, fundamentally shape human life. At its heart, the study of public health focuses on questions about relationships between science and society, and between reality and possibility: what effective public health policy is and how we can measure its effectiveness; what the relationship is, and ought to be, between research and policy; how we reconcile important moral and economic claims, or balance other values that compete with maximizing health; what counts as disease, over time and among cultures; how we think about cause and responsibility; what constitutes a healthy environment; how our fundamental beliefs determine our approaches to health decisions; and how such decisions ought to be made.
Public health offers a selective six-course concentration, which includes an intro course and a senior capstone taught within the program, three electives, and a statistics course. Students also propose an experiential learning component to the their concentration. The concentration can be combined with any major. Interested students must apply to the concentration in the spring of their sophomore year.
The Introduction to Public Health course (PHLH 201) is primarily geared at sophomores, but first-year students may take the course if space allows. Students hoping to concentrate in public health are encouraged to take statistics in their first year.
ITALIAN
The study of Italian helps students gain a deeper appreciation of the language, cultures, and literatures of Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, the Vatican, and the Italian diaspora worldwide. At Williams we currently offer elementary and intermediate/advanced Italian as well as courses in translation that focus on Italian cultures and identities. The language courses are taught exclusively in Italian, with lively interactive engagement with film, media, music, art, and technology. We also provide cultural events on campus that help students learn more about Italian cultures, and practice the language. Each year, many students spend a semester or two in Italy with academic programs in Rome, Florence, Siena, Padua, Perugia, Bologna, Parma, and Lecce. Some of our students have won Fulbright teaching assistantships and scholarships for further study and work in Italy.
For more on Italian Studies at Williams, see: https://cgllc.williams.edu/italian/
JAPANESE
The Department of Asian Languages, Literatures, and Cultures regularly offers four levels of language instruction in Japanese, designed to enable the student to become proficient in aural comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. The department also offers disciplinary courses taught in either English or Japanese on Japanese literature, linguistics, or cultural studies. Students are strongly encouraged to begin or continue their language study during their first and sophomore years so that they can study abroad in Asia later on and reach the truly advanced level before graduating from Williams. Students majoring in Japanese are strongly encouraged to study in Japan during one or both semesters of their junior year, or during the summer. We hold an active Japanese Language Table in a college dining hall where students and faculty meet weekly for lively conversations in Japanese. The department sponsors various extracurricular activities each year, so as to give students a chance for contact with the language and culture outside the classroom.
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JEWISH STUDIES
Jewish Studies is the academic field concerned with the experiences and cultures of Jewish people across a wide temporal and geographical range. Williams offers a variety of courses in Jewish Studies at the introductory and advanced levels. Students who might be interested in concentrating in Jewish Studies or who simply want to learn more about Judaism are encouraged to take one of the two introductory courses (JWST 101 or JWST 201). In addition to courses listed in the Williams Course Catalog with the prefix “JWST (Jewish Studies)”, departments and programs across the college offer many other courses that incorporate topics relevant to the study of Judaism and Jews. For more information on the requirements for the Jewish Studies concentration and Jewish studies at Williams in general, see the department website. First-year students who are interested in this area of study should also refer to the list of relevant courses included in the Courses of Instruction.
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Concentration
JUSTICE & LAW PROGRAM
The Justice & Law program focuses attention on justice in theory and practice: law’s changing place in social institutions, our many differing ideas about justice, power and equality; actions versus ideas, and coercion versus legitimate authority. Squarely within the liberal arts tradition, this program provides a way to think and argue critically about how we should, and do, think about and enact justice. JLST 101, open to first-year students, is taught in the fall.
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Concentration
LATINA/O STUDIES
The Latina/o Studies program offers a concentration and an opportunity for students to do an honors thesis. Latina/o Studies focuses on people who come from or whose ancestors come from Latin America and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean, including Mexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Dominicans, Colombians, Salvadorans, Guatemalans, and many others. The concentration works well with all majors and consists of five courses: an introductory course, three electives, and a senior seminar. We have courses in history, religion, urban studies, ethnography, geography, creative writing, popular culture, visual arts, film and media studies, literature and more! Each semester faculty invite speakers, performers, and artists to visit and contribute to our courses. The Honors Program provides a wonderful opportunity for students to explore an area of interest to them in depth. Our courses and our concentration invite students from all backgrounds. Several of our courses are designed especially for first-year students.
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LEADERSHIP STUDIES
The Program in Leadership Studies offers a concentration comprising two tracks: a traditional track of five semester courses plus a Winter Study course and an American foreign policy track of six semester courses. Leadership Studies explores the complex relationships between leaders and followers, with special attention to the ways leaders emerge; how potential leaders offer competing and conflicting visions of the future; the motives, values, and characteristics of leaders and followers; how leadership manifests itself in different cultural, historical, and situational contexts and domains; constraints on leadership; and ethical issues that arise in the exercise of authority and power.
First-year students are invited to take LEAD 155(F) Visionaries, Pragmatists, and Demagogues: An Introduction to Leadership Studies. Other concentration courses open to first-year students include PSCI 130(F,S) Introduction to Political Theory and most 100- or 200-level electives (in various disciplines) cross-listed with Leadership Studies.
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Concentration
MARITIME STUDIES
Earth’s oceans are vast, covering almost three-quarters of the planet. They provide us with food, house mineral resources, carry international shipping, and help control climate. The program in Maritime Studies offers students the opportunity to investigate the oceans from a wide variety of perspectives, including literature, science, history, and legal policy. Candidates for the concentration in Maritime Studies must complete a minimum of seven courses, including the semester at our maritime campus Williams-Mystic.
First-year students are invited to take GEOS 104(S) Oceanography as an introduction to the Maritime Studies program. GEOS 104(S) also serves as an introductory course for the department of Geosciences.
MATERIALS SCIENCE STUDIES
Materials Science is an interdisciplinary field which combines microscopic physics and chemistry in order to understand and control the properties of materials such as plastics, semiconductors, metals, liquid crystals, and biomaterials.
MATHEMATICS & STATISTICS
The Department of Mathematics and Statistics looks forward to seeing you in our many courses. Below is some information to help you choose where to start, but of course, you should consult Courses of Instruction for more complete descriptions. Feel free to consult with any member of the Department if you have any questions about your placement. Please also use the guide available on the Registrar’s website under the First Year Info link and please make sure you complete the Math/Stat Placement Form online in PeopleSoft.
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MUSIC
The Music Department welcomes first year students in a broad range of music history, performance, ethnomusicology, composition and theory courses. For more complete course descriptions, students should consult the Williams College Online Catalog or the Williams College Bulletin.
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NEUROSCIENCE
The Neuroscience Program exposes students to a rapidly growing interdisciplinary field concerned with the relationship between brain, mind, and behavior. It consists of introductory courses in Biology and Psychology, two required Neuroscience courses, and three electives. You will find a detailed description of the program in Courses of Instruction.
Students interested in neuroscience are encouraged to take Biology 101 and/or Psychology 101 during their first year and to take Neuroscience (BIOL 212/PSYC 212/NSCI 201) in the fall of the sophomore year. Please note that Neuroscience is only offered during the fall semester.
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Concentration
PERFORMANCE STUDIES
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PHILOSOPHY
Who am I? What can I know? Are there objective ethical standards? Is the mind different from the brain? Is there a God? What are the limits to rationality? The Philosophy curriculum will help you examine these and other questions.
As you may have discovered on our website, the Philosophy Department offers a variety of courses in the history of philosophy and in contemporary work in the field. All of the members of the department have a strong commitment to developing our students’ skills in interpreting arguments and formulating reasoned responses both orally and in writing. For this reason, most classes—including the introductory ones—are kept small enough to allow for extensive discussion. Tutorials are a central part of the philosophy curriculum and offer students the opportunity to meet weekly with a professor and one other student to present papers and commentaries on each other’s work. Many of us find this format excellent for engaging philosophical texts and improving skills in writing and oral argument.
Our 100-level courses, which appeal especially to first-year students, cover a wide array of topics, including knowledge, freedom, God, personal identity, and ethical objectivity. They are discussion-oriented, writing-intensive seminars that are designed to develop skills that will aid you in many other courses. First-year students may also take some of our 200-level courses, including the history of ancient philosophy, the history of modern philosophy, and logic and language. Very few students take philosophy in high school; next year will provide a wonderful opportunity for you to enter into the true spirit of the liberal arts.
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
The physical education program is designed to promote physical and mental fitness, the acquisition of sport skills and knowledge, and the development of a positive attitude toward exercise and wellness. The department offers a wide variety of courses to meet the needs of all Williams students.
Four units of physical education is a degree requirement at Williams. The units must be completed by the end of one’s sophomore year and may be earned by taking a physical education activity class or participation in intercollegiate athletics or club sports. Two different activities must be taken to fulfill the requirement.
PHYSICS
The Department of Physics offers courses designed to meet a number of different needs. Many students begin with PHYS 141(F) and PHYS 142(S). Students with strong backgrounds should take the physics placement exam during First Days and may be placed directly into PHYS 151(F) Modern Physics.
Students wanting a one-year survey of physics to supplement the study of another science, or as preparation for medical school, usually choose either PHYS 131(F) & 132(S) or PHYS 141(F) & 132(S). Students whose primary interests lie outside the sciences can find intellectual adventure taking physics courses such as PHYS 107, 108, and 109, which introduce interesting applications of physics at a level appropriate for a non-science major.
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POLITICAL ECONOMY
Political Economy at Williams is the study of political and economic forces as they combine to produce public policy. These outputs of the political system are shaped by social forces, nongovernmental organizations, state institutions, markets, knowledge structures, political ideologies, normative goals, and moral values. Policy analysis seeks to both understand and evaluate public policies in their formulation, implementation, and effectiveness. The study of public policy is inherently interdisciplinary, and the Political Economy Program self-consciously incorporates the central analytical approaches of both Political Science and Economics.
ECON 110 and 120 are prerequisites for many higher level POEC and ECON classes. If you are thinking about majoring in Political Economy, you should take these two courses during your first year. You should also take PSCI 110 in your first or second year; the course is a pre- or co-requisite for the required course POEC 250 and juniors and seniors are generally unable to register for it. Finally, you should ensure that your math coursework is sufficient in your first year. MATH 130 (Calculus I) or the equivalent is a prerequisite for the POEC methodology requirement (POEC 253 or ECON 255).
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POLITICAL SCIENCE
Political Science courses at the 100- and 200- level are open to all first-year students.
At the 100-level, we offer four courses to introduce students to the traditional subfields in Political Science—American politics, international relations, political theory, and comparative politics. These courses are numbered 110 through 140. They are substantive courses on specific fields in Political Science and gateways to the major. Thus if you are interested in American politics, international relations, political theory, or comparative politics, or if you are entertaining the idea of majoring in Political Science, we urge you to consider taking one or two of our core introductory courses during your first year. Additionally, we offer several 100-level courses that introduce politics in a general way through issues and events, and these courses admit first-years preferentially. Enroll early if you are interested in these courses.
Classes numbered in the 200s focus on specific topics within one of the four subfields. For example, PSCI 232 Modern Political Thought is an elective in Political Theory, while PSCI 218 The American Presidency is an elective in American Politics. These courses are typically a mixture of lecture and discussion, and they do not have prerequisites.
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PRE-PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS
PROGRAM IN TEACHING
The Program in Teaching does not offer a major or concentration. Instead, educational guidance is offered to students seeking to explore the field of education. The Program is designed to enable students to study the ideas, questions, and practices involved in good teaching at all levels.
The Program seeks to promote and facilitate an exchange of ideas about teachers, learners, and schools, within and beyond the Williams campus. The Program offers a range of opportunities including courses on education, intensive supervised student teaching, workshops, advising, lecture series, and ongoing peer groups for those who teach. Students may participate in a variety of ways, ranging from taking one course to a sustained in-depth study of teaching and learning geared to those who want to become teachers or educational psychologists. We seek to connect students with one another, to bring in expert teachers to provide mentoring, and to create links across the curriculum so that students can see the vital connections between what they study (French, Algebra or Biology, for example) and the process of teaching those topics to elementary and high school students. The program is open to any student interested in education and offers opportunities for all levels of interest, including those who want to find out about certification and graduate study.
PSYCHOLOGY
Students interested in Psychology should enroll in PSYC 101, Introductory Psychology, during their first year. PSYC 101 is offered each semester with an enrollment cap of 180 students. This course provides an overview of major areas within the field of psychology. It considers behavioral neuroscience, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, social psychology, and psychological disorders and treatment. The course is offered as a lecture course, with students participating in two short laboratory experiences over the course of the semester. PSYC 101 is team-taught by faculty specializing in each subfield of the discipline.
Students who have taken introductory psychology in high school may be eligible to place out of PSYC 101 if they have received a score of 5 on the AP exam. A student who is eligible to place out of PSYC 101 should contact the professor teaching the 200-level course they would like to take to request permission. If granted, the student can enroll in that 200-level Psychology course. Students cannot take PSYC 201 in the first year. Please note that students that place out of PSYC 101 must replace that credit with an additional 200-level psychology course.
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PUBLIC HEALTH
Public health is a cross-disciplinary field and draws on theoretical and applied research in the social sciences, natural sciences and humanities. The Public Health Program at Williams consists at least one introductory course devoted to the field as a whole (PHLH 201) and one course in statistics, supplemented by a myriad of electives that cover topical areas such as demography; environmental health; global health; individual and institutional decision-making; maternal, child, and reproductive health; science and medicine; and bioethics. It also includes field experience and a capstone course that provides opportunities to reflect upon and synthesize the practical with the theoretical aspects of the education and to learn to work collaboratively to address pressing concerns in population health.
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Concentration
RELIGION
The Religion Department offers students a range of ways to learn about both the study of religion and specific religious traditions. Courses in our department perform two related functions: to expose the student to the methods and issues involved in the study of religion as a phenomenon of psychological, sociological, and cultural/historical dimensions; and to expose students to the beliefs, practices, and values of specific religions.
Our classes challenge students to reflect deeply on vital questions about ultimate authority, the meaning of life, truth, death, the good, the supernatural, the special destinies of particular human groups, and other matters of profound concern.
All 200-level Religion courses are also open to first-year students with no prerequisites.
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RUSSIAN
Studying Russian at Williams is a great way to learn a new language, to open up exciting possibilities for study abroad, and to become part of the close-knit community of Russian speakers on campus. Most students begin studying the Russian language in their first year at Williams, but the department also offers a variety of courses taught in English on Russian and Russophone culture and society. Incoming students who have had previous experience with the Russian language, either in school or at home, should consult with a Russian professor about which course will work best for them.
If you’re interested in studying abroad anywhere in the Russophone world as a junior, taking RUSS 101-102 as a first-year student is a good idea, since the best study-abroad programs require at least two years of language study (RUSS 101-102 and RUSS 103 and 104). However, if you’d like to wait until you’re a sophomore to begin studying Russian, it’s possible to get enough of the language under your belt for study abroad by following up RUSS 101-102 with a summer of intensive language study, which also counts towards the Russian major. In addition to the major, Russian offers a language certificate, which requires fewer courses and looks more or less like a minor in Russian.
If you’re simply curious about Russia and the Russophone world and not that interested in studying the language, the department offers courses in English without any prerequisites, all of which are open to first-year students. These include seminars on the great Russian authors Dostoevsky and Tolstoy, surveys of Russian and Russophone literature and film, and gender and sexuality in Putin’s Russia. You can also take courses in the departments of History, Political Science, Sociology, and Anthropology that are cross-listed with Russian and count toward the Russian certificate and major.
If you take Russian at Williams, you’ll get to know your professors, the TA from either Estonia, Latvia, Kazakhstan, or Russia and other students in Russian courses very well since classes tend to be intimate. You’ll also have the chance to take part in a variety of extracurricular events, including a weekly Russian-language Table, a multi-nation Pot-Luck dinner in the fall, amateur night in the spring, a nation-wide essay contest, public lectures, and field trips.
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Major, Certificate
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY STUDIES
The Science and Technology Studies Program (STS) is an interdisciplinary program concerned with science and technology and their relationship to society. The community of scholars in the Williams STS program apply methods from diverse disciplines. They seek to illuminate the historical, social, cultural, ethical, and political dimensions of science and technology. By bridging humanities, social sciences, science, and technology, our program seeks to build relationships across campus..
STS 101—the introductory course for the STS Program—focuses on some aspect of the nature, development, and limits of scientific and technological knowledge, practices, and institutions. The course provides an introduction to classic and contemporary perspectives and arguments used in current evaluation of science and technology.
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Concentration
SOCIOLOGY (see Anthropology & Sociology)
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Major
SPANISH
Want to study Spanish? Curious about going abroad, or becoming a major? Whether you are exploring Spanish for the first time, plan to major in Spanish, want to earn a formal Certificate in Spanish, or hope to study abroad in any Spanish-speaking country, we invite you to explore our courses and meet our faculty. All courses explore historical and political contexts, and provide both theoretical and cultural frames of reference. Students can thus explore a vast range of disciplines, periods, genres and cultures in the small, student-centered classes for which Williams is known. Our graduates have gone on to secure prestigious Fulbright grants in Latin America and Spain, and many use their linguistic and cultural training in careers as diverse as law, healthcare, journalism, labor and community organizing, and higher education.
For more on Spanish Studies at Williams, see: https://spanish.williams.edu/
STUDY AWAY
THEATRE
The Department of Theatre is committed to the merging of embodied practice and scholarship in the fields of theatre and performance studies. Our program is dedicated to the study, practice, appreciation, and interpretation of theatre, performance, and other time-based arts, transferring what students learn in the classroom onto the stages of our production program and, in turn, bringing back to the classroom the knowledge and skills gained through hands-on experiences in our theatres.
Students who want to engage with the theatre and performance curriculum or may be considering a major in Theatre are encouraged to take THEA 101 The Art of Playing: An Introduction to Theatre in the fall semester of their first year at Williams. This course provides a combined studio and seminar-based introduction to the art of performance. No prior experience in theatre is required. Students wishing to enroll in THEA 103 Acting: Fundamentals should wait until their sophomore year to do so. Other courses may be open to first-year students with special interests.
All students are welcome on our stages. Our production program seeks to expose students to a wide, diverse, and eclectic range of performance innovation. In recent years, we’ve produced canonical works by Shakespeare, Lorca, Churchill, and Beckett, alongside newer pieces by contemporary writers Eisa Davis, Mona Mansour, and Sarah DeLappe. We also produce work written and directed by Williams students as part of our biannual Purple Valley Plays Festival. These theatre productions rely heavily upon the participation of students having a diverse range of backgrounds, interests, and levels of experience. First-year students always play a substantial part in productions—whether as actors, musicians, dancers, stagehands, or technicians—and are therefore enthusiastically encouraged to participate. Auditions are always open to all members of the College community.
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TUTORIALS
Adapted from the Oxford University style of education, the Williams tutorial is a remarkable academic experience you won’t find at most other colleges. Every week, the two students take turns developing independent work—an essay, a report on lab results, a piece of art—and critiquing it. With the support and guidance of their professor, they sharpen their critical thinking, improve their writing, develop ideas, and defend positions. The tutorial gives them a sense of ownership of the academic process that inspires ever-greater exploration.With 60 to 70 tutorials offered each year across the curriculum, more than half of all Williams students take at least one during their time here.
WILLIAMS-EXETER PROGRAMME AT OXFORD
Williams College offers a year-long program of study at Oxford University in collaboration with Exeter College (founded in 1314), one of the constituent colleges of the University. As Visiting Students at Exeter College, Williams students on the program are full undergraduate members of the University, eligible for access to virtually all of its facilities, libraries, and resources. The Williams-Exeter Programme provides students with a unique opportunity to participate fully in the intellectual and social life of one of the world’s great international universities.
WILLIAMS-MYSTIC PROGRAM
The Williams-Mystic program educates undergraduate students in a semester-long academic investigation of the sea that is accompanied by travel throughout the United States and original research opportunities.
WOMEN’S, GENDER & SEXUALITY STUDIES
Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies is an interdisciplinary program that includes courses from a wide range of departments and programs, all of which emphasize in some way the intellectual, political, social, and/or personal effects of thinking critically about gender and/or sexuality. Scholarship in WGSS has brought neglected material into established fields and raised important methodological questions that cross disciplinary boundaries and challenge established intellectual frameworks. First-year students interested in WGSS are encouraged to take WGSS 101: Intro to WGSS (F,S) or WGSS 202: Foundations in Sexuality Studies (F,S) and to consult the Course Bulletin for a complete list of courses offered. (101 and 202 are not a sequence and a student can opt to start with either class.)
Megamenu Social