Course Catalog - Middlebury College - Fall 2024, Spring 2025

Middlebury

Course Catalog - Middlebury College - Fall 2024, Spring 2025

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African Studies Minor

This program offers a minor in African Studies to students who complete the following requirements:

  • Five courses on Africa (as determined by the director of the African Studies minor, in consultation with the African Studies faculty)
  • Three of which must be taken at Middlebury
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Program in American Studies

Requirements for the Major

Students wishing to major in AMST must complete 11 courses: 

  • 2 100- level classes, designed as entries to the major 
  • 3 electives, at least 2 of which must be numbered 200 or higher
  •  AMST 400
  • and either AMST 0701 or one additional elective numbered 0200 or higher.
  • A concentration of 4 courses in one of the areas below. 

Electives

These courses must be listed or cross-listed as AMST courses in the course catalog.  Courses may not count toward both the elective and concentration requirements.

Junior Seminar (AMST 0400)

Students should normally take this seminar in the Fall of their Junior year.  Where compelling circumstances make doing this impossible, arrangements to take the course as a senior may be made with the director of the American Studies program.

Senior Project (AMST 0701)

AMST majors may enroll in AMST 0701, where they will complete a substantial research project in consultation with an AMST faculty adviser. Research projects are subject to approval by the AMST faculty, who will pair each approved project with an appropriate faculty adviser. Students who envision an AMST 701 project requiring collaboration must be granted departmental approval.  Normally, AMST senior projects will be completed in one semester. The senior project may take the form of a formal written document, a multi-media project such as a video, a web project, a creative activity such as a performance, or an installation project. An oral defense is part of senior work. Senior work is one of the requirements for departmental honors (see Honors section of AMST major requirements).

Honors

Honors will be based on a student’s cumulative AMST record and the quality of their AMST 0701 project.

Concentrations

Concentrations must bring together coherent clusters of four courses that address particular themes, periods, movements, or modes of thought and expression. In consultation with an advisor and with approval of the program, students will develop an interdisciplinary concentration in one of these areas: 

For students who matriculate in Fall of 2023 or later

The Production and Consumption of Culture  

How do people represent their experiences and ideas? How is culture transmitted, appropriated and consumed? How are everyday cultural practices connected to wider social formations and to global flows of people, goods and ideas?  Students who choose this concentration will explore the role of artists and the expressive arts, as well as the products, practices, and institutions of commercial culture. Finally, they will develop an understanding of culture as a site of struggle over resources, identities, and the organization of daily life.  

Archives, Artifacts, and Sites of Memory  

How do material objects illuminate the cultural practices of people?  What can we learn about cultural formation within a given group by studying material objects created by members of that group?  Students who choose this concentration will engage with a broad range of material objects, studying both how they are produced and vested with significance by their producers.  Students may also study the places (museums, archives, monuments) where material objects are preserved, considering the complexities involved in preserving, creating, and presenting them to the public.

Race, Ethnicity, and Indigeneity  

How do race, ethnicity, and Indigeneity play an important role in everyday lives, institutions, and societies? Deeply examining, comparing, and exploring racial, ethnic, and Indigenous histories, political struggles, and creative and cultural practices opens space to understand individual and collective modes of identity formation.  Topics include settler colonialism, racism, and other structures ofintra-racial dynamics.

Politics, activism, and civic formation  

How do individuals and communities interact with state policies and institutions? How are power, wealth, and authority distributed, and how do social groups struggle to effect political change? What role do the arts, music, stories, and traditions play in social and political movements? In this concentration, students can explore critical intersections of cultures and social movements; past and present political crises and events; issues of civic identity, cultural diversity, and social justice; tensions between capitalism, media, and democratic governance; and/or practices of community resistance and empowerment. 

Global and Transnational

How is United States culture shaped through global processes of colonialism, imperialism, capitalism, and/or war? How does an understanding of global connections foster engagement with the complex diversity of the United States? In this concentration, students can also explore the impact and articulation of American culture beyond the United States. Topics include settler colonialism, militarism, migration, global flows of commodities, transnationalism, and cultural and intellectual exchanges across borders.

Self-Designed Concentration

Self-designed concentrations must be built in close consultation with a faculty advisor and should focus on a cultural theme or interdisciplinary area of inquiry.  Potential topics might include: Gender & American Culture; American Environmentalism; Visual Culture; Industrialization of America; and Immigration and Cultural Exchanges.

Note:
Students may count 2 relevant courses from outside the AMST curriculum towards the fulfillment of the concentration requirement.

Of the 11 courses for the major, students must take at least 1 with significant pre-1900 content.

For students who matriculated prior to Fall 2023

Popular Culture

Students will study popular cultural forms, their reception, and the history of their production in the United States.  Courses will especially focus on the conflicts between popular culture as a site of creativity and democratic empowerment on the one hand, and as a product of dominant commercialized cultural industries on the other.

Race and Ethnicity

Students will examine specific groups in depth and in comparison, exploring racial and ethnic history, political struggles, creative and cultural practices, and individual and collective modes of identity formation.  By studying how and why racial and ethnic identities have evolved in the United States, students will understand their central place in the formation of the American nation.

Artistic and Intellectual Traditions

Students will focus on literary, religious, philosophical, and social thought and its expression in the United States.  They will be encouraged to examine particular currents of thought (e. g. evangelicalism, liberalism, romanticism, modernism, progressivism) or modes of expression (e.g. literature, visual art, or film) that have been important to American culture. 

Space and Place

Students will explore the importance of landscape and place in American culture.  Course work may include the study of American regional geography, the historical and aesthetic dimensions of the built environment, the impacts of urban growth, suburbanization, or the imagining of utopian spaces. 

Cultural Politics

Students will explore the relationship between culture, ideology, and the political system.  People create meaning about their personal and public lives through cultural practices, but those practices take place within institutional and ideological structures.  Relevant courses might explore ethics and religion; political parties and social movements; feminism and gender studies; and representation and visual culture.

Self-Designed Concentration

Self-designed concentrations must be built in close consultation with a faculty advisor and should focus on a cultural theme or interdisciplinary area of inquiry.  Potential topics might include: Gender & American Culture; American Environmentalism; Visual Culture; Industrialization of America; and Immigration and Cultural Exchanges.

Joint Major Requirements

Students may major in AMST jointly with another discipline or program. Students must discuss their rationale for doing so with their advisor in AMST and joint majors must be approved by the faculty in AMST. Required courses for a joint major in AMST are: 1 100-level course, AMST 400, and 4 AMST electives, at least 2 of which must be numbered 200 or higher. 

Of the 6 courses for the joint major, students must take at least 1 with significant pre-1900 content.

Minor Requirements

Students may complete a minor in American Studies by taking the following courses: 1 100-level course, AMST 400, and 4 AMST electives, at least 2 of which must be numbered 200 or higher. 

Of the 6 courses for the minor, students must take at least 1 with significant pre-1900 content.

Study Abroad

The faculty members of the Program in American Studies recognize the benefits of cross-cultural learning and encourage majors to take advantage of study abroad opportunities. Often students returning from study abroad undertake senior work that responds to their cultural learning while abroad. We encourage students to take courses in their study abroad program that focus on the host culture and thereby allow the best opportunity for cultural comparison.

American Studies majors normally take AMST 0400, a required seminar, in the fall semester of their junior year. Under compelling circumstances that leave only the fall available as an option for study abroad, majors may be able to take AMST 0400 in the fall semester of their senior year. Such arrangements must be discussed in advance with, and approved by, the director of the American Studies program. The American Studies program enjoys being host to exchange students from the American studies programs at the Universities of East Anglia and Nottingham in Great Britain.

AMST 0103 Asian Americas (Spring 2025)

In this course we will investigate cultural transformations, cultural politics, and the cultural productions of and about Asian Americans. The themes of immigration, nation, and citizenship are central to the construction of the U.S. racial category of Asian. Those addressed within the category are highly diverse and differentiated along class, gender, and generational lines, yet the racial category structures particular kinds of experiences and possibilities for subjects. Historical transformations and contemporary issues in a variety of Asian American contexts will be investigated through a variety of texts including historical accounts, cultural studies, anthropological studies, autobiography, and fiction. 3 hrs. lect. AMR, SOC
Cross-listed as: AMST 0227 *

AMST 0104 Television and American Culture (Spring 2025)

This course explores American life in the last seven decades through an analysis of our central medium: television. Spanning a history of television from its origins in radio to today’s digital convergence via YouTube and Netflix, we will consider television's role in both representing and constituting American society through a variety of approaches, including: the economics of the television industry, television's role within American democracy, the formal attributes of various television genres, television as a site of gender and racial identity formation, television's role in everyday life, the medium's technological transformations, and television as a site of global cultural exchange. 3 hrs. lect./disc. / 3 hrs. screen AMR, SOC
Cross-listed as: FMMC 0104 *

AMST 0108 Childhood in America (Spring 2025)

In this course we will explore “childhood” as an evolving social and cultural construct. Beginning by acknowledging great diversity in the lived experience of childhood (shaped by race, gender, geography, religion, ability/disability), we will examine representations of childhood and experiences of children from the early nineteenth century to the present. Together we will explore classic works of literature such as Alcott’s Little Women, Twain’s Huck Finn, and Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, in conversation with historical documents and visual and material artifacts (illustrations, painting, toys, and films). Throughout, we will consider how understanding conceptions of childhood illuminate American social and cultural history more broadly. 3 hrs. lect. AMR, HIS, LIT

AMST 0109 U.S. Origin Stories (Spring 2025)

Some U.S. origin stories cast (white) Americans as chosen people, discoverers of a bountiful continent, their community a beacon of righteousness to the world. Other stories locate the nation's origins in slavery or in settler colonialism. One story celebrates America’s founding commitment to freedom, equality, and justice - principles which, in turn, sustain another origin story – that of America as a nation borne of and welcoming to immigrants. Origin stories might be foundational, but their meanings are never fixed. In this course we will explore the elasticity and persistence of origin stories, evident in current debates about whether U.S. history begins in 1619 or 1776, about migrant rights, about the self-determination of indigenous peoples, about white nationalism, and about U.S. global leadership. 3 hrs. lect./disc. AMR, HIS

AMST 0175 Immigrant America (Fall 2024)

In this course we will trace American immigration history from the late 19th to the turn of the 21st century, and examine the essential place immigration has occupied in the making of modern America and American culture. The central themes of this course will be industrialization and labor migrations, aftermaths of wars and refugees, constructions of racial categories and ethnic community identities, legal defining of "aliens" and citizenship, and diversity in immigrant experiences. To explore these themes, we will engage a range of sources including memoirs, novels, oral histories, and films. AMR, HIS (R. Joo)

AMST 0206 Nineteenth-Century American Literature (Fall 2024)

This course will examine major developments in the literary world of 19th century America. Specific topics to be addressed might include the transition from Romanticism to Regionalism and Realism, the origins and evolution of the novel in the United States, and the tensions arising from the emergence of a commercial marketplace for literature. Attention will also be paid to the rise of women as literary professionals in America and the persistent problematizing of race and slavery. Among others, authors may include J. F. Cooper, Emerson, Melville, Douglass, Chopin, Whitman, Dickinson, Twain, Hawthorne, Stowe, Alcott, Wharton, and James. 3 hrs. lect./disc. AMR, LIT (B. Millier)

AMST 0216 History of the American West (Fall 2024)

This is a survey of the history of the trans-Mississippi West from colonial contact through the 1980s. It explores how that region became known and understood as the West, and its role and meaning in United States history as a whole. The central themes of this course are conquest and its legacy, especially with regard to the role of the U.S. federal government in the West; human interactions with and perceptions of landscape and environment; social contests among different groups for a right to western resources and over the meanings of western identity; and the role of the West in American popular culture. 2 hrs. lect., 1 hr. disc. (formerly HIST/AMST 0374) HIS, SOC (K. Morse)
Cross-listed as: HIST 0216 *

AMST 0217 The History of Urban America (Spring 2025)

"The magnification of all the dimensions of life," writes Lewis Mumford, " . . . has been the supreme office of the city in history." Mumford's appraisal of the mission of the city can be debated, but the importance of the city to human development cannot be denied. In this course we will cover the rise of the city in America from the colonial era to the present. We will explore why Americans have huddled in concentrated settlements and the consequences of that clustering. Special attention will be given to the growth of the industrial city of the late 19th century and the modern metropolis of the 20th century. AMR, HIS

AMST 0225 Gothic and Horror (Fall 2024)

This course examines the forms and meanings of the Gothic and horror over the last 250 years in the West. How have effects of fright, terror, or awe been achieved over this span and why do audiences find such effects attractive? Our purpose will be to understand the generic structures of horror and their evolution in tandem with broader cultural changes. Course materials will include fiction, film, readings in the theory of horror, architecture, visual arts, and electronic media. 3 hrs. lect./disc. 3 hrs lect. AMR, HIS, NOR (M. Newbury)
Cross-listed as: FMMC 0225

AMST 0227 Asian Americas (Spring 2025)

In this course we will investigate cultural transformations, cultural politics, and the cultural productions of and about Asian Americans. The themes of immigration, nation, and citizenship are central to the construction of the U.S. racial category of Asian. Those addressed within the category are highly diverse and differentiated along class, gender, and generational lines, yet the racial category structures particular kinds of experiences and possibilities for subjects. Historical transformations and contemporary issues in a variety of Asian American contexts will be investigated through a variety of texts including historical accounts, cultural studies, anthropological studies, autobiography, and fiction. 3 hrs. lect. AMR, SOC
Cross-listed as: AMST 0103

AMST 0234 American Consumer Culture (Fall 2024)

For many Americans in the 20th century, consumer goods came to embody the promise of the "good life." Yet mass consumption also fostered economic, political, and social inequalities and engendered anti-consumerist activism. In this course we will pursue an interdisciplinary approach to American consumer culture, focusing on the rise of commercialized leisure and advertising; the role of radio, television, and film in shaping consumer practices; and the relationship of consumerism to social inequality and democratic citizenship. Readings will include works by Veblen, Marcuse, Bordieu, Marchand, Cohen, and Schor. 3 hrs. lect. AMR, HIS (H. Allen)

AMST 0239 The Cultural Work of Country Music (Spring 2025)

“I like all kinds of music...except country.” Arguably, aversion to American country music often tracks with class- and race-based assumptions about both makers and consumers of this genre. In this course we will challenge those views while studying the history of the form. Balancing our consideration of the big picture with case studies of performers like Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, and The Chicks, we will explore what types of music the “country” tag comprises; some of the major themes and motifs associated with the form; the Black and White roots of country music; and the politicization of the music and its performers throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Source materials for the course will include Bill Malone’s Country Music, USA; Ken Burn’s Country Music documentary; Creating Country Music: Fabricating Authenticity, and A Good-Natured Riot: The Birth of the Grand Ole Opry. AMR, HIS, SOC
Cross-listed as: MUSC 0239

AMST 0252 African American Literature (Fall 2024)

This course surveys developments in African American fiction, drama, poetry, and essays during the 20th century. Reading texts in their social, historical, and cultural contexts—and often in conjunction with other African American art forms like music and visual art—we will explore the evolution and deployment of various visions of black being and black artistry, from the Harlem Renaissance through social realism and the Black Arts Movement, to the contemporary post-soul aesthetic. Authors may include Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Gwendolyn Brooks, Ralph Ellison, Lorraine Hansberry, Amiri Baraka, Ishmael Reed, Toni Morrison, Charles Johnson, and Octavia Butler. This course may also be counted as a general elective or REC elective for the ENAM major. 3 hrs lect./disc. (Diversity)/ AMR, LIT (W. Nash)
Cross-listed as: ENGL 0252

AMST 0253 Science Fiction (Fall 2024)

Time travel, aliens, androids, robots, corporate and political domination, reimaginings of race, gender, sexuality and the human body--these concerns have dominated science fiction over the last 150 years. But for all of its interest in the future, science fiction tends to focus on technologies and social problems relevant to the period in which it is written. In this course, we'll work to understand both the way that authors imagine technology's role in society and how those imaginings create meanings for science and its objects of study and transformation. Some likely reading and films include Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, H. G. Wells, The Island of Doctor Moreau, Ridley Scott, Blade Runner, and works by William Gibson, Ursula LeGuin, Octavia Butler and other contemporary writers. (Students who have taken FYSE 1162 are not eligible to register for this course). 3 hrs. lect./disc. LIT (M. Newbury)
Cross-listed as: ENGL 0253

AMST 0259 Re-Presenting Slavery (Fall 2024)

In this course we will examine 20th century American portrayals of chattel slavery through creative works and situate them in their historical contexts. Working primarily with fiction (Oxherding Tale, Kindred, The Underground Railroad), film (Mandingo, Django Unchained, Twelve Years a Slave), television (Roots, Africans in America, Underground), and visual art (works by Jacob Lawrence, Romare Bearden, and Kara Walker), we will evaluate how those various representations of the “Peculiar Institution” have changed, and/or have been changed, by the cultural moments in which they appeared. 3 hrs lect. AMR, ART, HIS (W. Nash)
Cross-listed as: BLST 0259

AMST 0260 American Disability Studies: History, Meanings, and Cultures (Fall 2024)

In this course we will examine the history, meanings, and realities of disability in the United States. We will analyze the social, political, economic, environmental, and material factors that shape the meanings of "disability," examining changes and continuities over time. Students will draw critical attention to the connections between disability, race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic status, and age in American and transnational contexts. Diverse sources, including films and television shows, music, advertising, fiction, memoirs, and material objects, encourage inter and multi-disciplinary approaches to disability. Central themes we consider include language, privilege, community, citizenship, education, medicine and technology, and representation. AMR, HIS, SOC (S. Burch)

AMST 0263 American Psycho: Disease, Doctors, and Discontents (Pre-1900 AL) (Spring 2025)

What constitutes a pathological response to the pressures of modernity? How do pathological protagonists drive readers toward the precariousness of their own physical and mental health? The readings for this class center on the provisional nature of sanity and the challenges to bodily health in a world of modern commerce, media, and medical diagnoses. We will begin with 19th century texts and their engagement with seemingly "diseased" responses to urbanization, new forms of work, and new structures of the family and end with contemporary fictional psychopaths engaged in attacks on the world of images we inhabit in the present. Nineteenth century texts will likely include stories by Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Later 20th-century works will likely include Ken Kesey, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Thomas Harris, The Silence of the Lambs, Susanna Kaysen, Girl, Interrupted, and Bret Easton Ellis, American Psycho. AMR, LIT
Cross-listed as: ENGL 0263 *

AMST 0265 Devouring Difference: Race and Food (Spring 2025)

In this course, we will discuss how the connections between food and race are articulated at different moments in United States history. We begin with an exploration of the relationship between slavery, capitalism, and food. We then discuss how foods like bananas and spam have functioned as objects that forge colonial, imperial, and military relationships between the United States and various sites around the world. The course ends with a discussion of contemporary politics around food by centering racialized subjects situated within both national and global markets of food production, marketing, and consumption. Informed by queer theory, this course foregrounds the centrality of embodiment and desire when interpreting the connections between food and race. AMR, SOC

AMST 0291 Portraits of the Lady: The New Woman in American Literature & Culture (Spring 2025)

At the end of the 19th century, women fought against restrictions limiting their sphere of influence. As they sought to exercise more control over their lives personally, socially, and economically, this “New Woman,” and the way she was changing the face of society, became a popular subject in literature and art. In this course we will consider portraits of women by well-known American authors (such as James, Chopin, Wharton, Sui Sin Far, Cather, Larsen, Hurston) alongside those by prominent painters, sculptors, photographers, illustrators, and filmmakers. We will consider how representations of women through the early twentieth century embodied the values of the nation and codified both the fears and aspirations of its citizens. 3 hrs. lect. AMR, ART, LIT
Cross-listed as: ENGL 0291

AMST 0301 Madness in America (Spring 2025)

It's a mad, mad course. In this course we will focus on representations of madness from colonial to late 20th century America, emphasizing the links between popular and material culture, science, medicine, and institutions. We will consider how ideas about madness (and normalcy) reflect broader (and shifting) notions of identity. Thus, issues of race, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation, community, class, and region will play significant roles in our discussions and critiques. To complement foundational readings, this course will draw on American literature, documentary and entertainment films, music, and materials from the college's special collections. AMR, SOC

AMST 0307 Issues in Critical Disability Studies: U.S. and the World (Spring 2025)

Disability as a category and as lived experience plays an important but often overlooked role in national, transnational, and global contexts. In this course we will explore disability’s changing meanings in the United States and around the World. Comparative and transnational approaches will draw our attention to disability’s many meanings across wide-ranging historical, cultural, and geographical settings. Foundational concepts and principles, including ableism and Universal Design, shape our critical inquiry. Key themes frame the course: access, language, power, violence, normalcy, identity, community, institutions, and rights and justice. We will engage with diverse primary sources, from memoirs and documentary films to advertisements, material objects, and oral histories. 3 hrs. lect. AMR, CMP, HIS, SOC

AMST 0313 Vermont Incarcerated: A Digital History (Spring 2025)

Course participants will contribute to Vermont Incarcerated, a new digital history project that will curate the nineteenth- and twentieth-century history of Vermont state carceral institutions and the vulnerable persons compelled to live in them. We will use digital technologies to tell the human stories of the Vermont State Prison in Windsor, the State Hospital in Waterbury, the State Industrial School in Vergennes, and the State Training School in Brandon. In addition to digital project work, we will read scholarship on the digital humanities and on the histories of crime and punishment, mental illness, and intellectual disability in the United States. 3 hrs. lect. AMR, HIS

AMST 0327 Imagining Rural America (Spring 2025)

Although many Americans equate “rural” with whiteness, political conservatism, and poverty, the realities and representations of rural life have always been complicated those notions. Using methodologies from geography, cultural history, folklore, and literary criticism, and privileging lenses of race, class, and gender, we will explore these complexities by analyzing novels, paintings, photographs, moving images, and music against the histories of Appalachia, the Rust Belt, the Dust Bowl, and New England. Texts may include Richard Wright’s Twelve Million Black Voices, The Grapes of Wrath (novel and film), paintings of Thomas Hart Benton and Edward Hopper, Winter’s Bone, O Brother Where Art Thou?/, and the music of John Prine and Steve Earle. AMR, ART, LIT
Cross-listed as: ENGL 0327

AMST 0360 U.S. Disability Rights & Hist (Fall 2024)

“Nothing about us without us”—the 20th century banner of American and global disability rights movements—insists that disabled people fully participate in all aspects of life. In this course we will trace the lineage from U.S. disability rights through disability justice across the 20th - 21st centuries. We will consider how ableism interlocks with settler colonialism, capitalism, misogyny, racism, homophobia and transphobia. Through focused readings and project-based work, we will unpack work around policy, service provisions, and mutual aid, and engage with themes such as access, self-determination, education, community living, institutionalization and imprisonment, employment, reproduction, and interdependence and collective care. This course draws on multi-modal sources, including scholarly articles, oral interviews, documentaries, memoirs, material artifacts, artwork, and blogs. AMR, HIS, SOC (S. Burch)

AMST 0400 Theory and Method in American Studies (Junior Year) (Fall 2024)

A reading of influential secondary texts that have defined the field of American Studies during the past fifty years. Particular attention will be paid to the methodologies adopted by American Studies scholars, and the relevance these approaches have for the writing of senior essays and theses. (Open to junior American studies majors only.) 3 hrs. lect./disc. (H. Allen)

AMST 0445 Vermont Life’s Vermont: A Collaborative Web Project (Spring 2025)

Students in this course will work collaboratively to build an online history project aimed at a wide audience. Since 1946, Vermont Life magazine has created particular images of the landscape, culture, and recreational possibilities in the state. Our goal will be to construct a website that examines the evolution of these images and the meaning of the state over time, paying particular attention to consumerism, the environment, tourism, urban-rural contrasts, local food movements, and the ways that race, class, and gender influence all of these. The course is open to all students and requires collaborative work but not any pre-existing technological expertise. 3 hrs. sem. AMR, HIS, NOR
Cross-listed as: HIST 0445 *

AMST 0500 Independent Study (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Select project advisor prior to registration.

AMST 0701 Senior Work (Fall 2024)

(Approval required)
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Department of Anthropology

Major Requirements

A minimum of ten courses will constitute the major; at least eight of these courses (and all the core courses listed in the tracks below) must be fall and spring courses taught at Middlebury (e.g., not winter term courses or transfer credits). For a degree in anthropology, the major must complete the following requirements:

  1. Introduction and Exploration
    • Any two (2) of the following introductory courses: ANTH 103, 107, 109,  and 159 (students may take the courses in any order or concurrently);
    • Any two (2) of the 200-level courses offered by the department;
  2. Foundations
    • History of Anthropological Thought: ANTH 306 (or SOCI 305 with approval from the Department Chair)
    • Any one (1) of the following Research Methods courses: ANTH 302, 396, and 492.
  3. Application and Synthesis
    • One 400-level seminar.
    • Three electives (no more than one at 100-level; anthropology courses from other departments can count as electives with approval from the Department Chair). Note: students pursuing senior projects (see below) may only count one semester toward their elective requirement.

Optional Senior Project in Anthropology

To be eligible for departmental honors, students must complete an independent research project of at least one semester. This typically consists of either a one-semester senior project (ANTH 0700, one credit, usually 25-40 pages) or a two-semester senior project (ANTH 0710, two credits, usually 60-100 pages). Students who wish to work on a project for more than one semester must present their progress for review by two professors who will decide whether the project qualifies for extended study. A one-semester project can be either in the fall or spring semesters; a two- semester project is usually in the fall and winter semesters or in the winter and spring semesters. Variation from these patterns is possible by permission from the department. Senior project requirements for joint majors and other special circumstances will be approved in consultation with both departments.

An ANTH 0700 project requires a project advisor. If the advisor thinks that the project may deserve an A- or A, a second reader must evaluate the project. An ANTH 0710 project requires a committee including the project advisor and a second reader from within the Anthropology Department. It may also include an optional, third reader from another part of the College or the local community. Upon completion of the ANTH 0710 project, there will be an oral defense.

Departmental Honors

Students who earn an A- or higher on a 0700 or 0710 project and average an A- or higher in all Anthropology courses receive departmental honors.

Anthropology Minor Requirements

Any 100-level Anthropology course and four elective courses, no more than one of which can be at the 0100-level and no more than one of which can be a SOCI course. All courses must be taken at Middlebury College. Any exceptions to these rules must be approved by the Anthropology chair.

Applied Anthropology Minor Requirements

Any 0100-level course; ANTH 302, ANTH 396, or ANTH 492; and three elective courses from the list below. All courses must be taken at Middlebury College.  Any exceptions to these rules, including anthropology courses taken in other departments, must be approved by the Anthropology chair.

ANTH 211 Environmental Anthropology (Sheridan)
ANTH 270 Anthropology of Global Corporations (Stoll/Nguyen)
ANTH 287 Medical Anthropology (Bright)
ANTH 329 Refugees or Labor Migrants? (Stoll)
ANTH 340 The Traveling Tonic (Bright)
ANTH 345 Anthropology of Food (Oxfeld)
ANTH 235 City and its People (Tran)
ANTH 274 Global Migration (Tran)
ANTH 351 Education and Social Policy (Tran)
ANTH 395 Environmental Communication (Nevins)
ANTH 450 Anthropology of Development (Sheridan)
SOAN 215 Sociology of Education (Tran)

Joint Majors in Anthropology

Joint majors consist of seven courses in Anthropology. Students must take one (1) course at the 100-level, two 200-level courses, 302 or 396 or 492, 306, one 400-level seminar, and one elective. No more than one course may be taken outside of the regular fall and spring semesters at Middlebury (e.g., as a winter term course or transfer credit).

Joint Major in Anthropology and Sociology

The joint major in Anthropology and Sociology consists of twelve classes. The core courses are ANTH 103, SOCI 105, SOCI 301 or ANTH 302 or ANTH 396, and SOC 305 or ANTH 306. Students must also take one 400-level SOCI course, one 400-level ANTH course, and six electives. A 700-level course in ANTH or SOCI can replace one of the 400-level courses. No more than two electives may be taken outside of the regular fall and spring semesters at Middlebury (e.g., as winter term or transfer credit courses).

ANTH 0103 Diversity and Human Nature: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

This course introduces students to the varieties of human experience in social life and to the differing approaches and levels of analysis used by anthropologists to explain it. Topics include: culture and race, rituals and symbolism, kinship and gender roles, social evolution, political economy, and sociolinguistics. Ethnographic examples are drawn chiefly from non-Western societies, from simple bands to great agrarian states. The ultimate aim is to enable students to think critically about the bases of their own culture and about practices and beliefs previously unanalyzed and unexamined. (formerly SOAN 0103) 2 hrs. lect./1 hr. disc. CMP, SOC (Fall 2024: M. Sheridan)

ANTH 0107 Introduction to Archaeology (Fall 2024)

Archaeology is the scientific analysis and interpretation of cultural remains. Archaeologists examine artifacts, architecture, and even human remains in order to answer questions about the growth and development of societies worldwide. In addressing these issues we not only illuminate the past but also explore patterns relevant to contemporary social concerns. From the tropical lowlands of Central America to the deserts of ancient Egypt, this course provides an introduction to world prehistory. We proceed from humanity's earliest beginnings to the development of complex societies worldwide and use case examples to explore the major topics, methods, and theories of contemporary archaeology. (formerly SOAN 0107) 2 hrs. lect./1 hr. lab. CMP, HIS, SOC (J. Fitzsimmons)

ANTH 0109 Language, Culture and Society (Spring 2025)

In this course students will be introduced to the comparative, ethnographic study of language in relation to socio-cultural context. Our readings will be drawn from diverse global settings and will focus upon language as the means by which people shape and are shaped by the social worlds in which they live. We will examine contrasts in ways of speaking across different communities, personal identities, and institutions. We will explore the consequences of communicative difference across a range of contact situations, including everyday conversation among peers, service encounters, political elections, and global connections or disconnections made possible through new media. (formerly SOAN 0109) 3 hrs. lect./disc. CMP, SOC

ANTH 0125 Language Structure and Function (Fall 2024)

In this course we will discuss the major issues and findings in the study of human language within theories of modern linguistics, which shares a history with mid-century American anthropology. The main topics include the nature of human language in comparison with other communication systems; sound patterns (phonology); word-formation (morphology); sentence structure (syntax); meaning (semantics); use (pragmatics); language acquisition and socialization. We will also consider language variation and the historical development of languages. Instruction is in English but examples will be drawn from less commonly studied languages around the world. (not open to students who have taken LNGT 0101) 3 hrs. lect. SOC (M. Nevins)
Cross-listed as: LNGT 0125

ANTH 0211 Human Ecology (Spring 2025)

Environmental issues are also cultural and political conflicts, between competing social groups, economic interests and cultural paradigms. This course introduces students to human ecology, the study of how our adaptations to the environment are mediated by cultural differences and political economy. Topics include: how ecological anthropology has evolved as a subdiscipline, with a focus on systems theory and political ecology; how ritually regulated societies manage resources; how rural communities deal with environmental deterioration; and how contradictions between environmental protection, economic development, and cultural values complicate so many ecological issues. (Any 100-level ANTH, or any 100-level ENVS,or ENVS AP credit or instructor permission) 3 hrs. lect. CMP, SOC

ANTH 0223 Andean Civilizations (Spring 2025)

Stretching from present-day Ecuador to Chile and consisting of desert coasts, fertile valleys, soaring Andes, and tropical jungle, the Inca Empire was the largest state the Precolumbian Americas had ever seen. Although they claimed to have ‘civilized’ the Andes, the Inka were only the latest in a sequence of complex societies, all of which ultimately fell to the Spanish in the mid-1500s. In this course we will explore the growth and development of social complexity in the region, from the first human occupation of South America to the era of European contact. (formerly SOAN 0223) 3 hrs. lect. AAL, AMR, CMP, SOC

ANTH 0227 The Aztec Empire and the Spanish Conquest (Fall 2024)

This course centers around the rise and fall of the Aztecs, the first state-level society encountered by the Spanish in 1519. Although primarily known today for their military exploits for what today is Mexico, the Aztecs produced great artisans, artists, and philosophers whose contributions endure in contemporary Mexican culture. We will trace the origins and development of Aztec civilization to its encounter with the Spanish in 1519. The course also covers the Spanish background for the Conquest, from the martial and political expulsion of Moors and Jews from the Iberian Peninsula in 1492 to the Spanish Inquisition. (formerly SOAN/HIST 0327) 3 hrs. lect./disc. AAL, AMR, CMP, HIS, SOC (J. Fitzsimmons)

ANTH 0232 Africa and Anthropology: Power, Continuity, and Change (Fall 2024)

Sub-Saharan Africa has long represented primitive mysteries for Europeans and North Americans, as a ‘Dark Continent’ full of exotic people and animals. Even now, many Americans learn little about Africa and Africans except for ‘thin’ media reports of political, economic, and ecological upheaval or persistent poverty, disease, and despair. This course provides a ‘thick’ description and analysis of contemporary African conditions using ethnographies and films. We will not be exploring ‘traditional African cultures’ outside of their historical contexts or generalizing about ‘what African culture really is.’ Rather, our focus will be on understanding social continuity and change alongside cultural diversity and commonality. Topics will include colonialism, critical kinship studies, African feminism, environmental management, witchcraft and religion. Throughout the course African ideas of power – what it is, who has it, and why –unify these diverse topics as social relations. (formerly SOAN 0232) 3 hrs. lect. HIS, SAF, SOC (M. Sheridan)

ANTH 0241 The Anthropology of Warfare and Polarization (Spring 2025)

In this course we will use the anthropology of human evolution, religion and politics to identify the cognitive patterns that justify feuding, warfare, witchcraft, conspiracy theory, and ideological polarization. Beginning with animal behavior and hunting and gathering societies, we will study natural selection for accountability, moralism, and factionalism; how social groups define themselves through mimesis, othering and scapegoating; how scapegoating justifies aggression; how sacrifice and other forms of ritualizing victimhood generate sanctity, sacrilege, and outrage; and how religious and political loyalty tests enforce social boundaries (not open to students who have taken SOAN 0341 or SOAN 0344) 3 hrs. lect./disc. SOC

ANTH 0242 Law and Politics (Fall 2024)

In this course we will explore how societies construct, negotiate, and contest political systems and legal frameworks in diverse contexts from an anthropological perspective. We will begin by examining anthropological perspectives on politics and laws across various social structures. We will then discuss dissent, protests, and social movements (e.g., Occupy, Arab Spring, Black Lives Matter). We will inquire into what defines the realms of the political and legal, probing how certain aspects of social life have been structured in explicitly apolitical and non-legal terms. Assigned materials are theoretical and ethnographic readings, supplemented by interdisciplinary and primary sources. The class format includes lectures, media, and group discussion. Students will gain a nuanced understanding of governance, power dynamics, legal norms, and social movements through this course. CMP, SOC

ANTH 0274 The Causes, Dynamics, and Consequences of International Migration (Fall 2024)

Whether they are asylum seekers, undocumented or legal migrants, large-scale movements of people across international borders raises important questions about human rights, nationality, and place. This global flow also presents unique challenges to both newcomers and residents of the receiving society as both sides contend with issues of loyalty, belonging, and identity. Drawing upon historical and contemporary material, in this course we will also discuss the social, cultural, political, and economic consequences of global migration.(formerly SOAN 0274) 3 hrs. lect./disc. CMP, SOC

ANTH 0287 Medical Anthropology: Approaches to Affliction and Healing (Fall 2024)

In this course, an introduction to medical anthropology, we will explore cultural and political-economic perspectives on health, illness, and disease. Topics covered include: (1) biocultural approaches to understanding health; (2) medical systems, including biomedicine and others; (3) the effects of poverty and inequality on health outcomes; and (4) the social construction of health and illness. Students will apply these concepts in understanding an aspect of health, illness, or healing in their own research project with an ethnographic component. An introductory course in anthropology or familiarity with medical or public health issues is recommended. (formerly SOAN 0387) 3 hrs. lect./disc. CMP, SOC (K. Bright)

ANTH 0302 The Research Process: Ethnography and Qualitative Methods (Fall 2024)

The aim of this course is to prepare the student to conduct research, to analyze and present research in a scholarly manner, and to evaluate critically the research of others. Practice and evaluation of such basic techniques as observation, participant-observation, structured and open-ended interviews, and use of documents. Introduction to various methodological and theoretical frameworks. Thesis or essay prospectus is the final product of this course. Strongly recommended for juniors. One-hour research lab required. (Any 100 level ANTH or SOCI course, or by permission) 3 hrs. lect./disc./1 hr. research lab CW (K. Bright)

ANTH 0306 Topics in Anthropological Theory (Spring 2025)

This course gives an introduction to some important themes in the development of anthropological thought, primarily in the past century in anglophone and francophone traditions. It emphasizes close comparative reading of selections from influential texts by authors who have shaped recent discourse within the social sciences. (SOAN 0103 or ANTH 0103 or SOAN 0107 or SOCI 0107 or SOAN 0109 or ANTH 0109 or SOAN 0159 or ANTH 0159) (formerly SOAN 0306) 3 hrs. lect. SOC

ANTH 0396 Linguistic Anthropology Methods (Spring 2025)

In this course we will work with a method and theory known as the “ethnography of communication” to examine language use in socio-cultural context. Students will learn to form research questions and collect different kinds of data, including everyday spoken interactions, archival print sources, and social media. Students will learn how to document, annotate, and analyze their samples as speech events linked to broader discursive contexts and social relations. Students will also turn ethnography of communication upon social science research itself, examining interviews and surveys as communicative interactions. The course provides an empirical pathway to questions of cultural difference and social inequality. (formerly SOAN 0396) 3 hrs. sem. SOC
Cross-listed as: LNGT 0396

ANTH 0485 Global Political Ecology (Spring 2025)

From global land grabs and agrarian revolutionary movements to clashes over energy infrastructure and the establishment of protected areas, today’s “environmental issues” are suffused with political relations and deeply entangled with the historical formations of capitalism, colonialism, the state, and science. In this seminar we will analyze how “social” questions of power, political economy, and social struggle, pervade the “natural” (and vice versa). Such questions are invariably messy and full of surprises, confounding reduction to universal theories extended from afar. Often, they require a close in-the-weeds look. That is what this class will invite you to do. The field of political ecology offers a rich repertoire of approaches for developing empirically grounded, historically contextualized, and theoretically nuanced forms of analysis that grapple with the situated complexities of resource and environmental issues. (formerly ENVS 0385) (ENVS 0208 or ENVS 0211 or PSCI 0214) 3 hrs. sem. CMP, SOC
Cross-listed as: ENVS 0485 *

ANTH 0500 Advanced Individual Study (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Prior to registering for ANTH 0500, a student must enlist the support of a faculty advisor from the Department of Anthropology. (Open to Majors only) (Approval Required)

ANTH 0700 One-Semester Senior Project (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Under the guidance of a faculty member, a student will carry out an independent, one-semester research project, often based on original data. The student must also participate in a senior seminar that begins the first week of fall semester and meets as necessary during the rest of the year. The final product must be presented in a written report of 25-40 pages, due the last day of classes.

ANTH 0710 Multi-Semester Senior Project (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Under the guidance of a faculty member, a senior will carry out an independent multi-semester research project, often based on original data. The student must also participate in a senior seminar that begins the first week of fall semester and meets as necessary during the rest of the year. The final product must be presented in a written report of 60-100 pages, due either at the end of the Winter Term or the Friday after spring break.
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Department of Arabic

Majors must also choose one disciplinary concentration: Arabic literature, Arabic linguistics, or a well-defined course of study with a focus on the Arab world. 

Each disciplinary concentration requires the completion of at least three content courses, including one introductory methods course specific to the chosen discipline. Majors  are also required to prepare a project or a thesis for their senior capstone experience.

Major in Arabic

Minimum number of courses: 13, including required senior work

Students majoring in Arabic must take:

  • Arabic language through ARBC 0302 or the equivalent: ARBC 0101, ARBC 0102, ARBC 0103, ARBC 0201, ARBC 0202, ARBC 0301, ARBC 0302;
  • Two courses taught in Arabic at the 0400-level, at least one of which is taken at Middlebury College’s Vermont campus. Arabic 0400-level courses taken at a Middlebury school abroad site require departmental approval of the syllabus and a dossier of all written work (normally consisting of at least two exams and eight typed pages of Arabic);
  • One of the following:
    • ENAM 0205, plus two additional courses with the ARBC prefix in Arabic literature taken at Middlebury College’s Vermont campus (for students pursuing senior work in literature);
    • One of LNGT 0101, LNGT 0102 or  LNGT 0109, plus two additional courses with the ARBC prefix in Arabic linguistics taken at Middlebury College’s Vermont campus (for students pursuing senior work in linguistics);
    • Students may structure their own disciplinary focus within the Arabic major in consultation with their major advisor by providing a well-defined course of study that must include (i) one introductory methods course specific to the chosen discipline (in English); and (ii) two disciplinary electives bearing the ARBC prefix (in Arabic or English), taken at Middlebury College’s Vermont campus.
  • Students must spend at least one semester at a Middlebury school abroad site. The Arabic Department strongly recommends that students spend a full year abroad. Students studying abroad for a full academic year may count at most one course taken abroad towards the disciplinary elective requirements, subject to prior approval of their major advisor and contingent upon submission of the syllabus and a dossier of all written work (normally consisting of at least two exams and six typed pages of Arabic).

A major may count 400-level courses towards the fulfillment of the disciplinary electives once the 400-level language course requirement in #2 is complete.

Senior Work

Majors  are required to prepare a one-term senior project (ARBC 0700), or a two-term thesis (ARBC 0700/0701, taken in Fall and Winter or Winter and Spring). Senior projects and theses may be written in English, but must demonstrate significant use of Arabic sources.  Senior theses will include a 2000-word summary in Arabic.

Departmental honors are determined by a combination of thesis grade and grade point average in courses taken at the Arabic Program at Middlebury College, the Middlebury summer Arabic School, and Middlebury College’s study abroad sites.

Joint Major

Joint majors with other departments must: 1) complete Arabic language coursework through ARBC 0302 or the equivalent prior to the commencement of senior work, 2) take, at Middlebury College’s Vermont campus, two courses with the ARBC prefix related to Arabic literature, Arabic linguistics, or another well-defined disciplinary focus in consultation with their Arabic advisor, and 3) complete a senior project that explicitly engages the scholarly methodologies of both departments.

Minors in Arabic

The Arabic Department offers two minors.

The Arabic Minor requires

  1. Studying Arabic language through ARBC 0302 or the equivalent; and
  2. Taking two courses with the ARBC prefix related to Arab culture (cinema, literature, pop-culture, etc.) or Arabic linguistics. Only one of the two courses on Arab culture or Arabic linguistics may be taken abroad. (See above for guidelines regarding courses taken at schools abroad and at the summer Language Schools.)

The Minor in Arabic Studies requires taking five courses with the ARBC prefix, excluding ARBC 0101, 0102, 0103, 0201, 0202, 0301, and 0302.

ARBC 0101 Beginning Arabic I (Fall 2024)

The goal of this course is to begin developing reading, speaking, listening, writing, and cultural skills in Arabic. This course stresses written and oral communication, using both formal Arabic and some Egyptian dialect. Emphasis is also placed on reading authentic texts from Arabic media sources, listening to and watching audio and video materials, and developing students' understanding of Arab culture. 6 hrs lect/disc. LNG (S. Liebhaber, M. Khader)

ARBC 0103 Beginning Arabic III (Spring 2025)

This course is a continuation of ARBC 0102. 6 hrs. lect/disc (ARBC 0102 or equivalent) LNG

ARBC 0201 Intermediate Arabic I (Fall 2024)

This course is a continuation of ARBC 0103. Emphasis is placed on reading authentic materials from Arabic media, expanding students' vocabulary, listening to and watching audio and video materials, and developing students' understanding of Arab culture and communicative competence. (ARBC 0103 or equivalent) 6 hrs. lect/disc LNG (D. Ayoub, M. Khader)

ARBC 0202 Intermediate Arabic II (Spring 2025)

This course is a continuation of Arabic 0201. Fifth in a series of courses that develop reading, speaking, listening, writing, and cultural skills in Arabic. This course stresses communication in formal and spoken Arabic. (ARBC 0201 or equivalent). 6 hrs. lect/disc LNG

ARBC 0219 Modern Palestinian Literature (Fall 2024)

Modern Palestinian Literature (in English)
In this course we will explore how modern Palestinian literature grapples with questions of belonging, nationalism, memory, and colonialism. Questions about what it means to have a Palestinian literature or be Palestinian, and the challenges of even asking the question will also be explored. We will examine different notions of being Palestinian by focusing on the literature, film, art, and music produced by three main axes of Palestinian society: Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, Palestinians within Israel, and the Palestinian Diaspora. We will read novels from a range of time periods by writers such as Fadwa Tuqan, Mahmoud Darwish, Adania Shibli, Suheir Hammad, among others and analyze a number of other cultural and artistic expressions from the early 20th century to the present. Secondary readings and discussions will set these works in contemporary historical, cultural, and political perspectives. Students will emerge with a deep understanding of Palestinian cultural production and will be prepared to engage more widely with questions of narrative, representation, and identity. (This course will be taught in English.)
ART, CMP, LIT, MDE (D. Ayoub)

ARBC 0301 Advanced Arabic 1 (Fall 2024)

A continuation of Arabic 0202. This course aims to help students reach an intermediate-high level of proficiency in reading, speaking, writing, listening, and culture. Readings include articles on cultural, social, historical, political and literary topics. (ARBC 0202 or equivalent) 3 hrs. lect/disc. on T/R., plus a 50-minute lect time on Mondays TBD by enrolled students.) LNG (U. Soltan)

ARBC 0302 Advanced Arabic II (Spring 2025)

This course is a continuation of Arabic 0301. It aims to help students reach an advanced level of proficiency in reading, speaking, and writing Arabic, as well as to develop further an understanding of Arab culture. Readings include articles on cultural, social, historical, political, and literary topics. Course will be conducted entirely in Arabic. (ARBC 0301 or equivalent) 4 hrs. lect/disc. LNG

ARBC 0414 Readings in Modern Arabic Literature (Fall 2024)

In this course students will engage modern and contemporary literature in the original Arabic language. In addition to reading an Arabic novel, we will examine other literary-aesthetic genres such as poetry, plays, and short stories. Throughout, we will analyze and discuss the role of modern Arabic literature in exposing and challenging various systems of marginalization and injustice in the Arab world and beyond. (ARBC302 or equivalent) 3 hrs. sem. AAL, LIT, LNG, MDE (S. Liebhaber)

ARBC 0415 Displacement in Modern Arab Culture (Spring 2025)

Displacement has shaped the modern Arab world and continues to do so, driving populations into exile and diaspora from North Africa, Syria, Yemen, Palestine, Iraq, and elsewhere in the Arab world. Cultural production from the Arab world is deeply influenced by the communal experience of displacement and responds to it in a variety of ways. In this course, we will analyze how themes of migration, exile, and diaspora manifest in literature, film, and contemporary artistic expression. Through critical examination and discussion, students will gain insight into the ways in which Arab identities and narratives are shaped by the experience of upheaval, and what potential impacts it may have on Arab cultural production and language in the future. LIT, LNG, MDE

ARBC 0431 The Environmental Middle East: Forests, Rivers, and Peoples (Spring 2025)

In this course we will examine the environmental history of the Middle East and contemporary conservation practices in this region, focusing on four environmental case-studies: a contemporary conservation project in Lebanon, the Ghuta Forest of Damascus, the GAP dam project in Syria, and the marshes of Southern Iraq. We will consider these sites of contested power relations, cultural practice, and memory through the lenses of political and environmental essays, academic critiques, policy papers, historical documents, current media, and literary works. The objectives of this course: to provide students with a solid grasp of contemporary Middle Eastern environmental history, to address the key elements of cultural practice in each geographic area, and to achieve advanced proficiency in Arabic, including a mastery of environmental terminology. (ARBC 0302 or equivalent) 3 hrs. sem. LNG, MDE, SOC

ARBC 0500 Independent Study (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required)

ARBC 0700 Senior Thesis I (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Approval required.

ARBC 0701 Senior Thesis II (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Approval required.
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Department of Biology

Required for the Major

Requirements for the biology major encourage both breadth across the subdisciplines of biology as well as depth in areas of interest. The introductory sequence is two courses: BIOL 0140 Ecology and Evolution and BIOL 0145 Cell Biology and Genetics. The twelve courses required for the Biology major consist of:

(1-3) BIOL 0140 Ecology and Evolution, BIOL 0145 Cell Biology and Genetics, and BIOL 0211 Experimental Design and Statistical Analysis. We suggest students take these three courses as soon as they can.

(4-5) Two organismal courses from among BIOL 0202 Comparative Vertebrate Biology, BIOL 0203 Biology of Plants, BIOL 0204 Entomology, BIOL 0205 Ornithology, BIOL 0308 Mammalogy, and BIOL 0310 Microbiology.

(6) One college-level chemistry course with laboratory. AP credit in chemistry or a bypass examination cannot be used to satisfy this requirement. We strongly suggest students take this chemistry course in their first two years at Middlebury, as chemistry is fundamental to understanding topics addressed in many biology classes.

(7-12) Six biology electives from the 0200-0701 level, with the following restrictions:

  1. At least two electives must include a laboratory section.
  2. No more than one semester of independent research (BIOL 0500, BIOL 0700, or BIOL 0701) may count as elective credit toward the major.
  3. Per College policy only two winter term courses can count for major credit.

Courses may be taken in any order, as long as the prerequisites for a course are met. Courses taken off campus can count towards the major, when approved by the department chair. See below for more information on off-campus study.

Requirements for a Minor in Biology

BIOL 0140 and BIOL 0145, and three elective courses from 0200-, 0300-, and 0400-level courses in the department.  One of the electives must be an organismal course (BIOL 0202, 0203, 0204, 0205, 0308, 0310), AND one of which must be at the 0300 or 0400 level.

Joint Majors

MAJORS IN AFFILIATED PROGRAMS

Biology department faculty contribute to the programs in Neuroscience and Molecular Biology & Biochemistry. Students may be interested in majors offered by these programs.

Requirements for the Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Major

See the listing for the program in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry for a description of this major.

Requirements for the Neuroscience Major

See the listing for the program in Neuroscience for a description of this major.

Requirements for the Joint Major with Environmental Studies

See the listing for the conservation biology focus under the program in Environmental Studies.

Requirements for the Joint Major with Earth and Climate Sciences

ENVS0166; BIOL0140; BIOL0145; BIOL0211; one organismal biology course, BIOL0202, BIOL0203, BIOL0204, BIOL 0205, BIOL0308, or BIOL0310; two other BIOL courses at or above 0200-level, at least one of which must have a lab; one 0100-level ECSC course; ECSC0201; ECSC0202; three ECSC courses at or above 0300-level; ECSC0400; either ECSC0700 or BIOL0700 this represents at least one semester of integrative BIOL-ECSC research. Note that ECSC0705 cannot count towards this final requirement.

Graduate or Professional Training

Students considering graduate or professional school in the life sciences should note that many programs require a year of introductory chemistry, a year of organic chemistry, a year of physics, and a year of calculus for admission. Students are therefore strongly encouraged to meet with their faculty advisors early in their undergraduate career so the advantages of taking additional courses in the natural sciences can be discussed.

Departmental Honors

Students with an average of 3.5 or higher in departmental courses other than BIOL 0500, BIOL 0700, and BIOL 0701 are eligible for departmental honors, for which successful completion of BIOL 0701 is also required (see below). The Biology Department awards two levels of honors: honors and high honors.

Criteria for Honors

Students with an average of 3.5 or higher in departmental courses (other than BIOL 0500, BIOL 0700, and BIOL 0701) and a grade of A- or above on their thesis are eligible for honors.

Criteria for High Honors

High honors will be awarded to students who meet all of the criteria for honors and who, in addition, have completed theses of exceptionally high quality.  Determination of honors or high honors is based on a formal recommendation from the thesis committee and requires the approval of the Biology Department faculty.

The thesis process is described in detail in the “Student & Faculty Research” portion of the departmental website, and all students interested in conducting thesis research should read that section of the website in detail. Normally, research for thesis projects begins during the first term of a student’s senior year (or during the preceding summer). Students interested in field research should talk with a faculty member by winter term of their junior year. All other prospective thesis students should consult with prospective advisors concerning possible thesis projects by spring term of their junior year. Thesis projects must be of at least two terms’ duration (one term of BIOL 0500 or BIOL 0700 and one of BIOL 0701) and result in the production of a written thesis, a public presentation of the thesis research, and an oral defense of the thesis before a committee of at least three faculty members, two of whom must be Biology faculty. With instructor approval, independent research conducted during the summer may be considered as a substitute for the first term of the project. In such cases, the off-campus work would satisfy the BIOL 0500 or BIOL 0700 prerequisite for enrollment in BIOL 0701, but would not itself be credit-bearing. The thesis grade reflects performance in all aspects of the thesis process.  Note that although completion of a thesis is one prerequisite for receiving honors, students may undertake a thesis regardless of whether they meet the other criteria for honors.

Advanced Placement Credit

Middlebury College grants one college credit for a score of 5 on the biology advanced placement exam. However, because the biology department does not offer any introductory course that is the equivalent of an AP biology course, advanced placement credit does not exempt a student from any of the published requirements for the major, minor, or joint majors, nor can it satisfy the college’s distribution requirement. 

Off-Campus Study

Students interested in taking biology courses off campus are strongly encouraged to discuss their plans with their advisor early in their college careers. Biology credit for an off-campus course will be given only after the department chair reviews the course material upon a student’s return to campus.   The following restrictions apply to all biology courses transferred to Middlebury:

  • Except for transfer students, BIOL 0140 and BIOL 0145 must be taken at Middlebury College.
  • A maximum of three courses taken off campus may be credited toward completion of the major or joint major.
  • No credit in Biology will be granted for independent study projects conducted during off-campus study programs.
  • Except for transfer students, off-campus biology courses must be beyond the introductory level.
  • When a course is offered at Middlebury with a lab or prerequisites, an equivalent off-campus course must also include a lab or prerequisites.

BIOL 0140 Ecology and Evolution (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

In this introduction to ecology and evolutionary biology we will cover the topics of interspecific interactions (competition, predation, mutualism), demography and life-history patterns, succession and disturbance in natural communities, species diversity, stability and complexity, causes of evolutionary change, speciation, phylogenetic reconstruction, and population genetics. The laboratory component will examine lecture topics in detail (such as measuring the evolutionary response of bacteria, adaptations of stream invertebrates to life in moving water, invasive species and their patterns of spread). We will emphasize experimental design, data collection in the field and in the laboratory, data analysis, and writing skills. This course is not open to seniors and second semester juniors in the Fall. 3 hrs. lect./disc./3 hrs. lab DED, SCI (Fall 2024: S. Byrne, E. Eggleston)

BIOL 0145 Cell Biology and Genetics (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

In this introduction to modern cellular, genetic, and molecular biology we will explore life science concepts with an emphasis on their integral nature and evolutionary relationships. Topics covered will include cell membrane structure and function, metabolism, cell motility and division, genome structure and replication, the regulation of gene expression and protein production, genotype to phenotype relationship, and basic principles of inheritance. Major concepts will be illustrated using a broad range of examples from plants, animals, and microorganisms. Current topics in biology will be integrated into the course as they arise. 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab DED, SCI (Fall 2024: E. Putnam, G. Spatafora)

BIOL 0203 Biology of Plants (Fall 2024)

An introduction to plants, their life cycles, and their relationships to each other, as well as to the animals that pollinate them, disperse their fruits, and eat them. We will discuss morphology, physiology, evolution, and natural history of plants (mosses, ferns, gymnosperms, angiosperms). The laboratory will emphasize plant identification, various aspects of plant ecology and physiology, plant morphology, and plant use by humans. Students will complete a Community Service component, such as completing a forest inventory for a local forest, assisting with the campus tree map, or help with seed-saving measures at the College Organic Garden. Field trips will be the norm early in the semester. (BIOL 0140 and BIOL 0145) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab SCI (K. Coe)

BIOL 0204 Entomology (Fall 2024)

Insects are one of the most successful animal groups on Earth, accounting for roughly 75% of all animal species. In this course we will examine several aspects of organismal biology in insects and related arthropods, such as comparative anatomy, physiology, reproduction, development, sensory behavior, and evolution. Hands-on experiences with insects will occur in the field and the lab, culminating in an independent research project. Special topics will include medical and veterinary entomology, insect pest management, and the effects of climate change on insect populations. Oral and written reports are required. (BIOL 0140) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab (Not open to students who have already taken BIOL 0201.) SCI (G. Pask)

BIOL 0205 Ornithology (Spring 2025)

With over 10,000 species, birds are the most diverse class of vertebrates, occupying a wide variety of ecological niches on every continent. Their incredible array of colors and sounds have fascinated scientists for centuries, and birds have played culturally significant roles for millennia. We will discuss the evolution, anatomy, physiology, development, behavior, ecology, and conservation of birds globally. We will learn to identify local bird species by sight and sound using a combination of museum specimens and field trips to various local ecosystems. Field experiments will involve testing bird behavior and assessing ecological relationships. Written and oral reports will be expected. (BIOL 0140) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab. SCI

BIOL 0211 Experimental Design and Statistical Analysis (Spring 2025)

Experimental design is one of the most important parts of doing science, but it is difficult to do well. How do you randomize mice? How many replicate petri plates should be inoculated? If I am measuring temperature in a forest, where do I put the thermometer? In this course students will design experiments across the sub-areas of biology. We will run student designed experiments, and then learn ways to analyze the data, and communicate the results. Students planning to do independent research are encouraged to take this course. (BIOL 0140 or BIOL 0145). DED
Cross-listed as: STAT 0116 STAT 0201 PSYC 0201 *

BIOL 0230 Global Change Biology (Spring 2025)

We will examine the effects of global climate change on the earth system. Our emphasis will be on exploring what we know about the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and the organisms that inhabit them. We will examine primary literature-based case studies to reveal how biologists study processes of change on local and global scales, and we will assess how accurately we can predict future changes in species distribution and ecosystem function. In lab, we will apply simulation techniques to predict carbon dioxide and global temperatures into the next century, and couple citizen science platforms (e.g. iNaturalist) with species distribution modeling to predict ecological interactions in future climates. No prior computational modeling experience required/assumed. (BIOL 0140) 3 hrs. lect. 3 hrs. lab. SCI

BIOL 0304 Aquatic Ecology (Fall 2024)

In this course we will combine field-based laboratory exercises with classroom activities to examine how humans interact with aquatic ecosystems and how these systems contribute to our understanding of fundamental ecological concepts. Our field trips will focus on aquatic ecosystems and organisms in Vermont, but we will also consider aquatic ecology more broadly through several modules linking processes across ecological scales from whole ecosystems to individual organisms. Evaluation will be based on periodic quizzes, reports synthesizing the laboratory modules, exams emphasizing the concepts covered, and an independent research project. (BIOL 0140). 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab. SCI (E. Moody)

BIOL 0305 Developmental Biology (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Have you ever wondered how an embryo develops from a simple fertilized egg to a complex adult? This course explores this question, examining the preparation and initiation of development (gametogenesis, fertilization, cleavages, and gastrulation), the formation of embryonic structure (morphogenesis), the creation of embryonic pattern (pattern formation), and the control of gene expression during embryogenesis. In a semester when a laboratory section is offered, students will design and carry out experiments at the cutting edge of developmental biology, incorporating modern cellular, molecular, and genetic techniques with classical embryological approaches. Fundamental mysteries of development will be investigated in model organisms that best illustrate each process. This course does not have a lab associated with it every semester. (BIOL 0140 and BIOL 0145) 3 hrs. lect./4 hrs. lab SCI (Fall 2024: C. Combelles)

BIOL 0308 Mammalogy (Fall 2024)

Thanks to a rogue asteroid, we now live in the Age of Mammals. Mammals fulfill important ecological roles and have adapted to a wide range of habitats – flying, swimming, and scurrying their way to survival. Mammals are also central to numerous livelihoods and cultural practices. We will use the phylogeny of mammals globally to build expertise with evolutionary concepts. Locally, we will work within Vermont to develop a field-based toolkit for studying wild mammals. Experiential learning opportunities may include preparation of salvaged animals, non-invasive monitoring, engagement with trappers/hunters, and introduction to molecular techniques. (BIOL 140) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab. SCI (A. Mychajliw)

BIOL 0310 Microbiology (Spring 2025)

The microbiological principles emphasized in this class will provide students with a foundation for advanced study in many areas of contemporary biology. The course will integrate basic and applied aspects of microbiology into a study of the prokaryotic microorganisms. General principles of bacterial cell structure, function, and the role of microorganisms in industry, agriculture, biotechnology, and disease will be discussed. An independent laboratory project will stress basic microbiological techniques as applied to the isolation, characterization, and identification of microorganisms from the natural environment. (BIOL 0140 and BIOL 0145) 3 hrs. lect./4 hrs. lab./1 hr. prelab. CW, SCI

BIOL 0314 Molecular Genetics (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

This course will focus on the structure and function of nucleic acids in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Lectures will center on molecular mechanisms of mutation, transposition, and recombination, the regulation of gene expression, and gene control in development, immune diversity and carcinogenesis. Readings from the primary literature will complement the textbook and classroom discussions. The laboratory will provide training in both classic and contemporary molecular-genetic techniques including nucleic acid isolation and purification, cloning, electroporation, nick-translation, Southern/Northern blotting, DNA sequencing, PCR and RT-PCR. (BIOL or MBBC majors, or by waiver. BIOL 0140 and BIOL 0145 or waiver) 3 hrs. lect./4 hrs. lab./1 hr. prelab. SCI

BIOL 0324 Genomics (Fall 2024)

Genomics is a quickly evolving field that analyzes and contextualizes genome sequencing data and high-throughput techniques. Genomics is the study of the nucleic acid content of organisms. In this course students will use national repositories of genomic information, databases, and open-source bioinformatics tools to visualize and manipulate genomic data. We will also explore genomics’ larger social context, particularly as it relates to the environment and medical informatics. In the laboratory we will explore and use the methodology used in genomics to develop and interpret large datasets (CHEM 0104 or CHEM 0107,and BIOL 0145 and BIOL0140, or by waiver) (not open to students who have taken BIOL 0334) 3 hrs. lect., 3 hrs. lab DED, SCI (E. Putnam)

BIOL 0333 Receptor Biology (Spring 2025)

In this course we will focus on the wide range of membrane receptors and channels that are critical for cellular communication, neuronal connectivity, and sensory transduction. These complex proteins represent major targets in the pharmaceutical industry, and their study incorporates interdisciplinary techniques in structural biology, electrophysiology, synthetic chemistry, and pharmacology. After thoroughly engaging in the primary literature, we will emphasize discipline-specific writing and learn to summarize and communicate new findings to a wide range of expert and non-expert audiences. (BIOL 0145 or waiver) 3 hrs. lect./disc CW, SCI

BIOL 0365 Molecular Microbial Ecology (Spring 2025)

Molecular microbial ecology (MME) uses leading-edge molecular tools to study the interactions and diversity of microorganisms in the natural environment. MME covers topics ranging from ancient polar microbes, the human microbiome, and possibly life beyond Earth. This course will discuss papers that highlight modern technical approaches and form the current theoretical framework in microbial ecology. The laboratory will examine the structure (who is there) and function (what are they doing) of microbial communities in environmental samples. We will cultivate novel microorganisms and analyze nucleic acids via community fingerprinting, functional gene analysis, and the computational exploration of metagenomic datasets.  (BIOL 0140, BIOL 0145 and CHEM 0103 or 0104 or waiver) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab SCI

BIOL 0370 Animal Physiology (Fall 2024)

This course examines the body functions of animals and humans using general physiological principles and a comparative approach. Lectures will cover the function of each of the major physiological systems (nervous, endocrine, muscular, etc.) and will describe how animal physiology has been shaped by evolution to allow animals to survive in a wide range of environmental conditions. Lectures will focus mainly on physiological processes occurring at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels. Occasional journal article discussions will provide case studies of current topics in animal physiology. Laboratory exercises, reports and oral presentations emphasize experimental design, analysis and independent study using various methodological approaches including electrophysiology, neurotransmitter manipulations, nutritional analysis, and exercise physiology.
[(BIOL 0140 and BIOL 0145) or NSCI 0251]. 3 hrs. lect/disc., 3 hrs. lab.
SCI (M. Spritzer)

BIOL 0444 Desert Ecology (Spring 2025)

Drylands (deserts, semi-deserts, savannas) account for over 40 percent of Earth’s terrestrial area and are home to two billion people. They represent the most stressful of habitats, but also are home to organisms possessing the most incredible adaptations to survive. In this course we will explore the unique biology of desert ecosystems across the globe, using primary literature, review articles, and nonfiction works to answer: What selective pressures shape physiology and ecology in desert organisms? How have plants and animals evolved to survive in deserts? How are humans and climate change altering dryland ecosystems on local and global scales? (BIOL0140 or instructor permission) 3 hrs. sem. CW

BIOL 0475 Neuroplasticity (Fall 2024)

In order for the brain to encode, process, and retain new information, it is constantly changing. Neuroplasticity refers to this capacity of the central nervous system to modify its organization in response to a wide variety of endogenous and environmental stimuli. We will discuss the molecular and cellular basis of various forms of neuroplasticity within the adult brain (e.g., synaptic plasticity, synaptogenesis, and neurogenesis). In this course we will explore how neuroplasticity contributes to learning and memory, neural regeneration in response to injury, and various neuroloigcal diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, and depression). Evaluation will be based on student-led discussions of the primary literature, article critiques, and a final review paper. [BIOL 0145 and (BIOL 0140 or NSCI 251); open to juniors and seniors] 3hrs sem. SCI (M. Spritzer)

BIOL 0500 Independent Study (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

In this course students complete individual projects involving laboratory and/or field research or extensive library study on a topic chosen by the student and a faculty advisor. Prior to registering for BIOL 0500, a student must have discussed and agreed upon a project topic with a member of the Biology Department faculty. Additional requirements include attendance at all Biology Department seminars and participation in any scheduled meetings with disciplinary sub-groups and lab groups. This course is not open to seniors; seniors should enroll in BIOL 0700, Senior Independent Study. (BIOL 0211. Approval required) 3 hrs. disc.

BIOL 0700 Senior Independent Study (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

In this course students complete individual projects involving laboratory and/or field research or extensive library study on a topic chosen by the student and a faculty advisor. Prior to registering for BIOL 0700, a student must have discussed and agreed upon a project topic with a member of the Biology Department faculty. Additional requirements include attendance at all Biology Department seminars and participation in any scheduled meetings with disciplinary sub-groups and lab groups. (BIOL 0211. Approval required; open only to seniors) 3 hrs. disc.

BIOL 0701 Senior Thesis (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Seniors majoring in Biology who have completed one or more semesters of BIOL 0500 or BIOL 0700 and who plan to complete a thesis should register for BIOL 0701. In this course students will produce a written thesis, deliver a public presentation of the research on which it is based, and present an oral defense of the thesis before a committee of at least three faculty members. Additional requirements include attendance at all Biology Department seminars and participation in any scheduled meetings with disciplinary sub-groups and lab groups. Open to Biology and joint Biology/Environmental Studies majors. (BIOL 0211 and BIOL 0500 or BIOL 0700 or waiver; instructor approval required for all students) 3 hrs. disc
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Program in Black Studies

The program’s major and minor allows students to attain degrees of mastery by concentrating on an interrelated set of topics within a geographic area or by comparing aspects of the topic(s) inter-regionally or globally. Three required core courses will provide the framework on which students will organize their own majors in consultation with the program’s director. 

Required for the Major

To complete the major a student must take eleven (11) courses:

Five (5) that acquaint students with Black Studies as a recognized field of study.

  • BLST 0101: Introduction to Black Studies: An introduction to the core themes, topics, and methods commonly recognized as belonging to Black Studies.
  • BLST 0201: Black Thought: Black Studies Theory: An exploration of the key theoretical themes and debates that have come to structure the field across the Black Diaspora.
  • BLST 0301: Black Studies Methods: A seminar that provides guidance in identifying and using sources and methods for research in Black Studies.
  • BLST 0399: Community Engagement in Black Studies: An experiential course that connects students with community-engaged activism on important issues in the field.
  • BLST 0400+: A senior seminar in which Black Studies majors conduct independent research and/or in-depth analysis of a particular topic within the field—while working collaboratively with other students and a faculty member.

Three (3) clustered courses that concentrate on a region or topic (either of which may be comparative).

  • Courses taken for the concentration and senior work allow students to go deeper into a topic and develop their skills in interpretation and constructive analysis.
  • Students will work with the director of the program in selecting the courses that will fulfill their proposed concentration.
  • Intensive listening, close reading, critical thinking, effective oral and written expression and collaborative interaction with colleagues will be among the skills the concentration will address. 

Three (3) electives that concentrate on a region or topic (either of which may be comparative).

  • The electives allow students to get outside their area of concentration, either to explore totally different topics or to explore their area of concentration from a different perspective.
  • With permission from the director of the program, one or more of these electives may be in a department not directly related to Black Studies but that introduces students to critical approaches that may be helpful to a student’s advanced work on a topic. 

Joint Major Requirements

In consultation with their advisor and/or the Director of Black Studies, students must take a minimum of eight courses that satisfy the BLST major. Of these eight courses, five are required and include BLST 0101, BLST 0201, BLST 0301, BLST 0399, and BLST 0400+. 

The remaining three elective courses must inform, complement, and complete the joint major. Students may take BLST 0700 or BLST 0710 (honors senior thesis) as one of their three elective courses, subject to approval of their academic advisor and the Director of Black Studies.

Required for the Minor

To complete the minor in Black Studies a student must take six (6) courses:

Two (2) that acquaint students with Black Studies as a recognized field of study.

  • BLST 0101: An introduction to the core themes, topics, and methods commonly recognized as belonging to Black Studies.
  • BLST 0201: An in-depth exploration of Black thought and Black Studies theory. 

Four (4) clustered courses that concentrate on a region or topic (either of which may be comparative).

  • Courses taken for the concentration and senior work allow students to go deeper into a topic and develop their skills in interpretation and constructive analysis.

One of these four courses must be at the 400-level in either Black Studies or cross-listed with Black Studies. Students will work with the director of the program in selecting the courses that will fulfill their proposed concentration.

BLST 0101 Introduction to Black Studies (Fall 2024)

This course considers the issues, epistemologies, and political investments central to Black Studies as a field. We will explore chronologically, thematically, and with an interdisciplinary lens the social forces and ideas that have shaped the individual and collective experiences of African-descended peoples throughout the African Diaspora. This course is a broad survey of the history of chattel slavery, colonial encounters, community life, and social institutions of black Americans. We will address issues of gender and class; the role of social movements in struggles for liberation; and various genres of black expressive cultures. Students will develop critical tools, frameworks, and vocabulary for further study in the field. Course materials may include Maulana Karenga’s Introduction to Black Studies, C.L.R. James’s The Black Jacobins, and Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God. 3 hrs. lect. AMR, HIS, SOC (J. Philogene)

BLST 0174 Spacing (Fall 2024)

In this course we will investigate physical structures encountered daily. Buildings, parks, and infrastructure constitute this built environment, reflecting their societies. But what could abolitionist architecture look like, or how might public space in the U.S. create new social relations? Through lenses of race, class, and gender we will build critical vocabularies around the practice of making space. We will focus on the historical and contemporary embodiment of power, race, and culture of the U.S. through the built environment. This studio class will then present a series of projects addressing basic three-dimensional construction and model making techniques. We will engage historical and contemporary artworks, urban planning, architecture, and poetry from perspectives of resistance to dominant modes of constructing space. AMR, ART, SOC (M. Schrader)
Cross-listed as: ART 0174 *

BLST 0179 Ruins and Rituals (Spring 2025)

In this course we will examine monuments, memorials, landscape, and cultural memory. The title comes from a 1979 sculptural work by the black feminist artist Beverly Buchanan. Buchanan has described her works as monuments made from earthen materials to remember acts of black resistance in the United States. We will also investigate recent actions to remove and destroy monuments to confederate soldiers and other figures related to colonial violence. This is a studio class incorporating material experimentation and research. Students will work at model scale using paper, wood, plaster, digital photography, and photoshop to propose (anti)monuments for our time. ART, HIS
Cross-listed as: ART 0179 *

BLST 0201 Black Thought: Black Studies Theory (Spring 2025)

In this course, we will explore some of the central themes and issues of Black Studies across the Black diaspora. We will ask: What is race and how has it functioned in the development of modernity, geopolitics, and selfhood? What constitutes blackness? How is it lived and expressed? What are the ideological and material legacies of slavery? What relationship does antiblackness have with capitalism, nation, and war? We will also investigate how (anti)blackness has shaped the lives and spaces of Black communities. We will read from texts such as W.E.B. Du Bois’ The Souls of Black Folk, Frantz Fanon’s Black Skin, White Masks, and Patricia Hill Collins’ Black Feminist Thought. (Seniors with instructor approval.) AMR, CMP, PHL, SOC

BLST 0213 Aesthetics of Freedom: Arts of the Harlem Renaissance (Spring 2025)

In this lecture-based course, students will be introduced to the Harlem Renaissance, which is sometimes referred to as the “New Negro Movement,” a period from 1920-1940. Students will be introduced to the major intellectual and social issues of this period in American history. Specifically, students will delve into the works of prominent Harlem Renaissance visual artists and multiple written genres including critical essays, poems, and novels, and artworks. While exploring these visual and literary artists and their work we will probe the impetus behind and meaning and legacy of a period in American history that saw a surge of African American artistic and cultural expressions. AMR, HIS, SOC

BLST 0215 Culturally Responsive Policy and Pedagogy (Fall 2024)

Building on the work of Gloria Ladson-Billings’ culturally relevant pedagogy, Django Paris developed a theory of culturally sustaining pedagogy that “seeks to perpetuate and foster—to sustain linguistic, literate, and cultural pluralism,” for students in schools (Paris, 2012). In this course we examine how teachers might sustain and support students in classrooms and how educational policy might better address and respond to the rich diversity in our schools and communities. This is a required course for all students seeking a Vermont teaching licensure. (EDST 0115) 3 hrs. lect. AMR, CMP, SOC (T. Affolter)
Cross-listed as: EDST 0215 *

BLST 0218 Slavery and Freedom in the American North (Spring 2025)

In this course we will study how the “American North,” constituted by New England, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, became a place of enslavement. Although often treated as a cradle of freedom, we will explore how the region’s colonists imported African slaves and enslaved and exported Native Americans. Through lecture, discussion, and primary sources, we will examine the transatlantic slave trade of Africans and Native Americans, the communities built by enslaved and free people, the impact of the American Revolution, the creation of gradual abolition statues, and the perpetuation of enslavement until the Civil War. We will also grapple with the role of memory in history, as the region’s slaveholding past is often ignored by its inhabitants. 2 hrs lect./1 hr. disc. AMR, CMP, HIS, SOC
Cross-listed as: HIST 0218 *

BLST 0227 Black American Cinema (Spring 2025)

In this course we will examine various representations of Blackness in American Cinema, from Oscar Micheaux’s early silent films to Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther. While we will primarily focus on films written and/or directed by African-Americans, we will also study the social, cultural, and political impact of Hollywood ideas and images of Black people and how they changed over time. Through a framework of both film theory and critical race theory, students will analyze how Black creative expression has manifested itself through film, influencing both form and content. 3 hours lect./3 hours screen AMR, ART, HIS
Cross-listed as: FMMC 0227 *

BLST 0232 A Black Sense of Place: Black Geographies (Fall 2024)

Black feminist geographer, Katherine McKittrick, defines Black geographies as “subaltern or alternative geographic patterns that work alongside and beyond traditional geographies and a site or terrain of struggle” (2006, 7).
This Black studies approach structures analyses of geographies across the Black diaspora in this course. Students will explore the relationships between race, racisms, space, and place through an interdisciplinary examination of the intimate, the material, the political, the body, and the collective as “sites of struggle.” We will read from texts such as Clyde Woods’ Development Drowned and Reborn: The Blues and Bourbon Restorations in Post-Katrina New Orleans and Erica Lorraine Williams’ Sex Tourism in Bahia: Ambiguous Entanglements. (First year students may register with instructor approval only.)
CMP, HIS, SOC (K. Davis)
Cross-listed as: GEOG 0232

BLST 0259 Re-Presenting Slavery (Fall 2024)

In this course we will examine 20th century American portrayals of chattel slavery through creative works and situate them in their historical contexts. Working primarily with fiction (Oxherding Tale, Kindred, The Underground Railroad), film (Mandingo, Django Unchained, Twelve Years a Slave), television (Roots, Africans in America, Underground), and visual art (works by Jacob Lawrence, Romare Bearden, and Kara Walker), we will evaluate how those various representations of the “Peculiar Institution” have changed, and/or have been changed, by the cultural moments in which they appeared. 3 hrs lect. AMR, ART, HIS (W. Nash)
Cross-listed as: AMST 0259 *

BLST 0275 Make Room: Teaching August Wilson (Fall 2024)

August Wilson has been hailed as “Theater's Poet of Black America,” yet many students have little exposure to this theatrical and literary giant. In this course we will explore Wilson’s "Century Cycle" a collection of 10 plays-each set in a distinct decade- that portray African American experiences in the twentieth century. We will take an interdisciplinary approach to reading, analyzing, staging (where possible), and understanding Wilson’s work. We will explore key influences on Wilson’s work including the blues, The Black Arts Movement, visual artist Romare Bearden, essayist and fiction writer Jorge Luis Borges, and playwright/poet Amiri Baraka among others. We also will engage with visiting artists, scholars, teachers, and community members as we consider Wilson's impact and the importance of teaching and studying his work. 3 hr. lect. AMR, ART, LIT (T. Affolter)
Cross-listed as: EDST 0275 *

BLST 0276 Struggles for Change in Southern Africa (Spring 2025)

In this course we will examine the tumultuous period of social struggle in southern Africa in the decades following World War II. Major topics to be covered include: the rise of apartheid and the mobilization of anti-apartheid resistance in South Africa; the liberation struggle against white settler rule and its legacies in post-colonial Zimbabwe; the fight for freedom from Portuguese colonialism in Mozambique; and Mozambique’s protracted civil war following independence. A central purpose of the course is to explore how these different arenas of struggle transformed individual lives and social relations in complex and diverse ways, generating enduring impacts and challenges within the region. (formerly HIST/BLST 0375) (Students who have already completed HIST/BLST 0375 are ineligible to take this course.) CMP, HIS, SAF, SOC
Cross-listed as: HIST 0276

BLST 0301 Black Studies Methods (Fall 2024)

In this seminar, we will explore the historical formation, philosophical debates, and methodological basis of Black Studies. Students will gain a deeper understanding of both the central issues and the range of methodological strategies that have helped shape the field since its inception in the late 1960s. Particular attention will also be paid to community-engaged/informed work and activist-scholarship, as well as debates on the role, form, and function of such praxis-based methodological and epistemological stances. Recommended for juniors and seniors. Emphasis will be given to preparing students for independent inquiry in the field. (BLST 0101 and BLST 0201) (BLST majors or with instructor approval) 3 hrs.sem. CW, HIS, SOC (K. Davis)

BLST 0313 Race, Capitalism, Decolonization (Fall 2024)

What does race have to do with capitalism and profit, exploitation and dispossession? Drawing on contemporary fiction, poetry, and theory, we will consider the intersections of race and capitalism in shaping contemporary epistemologies, institutional practices, and lived experiences in local and global contexts. We will explore how present-day formations of race and capitalism are related to histories of imperialism and the global extraction of labor and resources. Decolonization implies a deep, complex, and multi-faceted process by which the discourses, knowledges, and practices at the core of capitalism and imperialism(s) and their mechanisms of oppression are challenged and dismantled. Please note that, if circumstances require, this course may occasionally be taught remotely.(Formerly ENAM 0313) CMP, SOC (Y. Siddiqi)
Cross-listed as: ENGL 0313 *

BLST 0315 Health and Healing in African History (Spring 2025)

In this course we will complicate our contemporary perspectives on health and healing in Africa by exploring diverse historical examples from the continent's deep past. Our readings, discussions, and papers will cover a range of historical contexts and topics, such as the politics of rituals and public healing ceremonies in pre-colonial contexts, state and popular responses to shifting disease landscapes in the colonial era, long-term cultural and economic changes in healer-patient dynamics, the problematic legacies of environmental health hazards in the post-colonial period, and Africans' engagement with global health interventions in recent decades. 3 hrs. sem. HIS, SAF, SOC
Cross-listed as: HIST 0315 *

BLST 0324 Race, Medicine, and Health in U.S. History (Fall 2024)

In this course we will explore the historical relationships between race, medicine, and public health in the United States from colonial times to the present. Through a series of case studies that include epidemics such as smallpox, yellow fever, and COVID-19, we will trace the origins of racial classification and its impact on medical care. Our topics include the management of illness in colonial times, the relationship between medical schools and slavery, the eugenics movement, immigration restrictions, the use of minorities as experimentation subjects, the fight against medical discrimination, and the current struggles for health care access. We will approach these subjects through sources such as scholarly publications, diaries, documentaries, medical journals, oral histories, and print media. 2 hrs lect./1 hr. disc. AMR, CMP, HIS, SOC (E. Mendoza)
Cross-listed as: HIST 0324 *

BLST 0335 The Black Lusophone Atlantic (in English) (Spring 2025)

In this course we will examine the histories, power struggles, and cultural formations in Portuguese-speaking spaces of the African Diaspora. The Lusophone, or Portuguese-speaking world, encompasses four continents as a lasting legacy of Portuguese imperialism and the trafficking of enslaved people. Working across and against disciplines, we will critically engage with Black decolonial worldmaking in these spaces and across periods as we re-evaluate and dismantle this so-called Lusophone world and other imperialist geographies. In the process, we will examine connections between Black life in Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Portugal, and more over the last six centuries; and also how Black life re-historicizes these spaces and times. 3 hrs. sem. CMP, HIS, SOC
Cross-listed as: PGSE 0335 *

BLST 0347 Everyday Life in South Africa, Apartheid and Beyond (Fall 2024)

In this course we will explore some of the social worlds of South Africans amid the country’s recent decades of turbulent and dramatic change. We will look at how different groups within the nation’s diverse population have understood and experienced the rise of the apartheid system, its demise, and its legacies in their “everyday” lives and interactions. The course will draw from various sources – non-fiction, fiction, film, and other forms of popular culture -- to interpret these social dynamics and their ongoing significance in a post-apartheid society. HIS, SAF, SOC (J. Tropp)
Cross-listed as: HIST 0347 *

BLST 0366 Life of the Party: Queer of Color Nightlife (Spring 2025)

For many, nightlife spaces offer an alternative to the racial, gender, and sexual norms which we are socialized into and expected to follow in the light of day. From bars/clubs to pop-up parties to ballroom, nightlife scenes have been integral to exploration, discovery, and gratification in the lives of queer and trans Black people and other people of color. Through Black Studies approaches to race, gender, sexuality, and performance, we will examine how nightlife functions as pleasure, experimentation, artistry, and, crucially, work for many queers of color. We may read from texts such as Kemi Adeyemi’s Feels Right: Black Queer Women and the Politics of Partying in Chicago and Kareem Khubchandani’s Ishtyle: Accenting Gay Indian Nightlife. (BLST 101 or 201 or GSFS 289) 3 hrs. seminar ART, SOC
Cross-listed as: GSFS 0366

BLST 0374 Women in the Black Freedom Struggle (Fall 2024)

The Civil Rights and Black Power Movements have become iconic examples of Black activism in the US. However, female activists are often ignored in historical accounts of these movements. In this course, we will examine the contributions of Black female activists to the Black Freedom Struggle. We will discuss women in the Civil Rights Movement both in the South and the North, the role of women in the Black Panther Party, but also the active involvement of women in white supremacist campaigns in the South. We will pay special attention to the diversity of Black women’s perspectives and highlight how Black women’s experiences differed from both white female and Black male activists. (BLST 0101 or BLST 0201, or by instructor approval) 3 hrs. sem. AMR, HIS, SOC (V. Huang)
Cross-listed as: GSFS 0374

BLST 0377 Colonial Commodities & Slavery in the Americas (Spring 2025)

In this course, we will examine the development of extractive economies and the relationship between colonialism, consumption, and forced labor in colonial north and South America. Using a comparative approach, we will survey how commodities such as cacao, cotton, coffee, gold, silver, sugar, and tobacco shaped African and Native slavery across the continent. Our topics will include the development of price systems for enslaved people and goods in the world economy, the emergence of ideas regarding racial differences and their relationship with forced labor, how enslaved people resisted their enslavement, and the abolition of slavery across the Americas.
Students will examine primary sources such as financial records, slave narratives, historical price indexes, and scholarly monographs. Pre-1800. 3 hr sem.
AMR, CMP, HIS, SOC
Cross-listed as: HIST 0377 *

BLST 0414 Black, Listed: Surveillance, Race, and Gender (Spring 2025)

The fields of Black studies, feminist geographies, and surveillance studies are brought together in this course to examine transformations in geographic and social control in U.S. and transnational contexts. The ways in which racialized and gendered populations have experienced and continue to experience geopolitical domination and surveillance constitutes the central theme of the course. Students will develop collaborative and independent research skills. Topics of inquiry include: the trans-Atlantic slave trade; prisons and policing; education; (anti-)surveillance technologies; airports and borders. We may draw substantially from texts such as Simone Browne’s Dark Matters: On the Surveillance of Blackness and Toby Beauchamp’s Going Stealth: Transgender Politics and U.S. Surveillance Practices. (Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors) 3 hrs. sem. (FemSTHM)/ AMR, CMP, HIS, SOC
Cross-listed as: GSFS 0414

BLST 0419 Black Middlebury (Fall 2024)

The Black Studies Program at Middlebury College was officially established in 2019. However, (Black) students, faculty, and staff have worked toward the inclusion of Black histories and experiences in Middlebury’s curriculum and toward establishing spaces for Black members of the Middlebury community since, at least, the 1970s. In this research seminar, we will examine the experiences of Black Middlebury students, faculty, and staff as well as their efforts to organize and carve out space at Middlebury College in the 20th and 21st century. Based on secondary literature, we will contextualize the Black experience in US higher education more broadly. Then, students will work with primary sources located in Special Collections (Davis Family Library) and conduct oral histories with members of Middlebury’s Black community and activists involved in the struggle for Black Studies at Middlebury. To preserve these histories, we will create an archive and exhibit findings in the form of small media projects. (Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors, (BLST 0101 or BLST 0201) 3 hrs., seminar AMR, HIS, SOC (V. Huang)

BLST 0441 African Environmental Histories (Fall 2024)

In this seminar we will explore the complex histories of human-environmental interaction on the African continent. Through a variety of interdisciplinary readings – incorporating anthropology, geography, ecology, and cultural and literary studies – we will grapple with the diverse interpretive and methodological challenges of interpreting Africans’ linked social and environmental histories. We will start with a look at how scholars have begun to unravel dominant historical understandings of African pre-colonial ecologies, economies, and cultures. We will then explore how colonial relations shaped conflicts over environmental control and rural ecological change in the 19th and 20th centuries and the legacies of such dynamics in the post-colonial era. Additional readings will touch on such topics as gender relations, rural social networks, landscape memories, and the contested histories of conservation and development interventions. (Counts for HSMT credit) 3 hrs. sem. HIS, SAF, SOC (J. Tropp)
Cross-listed as: HIST 0441 *

BLST 0464 Universities and Slavery in America (Spring 2025)

In this seminar we will explore and compare the different histories of enslavement at schools across the country from colonial times to the present. Some of the questions we will answer include: what was the importance of slavery in the development of higher education? How did people experience enslavement in schools? How did universities perpetuate slavery culture? The class will also consider the emerging debates over reparations and restorative justice and the role of students in these developments across the country. Using our knowledge of other institutions, students will research Middlebury’s place in this history. 3 hrs sem. This course is part of the Public Humanities Labs Initiative administered by the Axinn Center for the Humanities./ AMR, HIS, NOR

BLST 0500 Independent Project (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required)

BLST 0700 Senior Work (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required)

BLST 0710 Senior Thesis Work (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required)
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Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry

I. Majors

Students can elect to major in chemistry, biochemistry, environmental chemistry (joint major), or molecular biology and biochemistry.

II. Course Requirements

Chemistry

MATH 0121*, MATH 0122*, PHYS 0108 or PHYS 0109*, PHYS 0110 or PHYS 0111, CHEM 0103*, CHEM 0104 (or CHEM 0107), CHEM 0203 (or CHEM 0241), CHEM 0204 (or CHEM 0242), CHEM 0311, and either CHEM 0351 or CHEM 0355, and two electives chosen, with an advisor’s approval, from 0200-, 0300- or 0400- courses the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department or GEOL 0323. Independent study courses (CHEM 0400, CHEM 0500, CHEM 0700, or CHEM 0701) cannot count as electives.

Honors in Chemistry

MATH 0121*, MATH 0122*, PHYS 0108 or PHYS 0109*, PHYS 0110 or PHYS 0111, CHEM 0103*, CHEM 0104 (or CHEM 0107), CHEM 0203 (or CHEM 0241), CHEM 204 (or CHEM 0242), CHEM 0311, CHEM 0312, CHEM 0351, CHEM 0355, CHEM 0431, CHEM 0400, CHEM 0701.

Biochemistry

MATH 0121*, MATH 0122*, PHYS 0108 or PHYS 0109*, PHYS 0110 or PHYS 0111, CHEM 0103*,CHEM 0104 (or CHEM 0107), CHEM 0203 (or CHEM 0241), CHEM 204 (or CHEM 0242), CHEM 0313, CHEM 0322, and two electives chosen, with an advisor’s approval, from 0200-,0300- or 0400-level courses in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department or BIOL 0314. Independent study courses (CHEM 0400, CHEM 0500, CHEM 0700, or CHEM 0701) cannot count as electives.

Honors in Biochemistry

MATH 0121*, MATH 0122*, PHYS 0108 or PHYS 0109*, PHYS 0110 or PHYS 0111, CHEM 0103*, CHEM 0104 (or CHEM 0107), CHEM 0203 (or CHEM 0241), CHEM 204 (or CHEM 0242), CHEM 0311, CHEM 0313, CHEM 0322, CHEM 0355, CHEM 0425, CHEM 0400, CHEM 0701.

Environmental Chemistry

See the listing for the Environmental Chemistry focus under the Program in Environmental Studies. 

Molecular Biology and Biochemistry

See Program in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry

*Students may receive credit for courses indicated by an asterisk with a satisfactory score on the advanced placement examination for that subject. Students who have scored a 4 or 5 on the advanced placement examination in chemistry are awarded a course credit for CHEM 0103 and may enroll in CHEM 0107 (strongly encouraged) or CHEM 0104. Students who do not have an AP score of 4 or 5, but have a strong background in chemistry should take the department’s online placement examination to determine if they are prepared for CHEM 0104 or CHEM 0107. Those students who achieve a satisfactory score on the placement examination will be encouraged to register for CHEM 0104 or CHEM 0107, but will not receive credit for CHEM 0103.

III. Independent Research and Senior Thesis Program

Many students participate in independent research (CHEM 0500 or CHEM 0700) or complete senior thesis projects (CHEM 0400 and CHEM 0701). Students who are interested in completing a senior thesis project should meet with their academic advisor for guidance in seeking a research advisor no later than winter term of their junior year. Although required for departmental honors, students may also participate the senior thesis program without pursuing honors and the associated coursework.

IV. Eligibility for Honors in Chemistry or Biochemistry

Students who successfully complete the honors coursework—including the senior thesis program—with a minimum grade point average of 3.20 are awarded departmental honors.  High Honors may be awarded at the discretion of the department and the thesis committee to students who demonstrate exceptional achievement in both the thesis program and departmental course work.

V. Recommended Programs of Study

Several coursework options for students considering chemistry or biochemistry as a major are shown below. Although students may deviate from these guides, it is strongly recommended that all prospective majors complete CHEM 0104 or CHEM 0107 by the end of their first year and the calculus (MATH 0121 and 0122) and physics (PHYS 0108 or PHYS 0109 and 0110 or 0111) courses by the end of their second year. Completing CHEM 0203 as early as possible provides the maximum flexibility both within the major and for other academic interests, including study abroad.

Chemistry 

First Year:
  Fall: CHEM 0103, MATH 0121
  Spring: CHEM 0104, MATH 0122 
  OR
  Fall: CHEM 0104 or CHEM 0107, MATH 0121
  Spring: MATH 0122 (consider CHEM 0203)

Sophomore Year:
  Fall: CHEM 0203, PHYS 0108 or PHYS 0109
  Spring: CHEM 0204, PHYS 0110 or PHYS 0111

Junior Year:
  Fall: CHEM 0311, CHEM 0351*
  Spring: *(OR CHEM 0355)

Senior Year:
  Fall: elective
  Spring: elective

Biochemistry 

First Year:
  Fall: CHEM 0103, MATH 0121
  Spring: CHEM 0104, MATH 0122
  OR
  Fall: CHEM 0104 or CHEM 0107, MATH 0121
  Spring: MATH 0122 (consider CHEM 0203)

Sophomore Year:
  Fall: CHEM 0203, PHYS 0108 or PHYS 0109
  Spring: CHEM 0204, PHYS 0110 or PHYS 0111

Junior Year:
  Fall: CHEM 0322
  Spring: CHEM 0313

Senior Year:
  Fall: elective
  Spring: elective

Chemistry with Honors 

First Year:
  Fall: CHEM 0103, MATH 0121
  Spring: CHEM 0104, MATH 0122
  OR
  Fall: CHEM 0104 or CHEM 0107, MATH 0121
  Spring: MATH 0122 (consider CHEM 0203)

Sophomore Year:
  Fall: CHEM 0203, PHYS 0108 or PHYS 0109
  Spring: CHEM 0204, PHYS 0110 or PHYS 0111

Junior Year:
  Fall: CHEM 0311, CHEM 0351
  Spring: CHEM 0312, CHEM 0355

Senior Year:
  Fall: CHEM 0400, CHEM 0431
  Spring: CHEM 0701

Biochemistry with Honors

First Year:
  Fall: CHEM 0103, MATH 0121
  Spring: CHEM 0104, MATH 0122
  OR
  Fall: CHEM 0104 or CHEM 0107, MATH 0121
  Spring: MATH 0122 (consider CHEM 0203)

Sophomore Year:
  Fall: CHEM 0203, PHYS 0108 or PHYS 0109
  Spring: CHEM 0204, PHYS 0110 or PHYS 0111

Junior Year: 
  Fall: CHEM 0311, CHEM 0322
  Spring: CHEM 0313, CHEM 0355

Senior Year:
  Fall: CHEM 0400, CHEM 0425
  Spring: CHEM 0701

CHEM 0103 General Chemistry I (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Major topics will include atomic theory and atomic structure; chemical bonding; stoichiometry; introduction to chemical thermodynamics. States of matter; solutions and nuclear chemistry. Laboratory work deals with testing of theories by various quantitative methods. Students with strong secondary school preparation are encouraged to consult the department chair for permission to elect CHEM 0104 or CHEM 0107 in place of this course. CHEM 0103 is also an appropriate course for a student with little or no prior preparation in chemistry who would like to learn about basic chemical principles while fulfilling the SCI or DED distribution requirement. 3 hrs. lect., 3 hrs. lab, 1 hr. disc. DED, SCI (Fall 2024: M. Simpson)

CHEM 0104 General Chemistry II (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Major topics include chemical kinetics, chemical equilibrium, acid-base equilibria, chemical thermodynamics, electrochemistry, descriptive inorganic chemistry, and coordination chemistry. Lab work includes inorganic synthesis, qualitative analysis, and quantitative analysis in kinetics, acid-base and redox chemistry. (CHEM 0103 or equivalent) 3 hrs. lect., 3 hrs. lab, 1 hr. disc. DED, SCI (Fall 2024: A. Vasiliou)

CHEM 0203 Organic Chemistry I: Structure and Reactivity (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Fall 2024

Labs for this course will meet every other week. Please note the section text for the lab you choose to note the dates your lab will meet. SCI (L. Repka)

Spring 2025

Organic Chemistry I: Structure and Reactivity
The course will provide students with an introduction to the structure and reactivity of organic molecules sufficient to continue directly to the study of biochemistry (CHEM 0322). Topics covered will include models of chemical bonding, acid-base relationships, three-dimensional molecular structure (conformations and stereochemistry), reaction mechanisms and energy diagrams, substitution and elimination reactions, carbonyl reactions (additions, reductions, interconversions, and alpha-reactivity), and the fundamentals of biological molecules (carbohydrates, DNA, and RNA). Laboratory experiments will relate to purification techniques (recrystallization, distillation, extraction, and chromatography), as well as microscale organic reactions that complement the lecture material. (CHEM 0104 or CHEM 0107) 3 hrs. lect., 3 hrs. lab.
SCI

CHEM 0204 Organic Chemistry II: Synthesis and Spectroscopy (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

In this course we will explore how organic molecules are made and their structures are identified. The study of organic reactions will continue from CHEM 0203 with radical reactions, alkene and alkyne additions, aromatic reactions, oxidations and reductions, and additional carbonyl reactions. Emphasis in this course will be placed on using reactions in sequences to synthesize larger and more complex molecules. The theory and practice of mass spectrometry and UV-Vis, IR, and NMR spectroscopy will be studied as a means to elucidate the exact structures of organic molecules. Laboratory experiments will focus on synthetic techniques that complement the lecture material and the identification of complex unknowns via
GC-MS, IR, and NMR. (CHEM 0203) 3 hrs. lect., 3 hrs. lab.

CHEM 0240 Chemistry of Energy Conversion (Fall 2024)

With global energy use on the rise, it is essential to understand the different energy systems that are currently in place and how they can, or in many cases, cannot meet the world’s future energy demands in a sustainable manner. In this course we will begin with a brief overview on the energy sources themselves: potential energy (hydro), kinetic energy (wind, tidal), thermal energy (geothermal, ocean thermal), radiant energy (solar), chemical energy (oil, coal, gas, biomass), and nuclear energy (uranium, thorium). Once we understand the energy sources, we will apply the tools of inorganic chemistry (simple bonding, symmetry, transition metal chemistry, ligand field theory, and thermodynamics) to explore the larger topic of energy conversion. We will examine how chemistry provides an incredible opportunity when it comes to understanding energy conversion by approaching the problem from the atomic level all the way up to the empirical macroscopic world. Although the path to sustainable energy will be examined primarily through the lens of chemistry, our learning will be placed in the context of political, social economic and environmental goals, which strongly influence future energy production. (CHEM 104 or CHEM 107) SCI

CHEM 0270 Environmental Chemistry & Health (Spring 2025)

In this course we will investigate the relationship between molecular structure and the behavior of chemical pollutants in natural and built environments, the science underlying health effects of toxic exposures, and environmental justice concerns associated with pollutant exposures. Through readings and active problem solving, we will examine the chemistry governing global transport and partitioning of chemicals among soils/sediments, waters, the atmosphere, and biota (including humans), as well as contaminant remediation strategies. We will study foundational principles of environmental toxicology and take a case study approach to identifying patterns of environmental injustice. In the laboratory, we will apply methods for monitoring pollution, understanding pollutant behavior, and assessing toxicity. 3 hrs. lect., 3 hrs. lab (ESCH majors only, others by waiver only.) SCI

CHEM 0311 Instrumental Analysis (Fall 2024)

In this course we will learn fundamental concepts of analytical chemistry, instrumental analysis, and scientific writing. Lecture topics include experimental design and quality control; sample collection and preparation; calibration, error, and data analysis; statistics; and the theory and operation of chemical instrumentation. Multi-week laboratory projects provide hands-on experience in qualitative and quantitative analysis using a variety of research-quality instrumentation (e.g., UV/Vis spectrophotometry, gas chromatography mass spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry). Writing workshops promote professional scientific writing skills through guided practice in writing analysis, peer review, and revision. (CHEM 0204 or CHEM 0242) 3 hr. lect., 6 hrs. lab. CW (M. Costanza-Robinson)

CHEM 0312 Inorganic and Physical Chemistry Laboratory (Spring 2025)

In this course students will carry out experiments in the field of inorganic and physical chemistry and write journal-style reports based on their results. In the first half of the semester students will conduct a multi-step synthesis and characterization of a Mo-Mo complex with a quadruple bond. Students will learn inert atmosphere synthetic techniques and how to use a glove box. The synthesized Mo-Mo complex will be characterized by UV-Vis, IR, 1H and 31P NMR spectroscopies, and cyclic voltammetry. In the second half of the semester students will conduct two physical chemistry experiments. First students will carry out a kinetic study of the isomerization of the Mo-Mo (alpha to beta or beta to alpha) complex by UV-Vis spectroscopy. Finally, students will obtain the high-resolution IR spectra of acetylene and deuterated acetylene and analyze the rotation-vibration spectra using statistical and quantum mechanics to obtain structural data and interpret the peak intensities. In addition to the laboratory activities, there will be lectures on metal quadruple bonds, principles of UV-Vis , IR, 1H and 31P NMR spectroscopies, cyclic voltammetry, and statistical mechanics. (CHEM 0311, CHEM 0351, and CHEM 0355. CHEM 0355 can be taken concurrently.) 3 hrs. lect. 3 hrs. lab

CHEM 0313 Biochemistry Laboratory (Spring 2025)

Experimental biochemistry emphasizing the isolation, purification and characterization of enzymes and the cloning of genes and expression of recombinant protein. Traditional biochemical techniques such as UV-VIS spectroscopy, gel filtration, ion exchange and affinity chromatography, electrophoresis, and immunoblotting will be used in the investigation of several enzymes. Specific experiments will emphasize enzyme purification, enzyme kinetics, and enzyme characterization by biochemical and immunochemical methods. Major techniques in molecular biology will be introduced through an extended experiment that will include DNA purification, polymerase chain reaction, bacterial transformation, DNA sequencing, and the expression, purification, and characterization of the recombinant protein. Class discussions emphasize the underlying principles of the biochemical and molecular techniques employed in the course, and how these experimental tools are improved for particular applications. Laboratory reports stress experimental design, data presentation, and interpretation of results. (CHEM 0322) 2 hr. lect., 6 hrs. lab. CW

CHEM 0322 Biochemistry of Macromolecules (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

This course is an introduction to biochemistry that focuses on the chemical and physical properties of amino acids, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids. Specific topics include the structure and function of proteins, enzyme mechanisms and kinetics, how carbohydrates and lipids contribute to vital cellular and organismal functions, and informational biochemistry (DNA, RNA, and specific enzymes and processes leading to the production of regulatory RNA and proteins). Specific topics from the primary literature will be explored to illustrate how particular techniques and experimental approaches are used to gain a new understanding of biochemistry and molecular biology. (CHEM 0203 or CHEM 0242) 3 hrs. lect., 1 hr. disc. (Fall 2024: B. Cluss)

CHEM 0351 Quantum Chemistry and Spectroscopy (Fall 2024)

Quantum theory is developed and applied to atomic structure and molecular bonding. Spectroscopy is examined as an application of quantum theory. (CHEM 0204 or CHEM 0241, MATH 0122 and PHYS 0110, or by waiver) 3 hrs. lect. (B. Cotts)

CHEM 0355 Thermodynamics and Kinetics for Chemical and Biological Sciences (Spring 2025)

In this course students will learn the central ideas that frame thermodynamics and kinetics. The application of these ideas to chemical, biological, and the environmental processes will be covered using examples such as refrigerators, heat pumps, fuel cells, bioenergetics, lipid membranes, and catalysts (including enzymes). (PHYS 0108 or PHYS 0109 or PHYS 0110 and MATH 0122 and CHEM 0204) 3 hrs lect., 1 hr disc.

CHEM 0400 Seminar in Chemical Research (Fall 2024)

This seminar provides students with experiences to support the preparation of a senior thesis. As the course involves participation in a mentored laboratory project and the intent to complete a senior thesis, students must make arrangements to work with a faculty advisor prior to gaining approval for course registration. The classroom portion of this seminar focuses on reading the scientific literature, giving effective oral presentations, and writing the thesis introduction. Particular emphasis will be given to computer and technology issues related to oral and written presentations. Participation will normally be followed by registration for CHEM 0500 or CHEM 0700 (winter term and spring). (Senior standing; Approval only) 2 hrs. sem., 12 hrs. lab. (L. Repka)

CHEM 0425 Biochemistry of Metabolism (Fall 2024)

A living organism requires thousands of coordinated individual chemical reactions for life. In this course we will survey the major integrated metabolic pathways of living cells and whole organisms, with particular attention to enzyme mechanisms, as well as the regulation, and integration of metabolism from the molecular to the whole organism level. The synthesis and degradation of carbohydrates, amino acids, lipids, and nucleotides are investigated, along with the mechanisms of energy flow and cell-to-cell communication. While common metabolic processes are emphasized, unique aspects of metabolism that permit cells to function in unusual niches will also be considered. Mechanistic and regulatory aspects of metabolic processes will be reinforced through an investigation of inborn errors and organic defects that lead to disease. (CHEM 0322) 3 hrs. lect., 1 hr. disc. (B. Cluss)

CHEM 0500 Independent Study Project (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Individual study for qualified students. (Approval required)

CHEM 0700 Senior Research (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

In this course students complete individual projects involving laboratory research on a topic chosen by the student and a faculty advisor. Prior to registering for CHEM 0700, a student must have discussed and agreed upon a project topic with a faculty member in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department. Attendance at all Chemistry and Biochemistry Department seminars is expected. (Approval required; open only to seniors)

CHEM 0701 Senior Thesis (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Students who have initiated research projects in CHEM 0400 and who plan to complete a senior thesis should register for CHEM 0701. Students are required to write a thesis, give a public presentation, and defend their thesis before a committee of at least three faculty members. The final grade will be determined by the department. Attendance at all Chemistry and Biochemistry Department seminars is expected. (CHEM 0400; approval required)
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Greenberg-Starr Department of Chinese Language & Literature

Required for the Major

  • CHNS 0101 through CHNS 0302 (or equivalent)
  • Four additional courses from among: CHNS 0219, CHNS 0220, CHNS/GSFS 0240, CHNS/FMMC 0250, CHNS/LNGT 0270, CHNS 0325, CHNS/GSFS 0331, CHNS 0340, CHNS 0350, CHNS 0370 (At least one of the four must be in pre-modern literature and at least one must be in modern literature or culture).
  • CHNS 0411 (The equivalent may be taken during study abroad)
  • CHNS 0425, CHNS 0426, or CHNS 0412 (the equivalent to CHNS 0412 may be taken at the Middlebury Chinese School, or during study abroad)
  • CHNS 0475
  • Either CHNS 0700 or CHNS 0701 and CHNS 0702

Senior Work

Full majors in Chinese are required to complete either CHNS 0701 and CHNS 0702 (Senior Honors Thesis) or CHNS 0700 (Senior Essay or Translation Project). CHNS 0701 and CHNS 0702 is a one-semester plus J-term sequence that should normally be taken during the fall and J-term. CHNS 0700 is a one-semester course that may be taken during the fall or winter. The Chinese department discourages students from postponing completion of senior work until the final semester of full-time study.

Joint majors in Chinese are encouraged but not required to do a senior thesis (CHNS 0701 and CHNS 0702) or project (CHNS 0700). A joint thesis or project should, when feasible, combine the two fields of study of the joint major.

All senior work, whether CHNS 0700 or CHNS 0701 and CHNS 0702, must include a major focus on work with primary sources in Chinese. All senior work should focus on Chinese literature; qualified students may petition the Chair for permission to do senior work on other aspects of Chinese culture (e.g., film or linguistics).

Senior Honors Thesis

To be eligible for the CHNS 0701 and CHNS 0702 Senior Honors Thesis, students majoring in Chinese (full, double or joint) must have completed language study through at least CHNS 0302 (or equivalent), taken at least two Chinese literature/culture courses, and maintained an average of B+ or better in Chinese department courses. Complete guidelines for the completion of the CHNS 0701 and CHNS 0702 thesis (and the CHNS 0700 project) are available from the Chinese Department.

Departmental Honors

Both full and joint majors may qualify for honors. Eligibility for departmental honors in Chinese requires completion of a senior honors thesis graded B+ or better and a grade point average of B+ (3.35) or higher in all courses taken that satisfy or could potentially satisfy the requirements for the major as listed above (full) and below (joint), including courses taken in the summer in the Chinese School and/or during study abroad. Only courses that satisfy or could potentially satisfy major requirements count toward honors (i.e., courses taken abroad that do not fall into this category do not count) and all such courses count (e.g., if more than four courses toward major requirement {b} are taken, all count). The department may award honors for completion of an exceptionally impressive senior essay or translation project that is graded A if the student has an average of B+ or higher in all qualifying courses (as defined above). High honors will be awarded for a grade point average of 3.5 or higher in all qualifying courses (as define above) and a senior thesis of A- or better. Highest honors are reserved for students who earn a grade of A on the senior thesis and who have an average of 3.75 or higher in all qualifying courses (as defined above).

Required for the Joint Major

  • CHNS 0101 through CHNS 0302 (or equivalent);
  • Either CHNS 0411 (the equivalent may be taken in the summer at the Middlebury Chinese School or, with prior approval, during study abroad) or CHNS 0425;
  • Four additional courses from among the following, with at least one from each category: (A) CHNS 0219, CHNS 0220, CHNS/GSFS 0240, CHNS/FMMC 0250, CHNS/LNGT 0270, CHNS 0325, CHNS/GSFS 0331, CHNS 0340, CHNS 0350, CHNS 0370; (B) CHNS 0411, CHNS 0412, CHNS 0425, CHNS 0426, CHNS 0475.

Required for the Minor

  • Four courses from among CHNS 0101 or CHNS 0102 (not both), CHNS 0103, CHNS 0201, CHNS 0202, CHNS 0301, CHNS 0302, CHNS 0400, CHNS 0411, CHNS 0412, CHNS 0425, CHNS 0426, and CHNS 0475 (in this way, all students increase their language proficiency, regardless of the level at which they start their study).
  • Plus three courses from among CHNS 0219, CHNS 0220, CHNS 0250, CHNS 0270, CHNS 0325, CHNS 0331 (formally CHNS 0330), CHNS 0340, CHNS 0350, CHNS 0370, CHNS 0411, CHNS 0412, CHNS 0425, CHNS 0426, and CHNS 0475. One course must be in literature in either Chinese or English (the following are literature courses: CHNS 0219, CHNS 0220, CHNS 0325, CHNS 0331 (formally CHNS 0330), CHNS 0340, CHNS 0370, CHNS 0412, and CHNS 0475).
  • A single course may be counted toward only one category.
  • The equivalent of CHNS 0411 and/or CHNS 0412 may be taken abroad. A “one-on-one” course in literature or culture taken abroad may count toward the second category if approved by the Department Chair before study abroad. No other courses taken abroad may be counted toward the second category.

International and Global Studies Major with Chinese Language

Along with other required courses and senior work as described in the International and Global Studies major section, the Chinese language component of an IGS major requires completion of the following: 1) completion of CHNS 0202 or the equivalent (students are strongly encouraged to complete CHNS 0302 or the equivalent before study abroad, preferably in the summer Chinese School); 2) one semester at one of the three C.V. Starr-Middlebury College Schools in China; 3) upon return from China, any one, preferably two, of the following: CHNS 0411, 0412, 0425, 0426, or 0475.

CHNS 0101 Beginning Chinese (Fall 2024)

This course is an introduction to Mandarin (guoyu or putonghua). The course begins with simple words and phrases, the pronunciation and cadences of Mandarin, romanization, Chinese characters, and simple vocabulary items, all taught in the context of practical communication. Sentence patterns and other fundamentals of speaking, reading, and writing will be taught, including both traditional characters (used everywhere before the 1950s and still used in Taiwan and Hong Kong) and simplified characters (used in China). Students should have achieved active command of more than 600 Chinese characters and more than 800 compounds by the end of the sequence CHNS 0101, CHNS 0102, and CHNS 0103. 5 hrs. lect., 1 hr. drill LNG (H. Du, M. Harris)

CHNS 0103 Beginning Chinese (Spring 2025)

This course is a continuation of the fall and winter terms with accelerated introduction of vocabulary, grammar, and sentence patterns designed to facilitate speaking and reading. Toward the end of this semester students will read Huarshang de meiren (Lady in the Painting), a short book written entirely in Chinese. (CHNS 0102 or equivalent) 5 hrs. lect., 1 hr. drill LNG

CHNS 0201 Intermediate Chinese (Fall 2024)

This course is designed to enable the student to converse in everyday Chinese and to read simple texts in Chinese (both traditional and simplified characters). Discussion of assigned readings will be conducted primarily in Chinese. Familiarity with the vocabulary and grammar introduced in CHNS 0101, CHNS 0102, and CHNS 0103 is assumed. Grammatical explanations, written exercises, dictation quizzes, sentence patterns, oral drill, and online video and audio will accompany assignments. By the completion of CHNS 0202, which follows CHNS 0201 directly, students should be able to read and write approximately 1,200 characters. (CHNS 0103 or equivalent) 5 hrs. lect., 1 hr. drill LNG (C. Wiebe, K. Zhang)

CHNS 0202 Intermediate Chinese (Spring 2025)

This course is a continuation of the first term's work, with the class conducted primarily in Chinese. (CHNS 0201 or equivalent) 5 hrs. lect., 1 hr. drill LNG

CHNS 0219 The Chinese Literary Tradition (in translation) (Fall 2024)

This course, an introduction to the works of literature that formed the basis of traditional Chinese culture, is a discussion-based seminar. It focuses first on texts written in classical Chinese from the earliest times up through the Song dynasty, including selections from early poetry and history, Daoist classics, stories of the strange, and Tang Dynasty poetry by Wang Wei, Li Bai and Du Fu. These texts shaped the traditional Chinese understanding of the world, and provided models of what was perceived to be powerful, beautiful language. In the second part of the course we will explore narratives written in the vernacular language, focusing on the literary significance and aesthetic value of drama, stories and novels long treasured by the Chinese. Students will gain a better understanding of traditional Chinese literary values, as well as Chinese society and worldviews. (No background in Chinese culture or language needed.) 3 hrs. lect./disc. CW, LIT, NOA (C. Wiebe)

CHNS 0220 Modern China through Literature (in translation) (Spring 2025)

This course, taught in English, is a discussion-based seminar on some of the most significant works of short fiction, novellas, and novels that tell the story of China and the Chinese from the end of the Qing dynasty to the present. Students will gain a better understanding of the history of modern China by studying the works of literature that inspired readers and provoked debate during one hundred years of social reform, revolution, war, civil war, reconstruction, cultural revolution, cultural revival, and economic growth. Our reading will include work by authors such as Lu Xun (Diary of a Madman, 1918), Zhang Ailing (Love in a Fallen City, 1944), Ah Cheng (The Chess King, 1984), Yu Hua (To Live, 1993), and, from Taiwan, Zhu Tianwen (Notes of a Desolate Man, 1999). We will consider the mainstream (socially engaged realism), the avant-garde (varieties of modernism), and popular genres (romance and martial arts), and we will look for answers to the following questions: what has been the place of fiction in China in the modern era and what vision of modern China do we find in its fiction? (No prerequisites) 3 hrs. lect./disc. LIT, NOA

CHNS 0240 The Literature of the PRC (Spring 2025)

The Literature of the People's Republic of China (in English)
In this course we will read a selection of significant short stories, novels, and plays published in the People’s Republic of China from its founding in 1949 to the present. We will begin with a look at the Maoist period and then study fiction and nonfiction that reflects on the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), experimental fiction, literary responses to the events of June 4, 1989, popular literature, environmental literature, women’s writing, stories from or about Tibet and Xinjiang, and science fiction. This is a College Writing course, and each student will write a draft and final version of a research paper, an analytical essay, and a creative work or translation. 3 hrs. lect. (This course will be taught in English)
CW, LIT, NOA

CHNS 0250 Chinese Cinema (Fall 2024)

This course, taught in English, surveys the history of movies in China since the 1930s and also offers an in-depth look at the work of: China's fifth-generation directors of the 1980s and their successors up to the present; Taiwan's new wave; and Hong Kong popular cinema, including martial arts film. Our focus is the screening and discussion of films such as The Goddess (a 1934 silent classic), Stage Sisters (1965; directed by the influential Xie Jin), the controversial Yellow Earth (1984), In the Heat of the Sun (a 1994 break with the conventional representation of the Cultural Revolution), Yang Dechang's masterpiece A One and a Two (2000), and Still Life (Jia Zhangke's 2006 meditation on displacement near the Three Gorges Dam). The course is designed to help students understand the place of cinema in Chinese culture and develop the analytical tools necessary for the informed viewing and study of Chinese film. We will look at everything from art film, to underground film, to recent box office hits. (No prerequisites) One evening film screening per week. 3 hrs. lect./disc. ART, CW, NOA (C. Wang)

CHNS 0253 Hong Kong Cinema (Spring 2025)

In this course we will survey Hong Kong films from the post-war period to the present. We explore the themes, styles, genres, directors, the star system, and audiences and discuss how Hong Kong cinema, as one of the largest and most dynamic motion picture industries in the world, expresses the region’s complex, hybrid, and fluid cultural identity in the context of coloniality and transnationalism. ART, NOA
Cross-listed as: FMMC 0253

CHNS 0270 Chinese Sociolinguistics (taught in English) (Spring 2025)

Sociolinguistics is mainly concerned with the interaction of language and society. The language situation in China is unique both in the modern world and in human history. We will gain a good understanding of sociolinguistics as a scientific field of inquiry through exploring the Chinese situation in this course. Some of the questions we will ask are: What is Mandarin (Modern Standard) Chinese? Who are "native speakers" of Mandarin? Are most Chinese people monolingual (speaking only one language) or bilingual (speaking two languages) or even multilingual? How many "dialects" are there in China? What is the difference between a "language" and a "dialect"? Are Chinese characters "ideographs", i.e., "pictures" that directly represent meaning and have nothing to do with sound? Why has the pinyin romanization system officially adopted in the 1950s never supplanted the Chinese characters? Why are there traditional and simplified characters? We will also explore topics such as power, register, verbal courtesy, gender and language use. Students are encouraged to compare the Chinese situation with societies that they are familiar with. 3 hrs. lect/disc (One semester of Chinese language study or by waiver) NOA, SOC
Cross-listed as: LNGT 0270

CHNS 0301 Advanced Chinese (Modern Chinese) (Fall 2024)

This course aims at further development of overall language proficiency through extensive reading of selected texts representing a wide variety of subjects and styles. Classes will be conducted entirely in Chinese except for occasional recourse to English by the instructor to provide a quick solution to problems of definition. The main text will be All Things Considered with supplementary readings selected to help students both continue to work toward competence in conversational Chinese and also begin to master a more sophisticated register of language. (CHNS 0202 or equivalent) 4 hrs. lect. LNG (C. Wang, M. Harris)

CHNS 0350 Documentary Film in Contemporary China (Spring 2025)

In China since the 1980s, new political and socio-economic realities, along with new technologies, created conditions for the emergence of the New Documentary Movement, the collective achievement of a group of artists with new ideas about what the form and function of nonfiction film should be. We will screen and discuss select contemporary Chinese documentary films, place these films in the context of global documentary film history, and learn methods for the analysis of nonfiction film. We will “read” each film closely, and also study secondary sources to learn about the Chinese realities that each film documents. 3 hrs. lect./screening ART, NOA
Cross-listed as: FMMC 0350

CHNS 0411 Classical Chinese I (in Chinese) (Fall 2024)

This course is an introduction to wenyan, the written language of traditional China. In this course we will emphasize comprehension of the literal and metaphorical meanings of short wenyan texts. Our approach will include grammatical analysis and baihua translation (i.e., from the Classical Chinese into modern Chinese); discussion will be conducted entirely in baihua. This course begins the two-semester sequence of Classical Chinese, which not only introduces students to wenyan but also provides a vital learning experience for any student seeking to attain a high level of linguistic and cultural proficiency in Chinese, including modern written discourse. (CHNS 0302 or the equivalent) 3 hrs. lect. LNG (K. Zhang)

CHNS 0412 Classical Chinese II (in Chinese) (Spring 2025)

A continuation of CHNS 0411. In this course students will read a wide selection of wenyan texts that sample the classics of ancient Chinese thought, including Confucius' Analects, the Daoist texts Laozi and Zhuangzi, Mohist arguments against war, Sunzi's The Art of War, and Legalist writings on law. Students will also learn to punctuate wenyan texts (which were originally unpunctuated) and compose sentences or short paragraphs in wenyan. All class discussion will be conducted in modern Chinese. (CHNS 0411 or the equivalent) 3 hrs. lect. LNG

CHNS 0425 Contemporary Social Issues in China: Advanced Readings (in Chinese) (Fall 2024)

A survey of materials written in modern expository Chinese (academic, journalistic and polemical) that focus on the cultural, political, economic, and social issues of contemporary China. This advanced readings course is designed primarily for seniors who have already spent a semester or more studying and living in China or Taiwan. Emphasis will be given to further developing students' ability to read, analyze, and discuss complex issues in Mandarin while also advancing proficiency in writing and in oral comprehension. Oral reports and written compositions will be integral to the course's requirements. (Approval Required) 3 hrs. lect. LNG, NOA (H. Du)

CHNS 0475 Senior Seminar on Modern Chinese Literature (in Chinese) (Spring 2025)

A capstone course for all Chinese majors and for others who have attained a high level of Chinese language proficiency. Students will read and critique works by major Chinese fiction writers (and sometimes playwrights) and may also see and discuss a film or films from mainland China, Hong Kong, and/or Taiwan. All reading, discussion, and critical writing will be in Chinese. (CHNS 0412 or CHNS 0425) 3 hrs. lect. LIT, LNG, NOA

CHNS 0500 Senior Essay (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required)

CHNS 0700 Senior Thesis (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval required)

CHNS 0701 Senior Thesis Proposal (Fall 2024)

(Approval Required)

CHNS 0702 Senior Thesis (Spring 2025)

(Approval required). WTR
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Eve Adler Department of Classics and Program in Classical Studies

Required for the Major in Classics

  • Ten courses in two languages: Greek and Latin (normally six in one language and four in the other) including one senior seminar (CLAS 0420).
  • CLAS 0150 Ancient Epic Poetry
  • Two additional courses in classics in translation, one from each of the following categories:
    • CLAS/HIST 0131 Archaic and Classical Greece or CLAS 0151 Introduction to Ancient Greek Literature or CLAS 0152 Greek Tragedy or CLAS 0190 Greek and Roman Comedy or CLAS/RELI 0251 Greek Religion or CLAS/PHIL 0275 Greek Philosophy: The Problem of Socrates
    • CLAS/HIST 0132 History of Rome or CLAS 0140 Augustus and the World of Rome or CLAS 0143 The Rise and Fall of the Roman Republic or CLAS 0144 Literature of the Roman Empire or CLAS 0190 Greek and Roman Comedy or CLAS/PHIL 0276 Roman Philosophy
  • CLAS 0701 History of Classical Literature: General Examination for Classics/Classical Studies Majors (Reading List)

Optional: CLAS 0700 Senior Essay (fall/winter or winter/spring), CLAS 0505 Independent Senior Project (fall or spring). (Note: Students who wish to do an optional senior essay or independent senior project must secure the sponsorship of a member of the classics department in the semester before the essay or project is to be undertaken.)

Honors: B+ average or better in courses taken for the major (excluding senior work). B+ or better in the General Examination (CLAS 0701) and in the Senior Seminar (CLAS 0420). (Note: A student who does an optional senior essay or independent senior project may arrange with the chair, in the semester prior to undertaking the project, to offer that grade in lieu of the grade for CLAS 0420 for the calculation of departmental honors.)

Joint Major: Students interested in a joint major in Classics and another discipline should consult the chair. The joint major in Classics typically requires ten courses in Greek and Latin (normally six in one language and four in the other); CLAS 0701, and senior work that combines Classics with the other major.

Required for the Minor in Classics

The minor in classics may be configured in one of the following four ways:

  1. Latin CLLA: Five courses in Latin
  2. Greek CLGR: Five courses in Greek
  3. Classical Civilization CLCC: Five courses, as follows: three or more courses chosen from    CLAS/HIST 0131, CLAS/HIST 0132, CLAS 0140, CLAS 0143, CLAS 0144, CLAS 0149, CLAS0150, CLAS 0151, CLAS 0152, CLAS 0190, CLAS/LITP 0230, CLAS/RELI 0262, CLAS/PHIL 0275, CLAS/PHIL 0276, CLAS 0321 CLAS/HIST 0331, CLAS/HIST 0332, or CLAS/HIST 0337; and CLAS 0420 or CLAS 0450 (or both).
  4. Classical Language and Civilization CLCL: Five courses, as follows: two or more courses in Latin or Greek; one or more courses chosen from CLAS/HIST 0131, CLAS/HIST 0132, CLAS 0140, CLAS 0143, CLAS 0144, CLAS 0149, CLAS/CMLT 0150, CLAS 0151, CLAS 0152, CLAS/CMLT 0190, CLAS/LITP 0230, CLAS/RELI 0251, CLAS/PHIL 0275 or CLAS 0276; and one or more courses chosen from CLAS 0321, CLAS/HIST 0331, CLAS/HIST 0332, CLAS/HIST 0337, CLAS 0420, or CLAS/CMLT 0450.

AP credit policy: One course credit toward graduation, not toward the major or minor, will be granted for one AP exam in Latin under the following conditions: a) The student has received a grade of 4 or 5 on the AP exam, and b) The student has completed an advanced course (LATN 0201 or above) in Latin at Middlebury with a grade of B+ or above. (Note: No more than one course credit will be granted, whether the student presents one or two AP exams.)

Study Abroad Guidelines: Study abroad in the Mediterranean can enrich our majors’ experience of the ancient world, because it affords them the opportunity to see the places that they have been learning about in the classroom. Students also find it stimulating to be surrounded by people with similar interests from other institutions. Thus, while our curriculum does not in any way necessitate study abroad, the faculty is happy to work with students who wish to pursue it as part of their Middlebury degree in classics or classical studies.

For those students who want to go abroad, we strongly recommend a semester rather than a year. The three programs we endorse are the ICCS (the Inter-Collegiate Consortium for Classical Studies in Rome), CYA (College Year in Athens), and Arcadia (also in Athens), all of which offer semester-long programs. Admission to the ICCS in particular, however, is highly competitive, and students may have a compelling academic rationale for studying elsewhere. Accordingly, we have also approved students who wished to study for a semester at foreign universities with strong classics departments. These have included Trinity College Dublin, the University of Edinburgh, Cambridge University, and the University of Vienna. For some students, a rewarding alternative to study abroad during the academic year has been participation in a summertime archaeological excavation.

We discourage students from going abroad before they have had at least three semesters of whichever ancient language(s) they are learning. As part of their program of study abroad, students normally take at least one course in each ancient language of study, and select additional courses that are appropriate substitutes for courses in the major. In order to be fully prepared for senior work, however, students will need to have completed a significant portion of the courses required for the major, in particular CLAS 0150, before going abroad.

Generally speaking, we are as flexible as we can be in helping majors to identify courses in programs abroad that allow them to stay in step with their cohort in Middlebury and to be prepared for senior work. Unless we are familiar with the institution, the instruction, and the content of the courses, we rarely grant credit to non-majors for classics courses taken away from Middlebury. In all cases (majors, non-majors, potential majors, and minors), students must consult with a member of the classics department before leaving Middlebury to plan and receive approval for work done at other institutions.

Required for the Major in Classical Studies

  • The following:
    • CLAS/CMLT 0150 Ancient Epic Poetry
    • CLAS/HIST 0131 Archaic and Classical Greece or CLAS 0151 Introduction to Ancient Greek Literature or CLAS 0152 Greek Tragedy or CLAS/CMLT 0190 Greek and Roman Comedy or CLAS/PHIL 0275 Greek Philosophy: The Problem of Socrates
    • CLAS/HIST 0132 History of Rome or CLAS 0140 Augustus and the World of Rome or CLAS 0143 The Rise and Fall of the Roman Republic or CLAS 0144 Literature of the Roman Empire or CLAS 0190 Greek and Roman Comedy or CLAS/PHIL 0276 Roman Philosophy
  • Three additional courses in Classical Studies chosen from the following:
    • CLAS/HIST 0131 Archaic and Classical Greece
    • CLAS/HIST 0132 History of Rome
    • CLAS 0140 Augustus and the World of Rome
    • CLAS 0143 The Rise and Fall of the Roman Republic
    • CLAS 0144 Literature of the Roman Empire
    • CLAS 0149 Rhetoric and Politics from Ancient Greece and Rome to the Present
    • CLAS 0151 Introduction to Ancient Greek Literature
    • CLAS 0152 Greek Tragedy
    • CLAS/CMLT 0190 Greek and Roman Comedy
    • CLAS/LITS 0230 Myth and Contemporary Experience
    • CLAS/HARC 0234 Ancient Roman City: Pompeii and Beyond
    • CLAS/HARC 0236 Cities of Vesuvius
    • CLAS/RELI 0251 Greek Religion
    • CLAS/PHIL 0275 Greek Philosophy: The Problem of Socrates
    • CLAS/PHIL 0276 Roman Philosophy
    • CLAS 0321 Apocalypse When?
    • CLAS/HIST 0331 Sparta and Athens
    • CLAS/HIST 0332 Roman Law
    • CLAS/HIST 0337 From Alexander to Rome
    • HARC 0213 Roman Art and Architecture
    • HARC 0221 Greek Art and Archaeology
    • HARC 0223 The Classical Tradition in Architecture: A History
    • HARC 0312 Of Gods, Mortals, and Myths: Greek and Roman Painting
    • HARC 0320 Hands-on Archaeology: Theory and Practice
    • MATH 0261 History of Mathematics
    • PHIL 0201 Ancient Greek Philosophy
    • PHIL 0302 Philosophy of Plato
    • PHIL 0303 Philosophy of Aristotle
    • RELI 0381/CLAS 0308 Seminar in the New Testament
    • PSCI 0101 Introduction to Political Science
    • PSCI 0317 Ancient and Medieval Political Philosophy
    • PSCI 0409 Seminar in Political Philosophy
    • RELI 0290 Women and the Sacred in Late Antiquity and Byzantium
  • Four courses in Greek or four courses in Latin chosen from:
    • GREK 0101 Beginning Greek I
    • GREK 0102 Beginning Greek II
    • GREK 0201 Intermediate Greek: Prose
    • GREK 0202 Intermediate Greek: Poetry
    • GREK 0301 Readings in Greek Literature I
    • GREK 0302 Readings in Greek Literature II
    • GREK 0401 Advanced Readings in Greek Literature I
    • GREK 0402 Advanced Readings in Greek Literature II
    • LATN 0101 Beginning Latin I
    • LATN 0102 Beginning Latin II
    • LATN 0110 Introduction to College Latin
    • LATN 0201 Intermediate Latin: Prose
    • LATN 0202 Intermediate Latin: Poetry
    • LATN 0301 Readings in Latin Literature I
    • LATN 0302 Readings in Latin Literature II
    • LATN 0401 Advanced Readings in Latin I
    • LATN 0402 Advanced Readings in Latin II
  • CLAS 0420 Seminar in Classical Literature
  • CLAS 0701 History of Classical Literature: General Examination for Classics/Classical Studies Majors (Reading List)

Optional: CLAS 0700 Senior Essay (fall/ winter/spring); CLAS 0500 Independent Senior Project (fall/winter/spring). (Note: Students who wish to do an optional senior essay or independent senior project must secure the sponsorship of a member of the classics department in the semester before the essay or project is to be undertaken.)

For complete descriptions of the courses listed above, see listings under the appropriate departments.

Honors: B+ average or better in courses taken for the major (excluding senior work). B+ or better in the General Examination (CLAS 0701) and in the Senior Seminar (CLAS 0420). (Note: A student who does an optional senior essay or independent senior project may arrange with the chair, in the semester prior to undertaking the project, to offer that grade in lieu of the grade for CLAS 0420 for the calculation of departmental honors.)

Joint Major: Students interested in a joint major in Classical Studies and another discipline should consult the chair. The joint major in Classical Studies typically requires four semesters of either Greek or Latin; CLAS 0150; one course from section A2 and one course from A3 under the requirements for the major; CLAS 0701, and senior work that combines Classical Studies with the other major.

CLAS 0131 Archaic and Classical Greece (Fall 2024)

A survey of Greek history from Homer to the Hellenistic period, based primarily on a close reading of ancient sources in translation. The course covers the emergence of the polis in the Dark Age, colonization and tyranny, the birth of democracy, the Persian Wars, the interdependence of democracy and Athenian imperialism, the Peloponnesian War, and the rise of Macedon. Authors read include Herodotus, Thucydides, Aristophanes, Plutarch, Xenophon, and the Greek orators. 2 hrs. lect., 1 hr. disc. EUR, HIS, LIT (J. Chaplin)
Cross-listed as: HIST 0131

CLAS 0143 The Rise and Fall of the Roman Republic (Fall 2024)

This course is an introduction to the literature, politics, culture and history of the Roman Republic (c.509-31BCE) - a period which saw Rome grow from a small city on the Tiber to the supreme power in the Mediterranean, and also saw the development of Latin literature. Our readings cover a broad variety of literary genres and authors: comedy (Plautus and Terence), lyric (Catullus), epic (Ennius), political speeches and letters (Cicero), history (Caesar, Sallust, Polybius), and didactic philosophy (Lucretius). As we read we will be careful to investigate how these texts present different and often conflicting ideas of what it means to be Roman, as well as how different ideologies of Rome compete throughout each work. 3 hrs. lect. EUR, HIS, LIT (C. Star)

CLAS 0150 Greek and Roman Epic Poetry (Fall 2024)

Would Achilles and Hector have risked their lives and sacred honor had they understood human life and the Olympian gods as Homer portrays them in the Iliad? Why do those gods decide to withdraw from men altogether following the Trojan War, and why is Odysseus the man Athena chooses to help her carry out that project? And why, according to the Roman poet Vergil, do these gods command Aeneas, a defeated Trojan, to found an Italian town that will ultimately conquer the Greek cities that conquered Troy, replacing the Greek polis with a universal empire that will end all wars of human freedom? Through close study of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, and Vergil's Aeneid, we explore how the epic tradition helped shape Greece and Rome, and define their contributions to European civilization. 3 hrs. lect., 1 hr. disc. CMP, CW (8 seats), EUR, LIT, PHL (R. Ganiban)
Cross-listed as: CMLT 0150

CLAS 0190 Greek and Roman Comedy (Spring 2025)

A survey of the comic playwrights of Greece (Aristophanes and Menander) and Rome (Plautus and Terence) in light of their ancient social, political, and religious contexts as well as modern theoretical approaches to laughter (including psychoanalysis and structural anthropology). We will trace enduring aspects of the comic tradition that can be found in both Greece and Rome and also look forward to Renaissance and modern comedy. These include: the nature of the comic hero; the patterns of comic plots; the dependence of comedy on language; the comic poet's concern with questions of freedom and slavery, desire and repression. 3 hrs. lect., 1 hr. disc. EUR, LIT

CLAS 0249 How to Win the Argument: Rhetoric and Democracy (Fall 2024)

Arguments shape the progress of free society. From "Four score and seven" to "never surrender," to "I have a dream," we celebrate the power of rhetoric to motivate political action. Yet rhetoric can mislead as well, and its techniques appear to involve a form of manipulation. In this class, we will examine the "arts" of rhetoric, and the philosophical debates surrounding the role of rhetoric in politics. Readings include political speeches (Lincoln, Churchill, King), plays (Aristophanes, Shakespeare), ancient philosophies of rhetoric (Plato, Aristotle), and modern theories of speech and "public reason" (Mill, Rawls). We will prepare and practice public speech-making in class, and we will compose and revise our own analytical and rhetorical prose. CW, EUR, SOC (D. Fram)
Cross-listed as: PSCI 0249 *

CLAS 0321 Apocalypse When? Reason and Revelation in the Ancient World (Spring 2025)

Apocalypse: why does this word, originally meaning “revelation,” hold such power today? In this class we will investigate the origins of apocalyptic and eschatological thought in order to understand Greek, Roman, Jewish, and Christian ideas about the end of the world in their historical context and to see how they shape contemporary visions of the end. We will read and discuss a wide range of texts, including Hesiod, Plato, Lucretius, Cicero, Seneca, and Daniel and Revelation from the Bible. The ways in which globalization and political leaders have shaped apocalyptic thought from ancient times to today will be an area of particular focus. 3 hrs. lect. CMP, EUR, PHL

CLAS 0331 Sparta and Athens (Spring 2025)

For over 200 years, Athens and Sparta were recognized as the most powerful Greek city-states, and yet one was a democracy (Athens), the other an oligarchy (Sparta). One promoted the free and open exchange of ideas (Athens); one tried to remain closed to outside influence (Sparta). This course studies the two city-states from the myths of their origins through their respective periods of hegemony to their decline as imperial powers. The goal is to understand the interaction between political success and intellectual and cultural development in ancient Greece. 2 hrs. lect., 1 hr. disc. CMP, EUR, HIS, LIT
Cross-listed as: HIST 0331

CLAS 0420 Seminar in Classical Literature: Roman Epic (Spring 2025)

Vergil’s Aeneid exerted a profound influence on all Latin poetry that followed. This seminar will examine the epic tradition after -- and in response to -- Vergil. We will explore defining aspects of post-Vergilian epic such as its obsession with evil, fascination with familial and civil violence, subversion of the gods, and political engagement. Readings will concentrate on poems such as Lucan’s Civil War, Statius’ Thebaid and Achilleid, Valerius Flaccus’ Argonautica (a.k.a. Jason and the Argonauts), and Silius’ Punic Wars. We will also examine the major trends in scholarly literature on these poems. 3 hrs. sem. CMP, EUR, HIS, LIT

CLAS 0450 History of Classical Literature (Fall 2024)

A comprehensive overview of the major literary, historical, and philosophical works of Greece and Rome. Greek authors studied include Homer, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Herodotus, Aristophanes, Thucydides, Plato, and Aristotle. Roman authors include Lucretius, Cicero, Livy, Vergil, Petronius, and Tacitus. Required of senior majors in Classics/Classical Studies (see CLAS 0701 below) and open to all interested students with some background in Greek and Roman literature, history, or philosophy. (By approval) 3 hrs. lect. (P. Sfyroeras)
Cross-listed as: CMLT 0450

CLAS 0500 Independent Study (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval required)

CLAS 0505 Ind Senior Project (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required) (J. Chaplin, R. Ganiban, P. Sfyroeras, C. Star)

CLAS 0700 Senior Essay for Classics/Classical Studies Majors (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval required)

CLAS 0701 History of Classical Literature (Fall 2024)

A comprehensive overview of the major literary, historical, and philosophical works of Greece and Rome. Greek authors studied include Homer, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Herodotus, Aristophanes, Thucydides, Plato, and Aristotle. Roman authors include Lucretius, Cicero, Livy, Vergil, Petronius, and Tacitus. Required of senior majors in Classics/Classical Studies and open to all interested students with some background in Greek and Roman literature, history, or philosophy. 3 hrs. lect. (P. Sfyroeras)

GREK 0201 Intermediate Greek: Prose (Fall 2024)

Intermediate Greek: Attic Prose-Lysias & Plato *
Readings in major authors. 3 hrs. lect.
EUR, LNG (C. Star)

GREK 0202 Intermediate Greek (Spring 2025)

Students should have had some formal study of Greek and should consult with the instructor during the first week of classes to determine whether or not the class is at the appropriate level. Readings in major authors. 3 hrs. lect. EUR, LNG

GREK 0401 Advanced Readings in Greek Literature: Homer's /Iliad/ (Fall 2024)

Readings in major authors. 3 hrs. lect. (P. Sfyroeras)

GREK 0402 Advanced Readings in Greek Literature II: Greek Cosmology–Hesiod and Plato (Spring 2025)

Readings in major authors. 3 hrs. lect.

LATN 0102 Beginning Latin II (Spring 2025)

This course is a continuation of the introductory winter term course (LATN 0101). After completing the fundamentals of Latin grammar, students translate selections from authors such as Cicero and Ovid. 3 hrs. lect. LNG

LATN 0301 Readings in Latin Literature I (Fall 2024)

Students should have had some formal study of Latin and should consult with the instructor during the first week of classes to determine whether or not the class is at the appropriate level. Readings in major authors. 3 hrs. lect. LIT, LNG (R. Ganiban)

LATN 0302 Readings Latin Literature II (Spring 2025)

Readings in Latin Literature II: Vergil’s Aeneid*
Readings in major authors. 3 hrs. lect.

LATN 0501 Advanced Readings in Latin III (Fall 2024)

Readings in major authors. Students should have had some formal study of Latin and should consult with the instructor during the first week of classes to determine whether or not the class is at the appropriate level. 3 hrs lect. (J. Chaplin)
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Program in Comparative Literature

During their course of study, students of Comparative Literature will also become familiar with current comparative methodologies as well as relevant cultural and critical theories. These methodological skills support students’ work as they pursue a flexible and individualized pathway through their program of study, which culminates in an article-length comparative essay. The program is designed to accommodate students at all levels of language proficiency.

Majors in Comparative Literature will develop a plan of study with the guidance of a faculty advisor with expertise in the students chosen primary language and literature, and the Director of the Comparative Literature Program.

The basic structure of the program is as follows:

1. One primary language of study AND

2. Four courses in a secondary language. Students’ first language cannot be their primary language, but it can be their secondary language.  For example, English cannot be the primary language of a student whose first language is English, but it can be the secondary language.

Requirements

  1. CMLT 0101
  2. Three content courses in the primary language, including two literary classes and one cultural course (e.g. cinema, politics). The choice of particular classes requires the approval of the student’s primary language advisor and the Program Director. Students will also need approval for inclusion of study abroad classes in this category.  In the case of students whose primary language is Arabic, Chinese, Russian, or Japanese, some of these three content courses MAY be taught in English, depending on the availability of suitable courses in the language.
  3. Four courses in a secondary language. If the secondary language is English, at least one course must be pre 1800.
  4. One course in literary theory (suggested for sophomore year), for example ENAM/CMLT 205.
  5. Study abroad, in the primary language.  Exceptions may be made if you receive prior approval from your faculty advisor and the program director. A maximum of 4 courses in literature taken abroad may be used to satisfy other requirements in the major, subject to the pre-approval of the Director of the program. All students must take one class in their primary language after their return.
  6. Two electives explicitly comparative in nature. These literature courses may be taught in English. Examples: CLAS/CMLT 0150; CMLT/RELI 0238; CMLT/CLAS 0450; ENAM/CMLT 0305; GRMN/CMLT 0333; ITAL/CMLT 0299. Suitable classes will be cross-listed and bear the prefix CMLT.
  7. One senior/advanced seminar in literature taken at Middlebury College in the student’s primary or secondary language.
  8. Senior Work (CMLT 0700): During Fall and Winter Term, or Winter Term and Spring, students will write a 35-page (article length) comparative essay (advised independently). Students are responsible to identify and arrange to work with their advisor and the members of their committee no later than the last week of classes in the preceding term.

Honors

To be eligible for honors students must have a GPA in the major of 3.7 and a B+ or above on their essay. Students with eligible honors theses will also have a defense before the last day of exams.

CMLT 0101 Introduction to World Literature (Spring 2025)

This course is an introduction to the critical analysis of imaginative literature of the world, the dissemination of themes and myths, and the role of translation as the medium for reaching different cultures. Through the careful reading of selected classic texts from a range of Western and non-Western cultures, students will deepen their understanding and appreciation of the particular texts under consideration, while developing a critical vocabulary with which to discuss and write about these texts, both as unique artistic achievements of individual and empathetic imagination and as works affected by, but also transcending their historical periods. 3 hrs. lect./disc. CMP, CW, LIT

CMLT 0150 Greek and Roman Epic Poetry (Fall 2024)

Would Achilles and Hector have risked their lives and sacred honor had they understood human life and the Olympian gods as Homer portrays them in the Iliad? Why do those gods decide to withdraw from men altogether following the Trojan War, and why is Odysseus the man Athena chooses to help her carry out that project? And why, according to the Roman poet Vergil, do these gods command Aeneas, a defeated Trojan, to found an Italian town that will ultimately conquer the Greek cities that conquered Troy, replacing the Greek polis with a universal empire that will end all wars of human freedom? Through close study of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, and Vergil's Aeneid, we explore how the epic tradition helped shape Greece and Rome, and define their contributions to European civilization. 3 hrs. lect., 1 hr. disc. CMP, CW (8 seats), EUR, LIT, PHL (R. Ganiban)
Cross-listed as: CLAS 0150 *

CMLT 0205 Introduction to Contemporary Literary Theory (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

In this course we will introduce several major schools of contemporary literary theory. By reading theoretical texts in close conjunction with works of literature, we will illuminate the ways in which these theoretical stances can produce multiple interpretations of a given literary work. The approaches covered may include New Criticism, Psychoanalysis, Marxism and Cultural Criticism, Race Theory and Multicultural Criticism, Feminism, Post-Colonial Criticism, Queer Studies, Eco-Criticism, Post-Structuralism, and others. These theories will be applied to various works of fiction, poetry, and drama. The goal will be to make students critically aware of the fundamental literary, cultural, political, and moral assumptions underlying every act of interpretation they perform. 3 hrs. lect/disc. EUR (Fall 2024), LIT (Fall 2024) (Fall 2024: A. Losano)
Cross-listed as: ENGL 0205 *

CMLT 0248 Human Rights and World Literature (Fall 2024)

In this course we will explore the idiom of human rights in law, literature, and political culture. We will place literary representations of human rights violations (genocide, torture, detention and forced labor, environmental devastation, police violence) in dialogue with official human rights treaties and declarations in order to historicize and critique the assumptions of human rights discourse. Who qualifies as a “human” deserving of humanitarian intervention? How do human rights rehearse a colonial dynamic based on racial and geo-political privilege? To answer these questions we will turn to some of the most controversial voices in global fiction and poetry. 3 hrs. lect. (not open to students who have taken ENAM 0230)
(Diversity)/
CMP, LIT, SOC (B. Graves)
Cross-listed as: ENGL 0248 *

CMLT 0270 Reading Postcolonial and Indigenous Literature (Fall 2024)

European colonialism and racial capitalism have radically and violently transformed people’s lives across the globe. The effects of racial capitalism continue to be felt, and arguably imperialism continues but in other forms. How have writers responded to the experiences of colonization, racial capitalism, nationalism, development, globalization and migration? In this course, we will discuss writing by indigenous and postcolonial writers such as Chinua Achebe, Chimanda Ngozie Adichie, Mourid Barghouti, J. M. Coetzee, Tstitsi Dangarembga, Frantz Fanon, Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, Shailja Patel, Raja Rao, Arundhati Roy, Salman Rushdie, Leanne Betasomosake Simpson, and Wole Soyinka (readings will vary), focusing on colonization, anti-colonial resistance, nationalism, representation, agency and power. The class will include lectures, in-class discussions, writing exercises, and group work. (formerly ENAM 0270) CMP, CW, LIT, SOC (Y. Siddiqi)
Cross-listed as: ENGL 0270 *

CMLT 0286 Philosophy & Literature (Fall 2024)

In this course we will explore the border both separating and joining philosophy and literature. How does literature evoke philosophical problems, and how do philosophers interpret such works? How does fiction create meaning? Beginning with Greek tragedy, we investigate Plato’s “quarrel” with, and Aristotle’s defense of, poetry. Then we will turn to modern works, mostly European, on topics such as: tragedy and ethics; style and rhetoric; author and reader; time and temporality; mood and emotion; existence and mortality. Literary readings after Sophocles will be selected from Borges, Calvino, Camus, Kafka, Tolstoy, and Woolf. Philosophical readings after Plato and Aristotle will be selected from Bergson, Danto, Freud, Murdoch, Ricoeur, and Nussbaum. Not open to students who have taken PHIL/CMLT 1014. CW, EUR, LIT, PHL (M. Woodruff)
Cross-listed as: PHIL 0286 *

CMLT 0310 Literary Responses to the Holocaust (in English) (Spring 2025)

Can the Holocaust be described in words? Can images represent the horrors of Auschwitz? In this seminar we will explore the literary and artistic representations of the Shoah and its legacies, their mechanisms, tensions, and challenges. We will approach the issues of Holocaust representations by considering a significant array of texts that span genres, national literatures, time, narrative and poetic styles, and historical situations. Readings will include texts on witnessing, memory, post-memory, and trauma by authors such as Bernhard Schlink, Art Spiegelman, Hans J. Massaquoi, Primo Levi, Ruth Klüger, Nora Krug, Paul Celan, Sherman Alexie, and Hannah Arendt. 3hrs. sem. CMP, EUR, LIT

CMLT 0317 Lost and Found in Translation (Spring 2025)

In this course we will explore the philosophical and linguistic questions raised by translingual discourse through a survey of the most important theoretical writings on translation as we compare multiple translations of the same originals, including some recent experimental writing as well as selections from such classics as the Psalms, the Illiad, the Tao Te Ching, Catullus, Li Bo, Rumi, Clément Marot, Eugene Onegin, and the One Thousand and One Nights. We will discuss such questions as: How does language shape thought? How does culture shape language? Is there anything unique about translating sacred texts, poetry, dead languages, or non-alphabetic languages? 3 hrs. lect/disc. (Formerly ENAM 0317) CMP, EUR, LIT

CMLT 0375 Colonial Discourse and the “Lusophone World” (Fall 2024)

In this course we will analyze how European colonialism and imperial endeavors produced meaning, particularly in the interconnected realms of culture, race, language, gender, sexuality, and place. In addition to studying the colonial period, we will pay particular attention to the role and manifestations of colonial discourse more contemporarily in the contexts of nationhood, globalization, sports, and cultural consumption. In doing so, we will address the problematics of the concept of “Lusophone,” starting with the historical legacies and cultural implications of such a transnational entity. Course materials will include critical theory, literary texts, primary historical sources, visual media, and music from Brazil, Lusophone Africa, Lusophone Asia, and Portugal. (PGSE 0215 or equivalent) 3 hrs. lect./disc. AAL, CMP, LNG, SOC (D. Silva)
Cross-listed as: PGSE 0375 *

CMLT 0417 Pulling Reality’s Hair: Truth and Other Fictions (Spring 2025)

We will, in this seminar, occupy ourselves with works that straddle or blur or occasionally just flat out ignore the aesthetic divide between fiction and non-fiction, in the hopes of getting a better grip on the relation between self and other, word and world, narrative strategy and fidelity to truths both large and small. Hence readings will include biographical and autobiographical novels, novelistic treatments of biography and autobiography, and a number of hybrid composites that cannot be classified, though we will surely try. Readings will include Nabokov, Proust, Henry Adams, J.M. Coetzee, W.G. Sebald, Lydia Davis, Joan Didion, Gregoire Bouillier, Art Spiegelman, and Spalding Gray. In addition we will view films by Ross McElwee, Andre Gregory, and Charlie Kaufman. This course is not open to students who have taken ENAM 0307. (3 hrs. sem.) (Formerly ENAM 0417)
Cross-listed as: ENGL 0417

CMLT 0450 History of Classical Literature (Fall 2024)

A comprehensive overview of the major literary, historical, and philosophical works of Greece and Rome. Greek authors studied include Homer, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Herodotus, Aristophanes, Thucydides, Plato, and Aristotle. Roman authors include Lucretius, Cicero, Livy, Vergil, Petronius, and Tacitus. Required of senior majors in Classics/Classical Studies (see CLAS 0701) and open to all interested students with some background in Greek and Roman literature, history, or philosophy. 3 hrs. lect. (P. Sfyroeras)
Cross-listed as: CLAS 0450 *

CMLT 0500 Independent Study (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Approval Required

CMLT 0700 Senior Thesis (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

A senior thesis is normally completed over two semesters. During Fall and Winter terms, or Winter and Spring terms, students will write a 35-page (article length) comparative essay, firmly situated in literary analysis. Students are responsible for identifying and arranging to work with their primary language and secondary language readers, and consulting with the program director before completing the CMLT Thesis Declaration form. (Approval required.)
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Department of Computer Science

Requirements for the Major

For students who matriculated in Fall 2022 or later

  • CSCI 0145 or 0150
  • CSCI 0200
  • CSCI 0201
  • CSCI 0202
  • CSCI 0301
  • CSCI 0302
  • Four electives*
  • One additional Responsible Computing course**

*An elective is a CSCI course numbered between 0303 and 0499, or 0701. Approved 0500 or winter term courses may also count as electives. One elective can be substituted with MATH 0218 or MATH 0228.

**A list of pre-approved Responsible Computing courses is maintained by the department. 

For students who matriculated in Fall 2020 or later

  • CSCI 0145 or 0150
  • CSCI 0200
  • CSCI 0201
  • CSCI 0202
  • CSCI 0301
  • CSCI 0302
  • Five electives*

*An elective is a CSCI course numbered between 0303 and 0499, or 0701.

Approved 0500 or winter term courses may also count as electives. One elective can be substituted with MATH 0216 or MATH 0218 or MATH 0228.  

For students who matriculated prior to Fall 2020

  • CSCI 0145 or 0150
  • CSCI 0200
  • CSCI 0201
  • CSCI 0202
  • CSCI 0301
  • CSCI 0302
  • Five electives*

*An elective is a CSCI course numbered between 0303 and 0499, or 0701.

Approved 0500 or winter term courses may also count as electives. One elective can be substituted with MATH 0200 or MATH 0228.  

Departmental Honors

All levels of honors require an additional elective. A GPA of at least 3.5 is required for honors; a GPA of 3.7 or higher for high honors, and a GPA of 3.9 or higher for highest honors. In addition, high honors and highest honors require a grade of “B” or higher in the senior seminar CSCI 0701, and a two-semester (winter-spring) thesis CSCI 0702.

Required for the Minor

  • CSCI 0145 or 0150
  • CSCI 0200
  • CSCI 0201
  • CSCI 0202
  • Two electives (CSCI courses numbered between 0301 and 0499)

Joint Majors

The computer science component of a joint major requires:

  • CSCI 0145 or 0150
  • CSCI 0200
  • CSCI 0201
  • CSCI 0202
  • One course from CSCI 0301 and CSCI 0302
  • Two electives (CSCI courses numbered between 0301 and 0499) 
  • Either an independent CSCI 0500 project integrating the two disciplines or (if appropriate to the joint major) CSCI 0701

Advanced Placement and Waivers

Students whose preparation indicates they can bypass one or more courses numbered 0201 or lower should speak to a faculty member to determine the appropriate first course, and with approval of the department chair may waive the bypassed classes from the major requirements. College credit for CSCI 0145 is given to students who achieve a score of 4 or 5 on the AP computer science A exam.

 

 

CSCI 0105 Understanding Our Algorithmic World (Fall 2024)

In this course through lectures, labs, and discussions, we will examine the nature of computers and their role in our lives. We will use the lens of multimedia programming to learn basic computer programming and how computers represent and manipulate many common forms of data, such as text and images. We will also talk about the history of computers and learn how they interoperate to create the world we know today, and we will examine the societal impacts of technology on our lives, including implications for privacy, access to resources, and the increasing role of algorithms in shaping our world. (not open to students who have taken CSCI 0145 or higher) 3 hrs. lect./lab DED (C. Andrews)

CSCI 0145 Introduction to Computing (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

In this course we will provide a broad introductory overview of the discipline of computer science, with no prerequisites or assumed prior knowledge of computers or programming. A significant component of the course is an introduction to algorithmic concepts and to programming using Python; programming assignments will explore algorithmic strategies such as selection, iteration, divide-and-conquer, and recursion, as well as introducing the Python programming language. Additional topics will include: the structure and organization of computers, the Internet and World Wide Web, abstraction as a means of managing complexity, social and ethical computing issues, and the question "What is computation?" (Juniors and Seniors by waiver) (formerly CSCI 0101) 3 hr. lect./1 hr. lab DED (Fall 2024: A. Vaccari)

CSCI 0146 Intensive Introduction to Computing (Fall 2024)

In this course we will provide an introduction to the field of computer science, geared towards students with some prior computer science or programming experience, or a background in quantitative problem-solving (e.g., advanced math coursework). Students will learn a variety of algorithmic strategies, including iterative and recursive approaches, and how to implement those strategies as Python programs. We will study computational techniques utilized in the natural sciences, social sciences and other disciplines. Additional topics will include large-scale data analysis and the ethical issues introduced by computing technologies. (Open to first years and sophomores; others by waiver) DED (M. Linderman)

CSCI 0200 Mathematical Foundations of Computing (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

In this course we will provide an introduction to the mathematical foundations of computer science, with an emphasis on formal reasoning. Topics will include propositional and predicate logic, sets, functions, and relations; basic number theory; mathematical induction and other proof methods; combinatorics, probability, and recurrence relations; graph theory; and models of computation. (CSCI 0145 or CSCI 0146 or CSCI 0150) (Juniors and Seniors by waiver) 3 hrs. lect./lab DED (Fall 2024: P. Chodrow)

CSCI 0201 Data Structures (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

In this course we will study the ideas and structures helpful in designing algorithms and writing programs for solving large, complex problems. The Java programming language and object-oriented paradigm are introduced in the context of important abstract data types (ADTs) such as stacks, queues, trees, and graphs. We will study efficient implementations of these ADTs, and learn classic algorithms to manipulate these structures for tasks such as sorting and searching. Prior programming experience is expected, but prior familiarity with the Java programming language is not assumed. (CSCI 0145 or CSCI 0146 or CSCI 0150) (Juniors and Seniors by waiver) 3 hrs. lect./lab DED (Fall 2024: P. Caplan)

CSCI 0202 Computer Architecture (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

A detailed study of the hardware and software that make up a computer system. Topics include assembly language programming, digital logic design, microarchitecture, pipelines, caches, and RISC vs. CISC. The goal of the course is teaching students how computers are built, how they work at the lowest level, and how this knowledge can be used to write better programs. (CSCI 0201) (Seniors by waiver) 3 hrs. lect./lab DED (Fall 2024: P. Johnson)

CSCI 0301 Theory of Computation (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

This course explores the nature of computation and what it means to compute. We study important models of computation (finite automata, push-down automata, and Turing machines) and investigate their fundamental computational power. We examine various problems and try to determine the computational power needed to solve them. Topics include deterministic versus non-deterministic computation, and a theoretical basis for the study of NP-completeness. (CSCI 0200 and CSCI 0201) 3 hrs. lect./disc. DED (Fall 2024: A. Briggs)

CSCI 0302 Algorithms and Complexity (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

This course focuses on the development of correct and efficient algorithmic solutions to computational problems, on the underlying data structures to support these algorithms, and on the social implications of algorithms. Topics include computational complexity, analysis of algorithms, proof of algorithm correctness, some advanced data structures, algorithmic techniques including greedy and dynamic programming, and the consequences of real-world applications of algorithms. The course complements the treatment of NP-completeness in CSCI 0301. (CSCI 0200 and CSCI 0201) 3 hrs. lect./disc. DED (Fall 2024: S. Kimmel)

CSCI 0311 Artificial Intelligence (Fall 2024)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the study of computational systems that exhibit rational behavior. Applications include strategic game playing, medical diagnosis, speech and handwriting recognition, Internet search, and robotics. Course topics include intelligent agent architectures, search, knowledge representation, logical reasoning, planning, reasoning under uncertainty, machine learning, and perception and action. We will also discuss the social implications of AI systems. This course fulfills the Responsible Computing requirement for the Computer Science major. (CSCI 0200 and CSCI 0201) 3 hrs. lect./lab DED (M. Linderman)

CSCI 0312 Software Development (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

This course examines the process of developing larger-scale software systems. Laboratory assignments emphasize sound programming practices, tools that facilitate the development process, and teamwork. (CSCI 0200 and CSCI 0201) 3 hrs. lect./lab (Fall 2024: L. Biester)

CSCI 0315 Systems Programming (Fall 2024)

Students will become intimately acquainted with the low-level software services that applications often take for granted. Through a broad, project-based survey of core system libraries and UNIX system calls, students will explore process management, memory management, linking and loading, threading, synchronization, filesystem operations, and inter-process communication (networking). In each area, students will build software using these building blocks, gaining an understanding of the behavior and efficiency of the tools at their disposal. Students will also gain experience building larger, more complex systems upon which applications can be built. This course is ideal for students who wish to understand and construct the software infrastructure upon which user-level software depends. (CSCI 0202) 3 hrs. lect DED (P. Johnson)

CSCI 0318 Object-Oriented Programming and GUI Application Development (Fall 2024)

In this coding-intensive course students will deepen their understanding of data structures, algorithms, and object-oriented programming concepts through development of GUI (Graphical User Interface) applications. After a brief introduction to C++ and our development environment, Qt, we will immerse ourselves in them through work on an array of application development projects. Along the way, we will be introduced to a number of software development principles and build an understanding of fundamental object-oriented concepts in C++, including classes and inheritance, templates, pointers, constructors/destructors, and ownership. (CSCI 0202 or by waiver) 3 hrs lect./lab. DED (F. Swenton)

CSCI 0333 Quantum Computing (Fall 2024)

In this course we will explore how quantum mechanics can be applied to problems in communications, algorithms, detection, and cryptography. We will learn how features such as entanglement, superposition, and no-cloning can sometimes give quantum systems an advantage over standard “classical” computers. We will also discuss the current situation and challenges facing experimental quantum computers, as well as the limits of quantum computing. No previous experience with quantum mechanics is required. (MATH 0200 or CSCI 0200) 3 hrs lect./disc. DED (S. Kimmel)

CSCI 0416 Parallel Computing (Spring 2025)

Most modern computer architectures are parallel at multiple scales. In this course students will learn to develop programs that can efficiently use those parallel resources to improve performance and solve ever larger problems. Through a project-based survey students will be introduced to parallel hardware (multicore processors, clusters, GPUs), memory models (shared vs. non-shared), locality, synchronization, and different parallel programming models (threads, MapReduce, message-passing, SIMT, and more). Programming assignments will be implemented in multiple languages. (CSCI 0202) 3hrs. lect./lab DED

CSCI 0431 Computer Networks (Spring 2025)

Computer networks have had a profound impact on modern society. This course will investigate how computer networks are designed and how they work. Examples from the Internet as well as our own campus network will be discussed. (CSCI 0200 and CSCI 0315) 3 hrs. lect./lab DED

CSCI 0442 Network Science (Spring 2025)

Many social, ecological, and technological systems are networked – their structure arises from connections between many individual components. Network science is the scientific study of connected systems using tools from mathematics, computer science, physics, and beyond. In this course, we will study measurements of centrality, hierarchy, and segregation in networks; random graph models; algorithms for network data mining; models of agents interacting on networks; and network data visualization. Students will write mathematical arguments; perform simulation experiments; implement analysis techniques; read contemporary research papers; navigate existing software packages for network analysis; and complete a substantial group project. (MATH 0200 and CSCI 0302 or instructor approval) 3 hrs. lect./lab. DED

CSCI 0451 Machine Learning (Spring 2025)

Machine learning algorithms detect patterns in data and use these patterns to make decisions. This course introduces the theory and practice of machine learning. Tasks considered may include classification, regression, clustering, dimensionality reduction, text embedding, and reinforcement learning. Applications may include predictive analytics, data visualization, pattern recognition, and strategic game-playing. We will also discuss the social implications of automated decision systems. This course fulfills the Responsible Computing requirement for the Computer Science major. (Not open to students who have already taken CSCI 1051.) (CSCI 0200 and CSCI 0201 and MATH 0200) 3 hrs. lect./lab DED

CSCI 0457 Natural Language Processing (Spring 2025)

In this course we will explore computational models for processing natural (human) language. We will introduce statistical and algorithmic techniques that are used to classify, generate, and understand language at the syntactic and semantic levels. We will explore applications such as parsing, information extraction, language modeling, and sentiment analysis. Assignments will involve constructing and modifying systems and will incorporate a variety of large corpora. We will also discuss the ethical concerns associated with current methods for collecting and labeling large corpora, and how language technologies might reflect and reinforce social hierarchies. This course fulfills the Responsible Computing requirement for the Computer Science major. (CSCI 0200 and CSCI 0201) DED

CSCI 0461 Computer Graphics (Spring 2025)

Computer graphics is the study of how computers represent, manipulate, and ultimately display visual information. In this course we will focus primarily on three-dimensional graphics, touching on topics such as modeling (meshes, hierarchical models, and transformations), rendering (lighting, texturing, rasterization, and clipping), animation, and GPU programming. We will look at the mathematical foundations of these techniques as well as implementation techniques using WebGL. (CSCI 0202 and MATH 0200) 3 hrs. lect./lab DED

CSCI 0467 Generative Art (Fall 2024)

In this course we will explore the field of generative art – the artistic practice based on the creation of processes that yield art and design as an output. Through projects, we will find new applications for computing techniques such as visualization, physical simulation, stochastic processes, agent-based modeling, iterated function systems, fractals, genetic algorithms and machine learning. A portion of the class will also be devoted to reading research literature and discussing the nature of computation creativity. A background in art is not required. (CSCI 0201) 3 hrs. lect./lab. ART, DED (C. Andrews)

CSCI 0500 Advanced Study (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Individual study for qualified students in more advanced topics in computer science theory, systems, or application areas. Particularly suited for students who enter with advanced standing. (Approval required) 3 hrs. lect.

CSCI 0701 Senior Seminar (Spring 2025)

This senior seminar provides a capstone experience for computer science majors at Middlebury College. Through lectures, readings, and a series of two to three week individual and group assignments, we will introduce important concepts in research and experimental methods in computation. Examples will include: reading research papers; identifying research problems; dealing with big data; experimental design, testing and analysis; and technical writing in computer science. This course fulfills the Responsible Computing requirement for the Computer Science major. (Approval only).

CSCI 0702 Senior Thesis (Fall 2024)

The senior thesis is recommended for students interested in pursuing graduate study in Computer Science. Students will spend the semester researching and writing, and developing and experimenting as appropriate for their topic. All students will be expected to report on their work in the form of a written thesis, a poster, and an oral presentation at the end of the semester. In addition, throughout the semester, students will meet as a group to discuss research and writing, and will be expected to attend talks in the Computer Science lecture series. Before approval to join the class is granted, students are expected to have chosen a thesis adviser from the CSCI faculty, and determined a thesis topic with the guidance and approval of that adviser. (Approval required) 3 hrs. lect./disc.
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Department of Dance

Beyond these shared foundational courses, students take additional courses specific to one of three tracks: Choreography and Performance, Production and Technology, and Theory and Aesthetics. 

Foundational Courses

The eight foundational classes are as follows:

  • ARDV 0116 (Creative Process)
  • DANC 0260 (Technique & Composition)                                
  • DANC 0261 (Improvisational Practices)
  • DANC 0284 (Dance History)
  • DANC 0360 (Choreography & Performance)
  • DANC 0376 (Anatomy and Kinesiology)
  • DANC 0500 (Research Methods)
  • DANC 0700 (Senior Work)

Track Courses

The track-specific courses are as follows:

Choreography and Performance

This track represents the core curriculum of the Dance Department for students primarily focused on contemporary approaches to technique, composition, and performance. The culminating senior work in this track will consist of formal concert work and a written thesis.

  • DANC 0361 (Movement and Media)
  • DANC 0460 (Performance & Production)
  • DANC 0470 (Technique Workshop)

Production and Technology

This track represents a directed course of study for students primarily focused on the skills and methods of dance production and media, digital representations of the body, and current innovations and aesthetic models presented by the confluence of dance and the digital age. The culminating senior work in this track will involve all elements of the production of a design-focused concert work and a written thesis.

  • DANC 0361 (Movement and Media) (This course is in place of DANC 0360)
  • DANC 0370 (Production Workshop)

Two additional elective courses from the following disciplines (by advisor approval):

  • Studio Art
  • Architecture Studies
  • Theatre
  • Film and Media Culture

Suggested Elective Courses

  • Studio Art: ART 0156, ART 0200. ART 0380, ART 0388
  • Architectural Studies: HARC 0130, HARC 0218, HARC 0230, HARC 0231, HARC 0243, HARC 0267, HARC 0301, HARC 0338, HARC 1230
  • Theatre: ARDV 0111, ARDV 0113, ARDV 0205, ARDV 0221, ARDV 0238, ARDV 1190
  • Film and Media Culture: FMMC 0101, FMMC 0105, FMMC 0201, FMMC 0220, FMMC 0267, FMMC 0301, FMMC 0320, FMMC 0358, FMMC 0361

Dance Studies—Theory and Aesthetics

This track represents a directed course of study for students interested in dance as a focus for scholarly work and theoretical inquiry. They will develop the ability to articulate the interdisciplinary and intercultural aspects of dance, as well as write about the potential of the moving body to both reflect and impact culture. The culminating senior work in this track will take the form a public lecture and written thesis.

Two additional elective courses from the following disciplines (by advisor approval):

  • English and American Literatures
  • History
  • Philosophy
  • Sociology/Anthropology

Suggested Elective Courses

  • English: ENGL 0115, ENGL 0205, ENGL 0215, ENGL 0217, ENGL 0222, ENGL 0227
  • History: HIST 0117, HIST 0205, HIST 0210, HIST 0222, HIST 0225, HIST 0307
  • Philosophy: PHIL 0198, PHIL 0205, PHIL 0233, PHIL 0234, PHIL 0235, PHIL 0250, PHIL 0252
  • Sociology: SOCI 0103, SOCI 0105, SOCI 0109, SOCI 0191, SOCI 0211, SOCI 0215, SOCI 0218, SOCI 0235
  • Anthropology: ANTH 0103, ANTH 0109, ANTH 0159, ANTH 0211, ANTH 0274, ANTH 0287, ANTH 0302, ANTH 0304

Joint Major Requirements

  • ARDV 0116 (Creative Process)
  • DANC 0260 (Technique & Composition)
  • DANC 0261 (Improvisational Practices)
  • DANC 0284 (Dance History)
  • DANC 0360 (Choreography & Performance)                            
  • DANC 0376 (Anatomy and Kinesiology)
  • DANC 0500 (Research Methods)
  • DANC 0700 (Senior Work) (to be taken simultaneously with DANC 0500)

Minor Requirements

  • ARDV 0116 (Creative Process)
  • DANC 0260 (Technique & Composition)
  • DANC 0261 (Improvisational Practices)
  • DANC 0284 (Dance History)
  • DANC 0360 (Choreography & Performance)                    
  • DANC 0376 (Anatomy and Kinesiology) 

Department Honors

Honors or high honors are awarded to graduating seniors in the Dance Department based upon a grade point average of A– or better in department and cognate courses, a grade of A– or better on the DANC 0700 Senior Independent Project, and overall distinction in the program. Normally only full majors will be eligible for high honors.

ARDV 0116 The Creative Process (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

In this course, students will have the opportunity to dig deeply into their own creativity and explore the processes by which ideas emerge and are given shape in the arts. The experiential nature of this course integrates cognition and action, mind and body. Students will engage in a range of modes of discovering, knowing, and communicating, which are designed to push them beyond their present state of awareness and level of confidence in their creative power. Practical work will be closely accompanied by readings and journaling, culminating with the creation and performance of a short project. (First- and second-year students only; Not open to students who have taken FYSE 1364) 3 hrs. lect. ART (Fall 2024: M. Biancosino)

DANC 0132 Introduction to Butoh Dance (Fall 2024)

This course is an introduction to the fundamental principles of butoh dance. Butoh is a contemporary dance form that originated in Japan in the 1950s and has since spread worldwide. This form values explorations of presence, transformation, and the development of curiosity to create full-bodied performance. Students experience butoh techniques through a series of movement exercises, choreography, and improvisational activities. This course explores butoh’s themes, history, and evolution, investigating how it differs from western contemporary dance by subverting dance norms and embracing refusal. Through embodiment, supporting course materials, creative writing practices, and artistic generation, students understand butoh’s physical and emotional components while strengthening creative expression and confidence in the body. (Not open to students who have taken DANC 1017.) ART, PE (J. Chavez)

DANC 0160 Introduction to Dance (Spring 2025)

This entry-level dance course introduces movement techniques, improvisation/composition, performance, experiential anatomy, and history of 20th century American modern dance. Students develop flexibility, strength, coordination, rhythm, and vocabulary in the modern idiom. Concepts of time, space, energy, and choreographic form are presented through improvisation and become the basis for a final choreographic project. Readings, research, and reflective and critical writing about dance performance round out the experience. 2 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab ART, PE

DANC 0260 Technique & Composition (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

This is the first course in the studio sequence for students entering Middlebury with significant previous dance experience. It is also the course sequence for those continuing on from DANC 0160 and provides grounding in the craft of modern dance needed to proceed to more advanced levels. Modern dance movement techniques are strengthened to support an emerging individual vocabulary and facility with composition. Students regularly create and revise movement studies that focus on the basic elements of choreography and the relationship of music and dance. Readings, journals, and formal critiques of video and live performance contribute to the exploration of dance aesthetics and develop critical expertise. (Previous experience required in dance training & making.) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab ART, PE (Fall 2024: L. Winfield)

DANC 0261 Improvisational Practices (Fall 2024)

In this course students will gain an embodied understanding of the practices and techniques needed to proceed to advanced improvisational work. Research into forms such as partnering, ensemble work, text, musical exercises, compositions, and scores/projects will focus on mapping the moving body in the moment. Readings, journals, and responses to video viewings and live performances contribute to the exploration of historical contexts, aesthetics, and cultural improvisations. 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab ART, PE (L. Winfield)

DANC 0277 Body and Earth (Fall 2024)

This course is designed to bridge the relationship between the human body and the environment. The goals of the course are to deepen knowledge of physical faculties and sensory possibilities, heighten sensitivity to natural processes and forms in the Vermont bioregion, and engage awareness through the study of perception of and interaction with the non-human world. Learning modalities include analytical reading and formal writing assignments for the lecture section, place-based exploratory journaling, experiential movement-based practices, site-specific dance making, and regular field trips and outdoor activities during the lab section, culminating in final performative research projects.3 hrs. lect. 1 hr. lab. AMR, ART, PE (K. Borni)

DANC 0284 Modern Dance History in the United States: Early Influences to Postmodern Transformations (Spring 2025)

In this seminar we will focus on the emergence and development of 20th century American concert dance--especially modern and postmodern dance forms--from the confluence of European folk and court dance, African and Caribbean influences, and other American cultural dynamics. We will look at ways in which dance reflects, responds to, and creates its cultural milieu, with special attention to issues of gender, race/ethnicity, and class. Readings, video, and live performance illuminate the artistic products and processes of choreographers whose works mark particular periods or turning points in this unfolding story. Our study is intended to support informed critical articulations and an understanding of the complexity of dance as art. 3 hrs. lect./2 hrs. screen. AMR, ART, CW, HIS

DANC 0360 Choreography & Performance (Spring 2025)

This course involves concentrated intermediate-advanced level work in contemporary dance technique and choreography culminating in production. Theoretical issues of importance to the dancer/choreographer are addressed through readings, writings and practice. (DANC 0260) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab ART, PE

DANC 0370 Production Workshop (Spring 2025)

In preparing two fully produced dance productions for the stage, students will participate in and be exposed to professional production practices in all areas of dance technical design, including sets, costumes, props, lights, and sound. Students will be involved in planning, building, operating, lighting, documenting, striking, and publicizing fully produced dance program concerts. (6 hrs. lab) ART, PE

DANC 0376 Anatomy and Kinesiology (Spring 2025)

This course offers an in-depth experiential study of skeletal structure, and includes aspects of the muscular, organ, endocrine, nervous, and fluid systems of the human body. The goal is to enhance efficiency of movement and alignment through laboratory sessions, supported by assigned readings, exams, and written projects. (Not open to first-year students) 3 hrs. lect. ART, PE

DANC 0380 Dance Company of Middlebury (Fall 2024)

Dancers work with the artistic director and guest choreographer as a member of a dance company, learning, interpreting, rehearsing, and performing dances created for performance and tour. Those receiving credit can expect four to six rehearsals weekly. Appropriate written work, concert and film viewing, and attendance in departmental technique classes are required. One credit will be given for each term of participation. Performances and tour(s) are scheduled in January. (Limited to sophomores through seniors, by audition.) (DANC 0260; Approval required) ART, PE (L. Jenkins)

DANC 0460 Performance & Production (Fall 2024)

In this course we will investigate three aspects of place in relation to dance: where we source movement, the relevance of dance in culture, and the effects of place on the moving dancing body. Material covered will include body systems dance technique at the intermediate/advanced level, improvisation and composition toward choreography and site specific work, readings and reflective writing, and performance viewing. The course culminates in formal and informal showings of performance work. The emergence of a personal philosophy and dance aesthetic will be engaged and formally articulated in writing. (DANC 0260, DANC 0360) 4.5 hrs. lect./2 hrs. lab. ART, PE (C. Brown)

DANC 0461 Intermediate/Advanced Dance IV: Advanced Dance Improvisation (Spring 2025)

Students will gain rigorous training in the simultaneous conception, composition, and performance of dance works. This will include units in techniques such as contact improvisation, performance improvisation, site specific work, musical collaboration, and elemental integration. The body will be developed as an articulate, responsive instrument while the mind is honed toward quick, clear perception of potential form with a willingness to act and react. Personal philosophy and dance aesthetics will be cultivated and formally articulated in writing. Musicians proficient with their instrument and interested in improvisation are strongly encouraged to seek admission. (DANC 0260, DANC 0261) 6 hrs lect. ART, PE

DANC 0470 Technique Workshop (Spring 2025)

This advanced physical and theoretical study of a variety of movement techniques will further prepare dance majors and minors for the rigors of performance, technical craft, and physical research. Exercises and discussions will revolve around increased subtlety, strength, flexibility, musicality, and dynamics with the goal of heightening the communicative range of the moving body. Rotating movement aesthetics taught by dance faculty. (DANC 0260) (Major/Minor Only) (Approval required) ART, PE

DANC 0500 Independent Project (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required)

DANC 0700 Independent Project (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required)
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Earth and Climate Sciences

For students who matriculate in Fall of 2021 or later

Required for the Major

The Earth and Climate Sciences major consists of 11 courses within the department and two additional STEM cognate courses, as follows:

(1) One 0100-level course.

(2) Both core courses: Geological Evolution of Vermont (ECSC 0201), Climate Dynamics (ECSC 0202).

(3) Six elective (0300 level) courses. Up to three of these elective courses – with Chair’s approval — could come from a combination of ECSC 0500, non-Middlebury coursework, or upper-level STEM cognates, with no more than two electives coming from any one of these sources.

(4) Two cognate courses (any Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, or Physics laboratory course, or Math 0116 or higher), although we recommend more if planning to attend graduate school in the Earth sciences.

(5) Two Credits of Senior Work (ECSC 0400 and either 0700 or ECSC 0705)

The two-course senior sequence (ECSC 0400 and either 0700 or 0705) is the culmination of the Earth and Climate Sciences major and consists of original research by the student. ECSC 0700 is a semester of independent senior thesis work, whereas ECSC 0705 undertakes community-connected research as a class. ECSC 0701 is an optional second semester or Senior Work for students undertaking a full-year thesis project. The requirements for the major listed above are considered to be minimal. We suggest students planning a career in the Earth sciences take additional courses in other sciences and mathematics, as well as additional Earth science courses. The requirements for the major allow for considerable flexibility and thus students should consult regularly with their Earth and Climate Sciences department advisors for the selection of specific courses.

Earth and Climate Sciences Minor

A total of five courses is required, including one introductory course plus both core courses (ECSC 0201, 0202) and two electives Only one ECSC 0500 or off-campus course can count as an elective toward the minor.

Environmental Studies-Earth and Climate Sciences Joint Major

One introductory course (ECSC 0112 preferred), both core courses (ECSC 0201, 0202), three electives (0300 level) and two credits of Senior Work (ECSC 0400 and either ECSC 0700 or ECSC 0705) focused on an environmental topic. One of the 300-level electives – with Chair’s approval —  could come from either ECSC 0500 or non-Middlebury coursework. Students wishing to pursue graduate study in Earth or environmental sciences are advised to take additional science and math courses and should consult with their advisor.

Biology-Earth and Climate Sciences Joint Major

Requirements for the Joint Major with Earth and Climate Sciences: ENVS0166; BIOL0140; BIOL0145; BIOL0211; one organismal biology course, BIOL0202, BIOL0203, BIOL0204, BIOL 0205, BIOL0308, or BIOL0310; two other BIOL courses at or above 0200-level, at least one of which must have a lab; one 0100-level ECSC course; ECSC0201; ECSC0202; three ECSC courses at or above 0300-level; ECSC0400; either ECSC0700 or BIOL0700 this represents at least one semester of integrative BIOL-ECSC research. Note that ECSC0705 cannot count towards this final requirement. One of the 300-level ECSC electives – with Chair’s approval —  could come from either ECSC 0500 or non-Middlebury coursework.

Departmental Honors 

Departmental Honors in Earth and Climate Sciences are based primarily on outstanding work in original research (ECSC 0700 and/or 701) and are related to course grades only in the context of guidelines in the College Handbook.

For students who matriculated prior to Fall 2021

Required for the Major

The program for an Earth and Climate Sciences major consists of 11 courses within the department and two additional cognate courses. These courses must include:

(1) One 0100-level course (we strongly recommend Environmental Earth and Climate Sciences (ECSC 0112), Elements of Oceanography (ECSC 0161) or Dynamic Earth (ECSC 0170).

(2) Four core courses: Bedrock Geology of Vermont (ECSC 0201), Mineralogy (ECSC 0211), and Structural Geology (ECSC 0281) are required, plus either Landscape Evolution (ECSC 0251) or Water Resources and Hydrogeology (ECSC 0255).

(3) Four elective courses (ECSC 0200-level or higher) chosen from the Middlebury Earth and Climate Sciences curriculum.  A maximum of two electives (total) can be ECSC 0500, courses taken off campus (with approval of the Chair), or a combination of the two.

(4) Two cognate courses (any Biology, Chemistry, or Physics laboratory course, or Math 0116 or higher).

(5) Two Credits of Senior Work (ECSC 0400 and either ECSC 0700 or ECSC 0705)

The two-course senior sequence (ECSC 0400 and either ECSC 0700 or ECSC 0705) is the culmination of the Earth and Climate Sciences major and consists of original research based on field and/or laboratory investigations by the student. ECSC 0700 is a semester of independent senior thesis work, whereas ECSC 0705 undertakes community-connected research as a class. ECSC 0701 is an optional second semester of Senior Work for students undertaking a full-year thesis project. The requirements for the major listed above are considered to be minimal. We suggest students planning a career in geology or the earth sciences take additional courses in other sciences and mathematics, as well as additional Earth and Climate Sciences courses. The requirements for the major allow for considerable flexibility and thus students should consult regularly with their Earth and Climate Sciences department advisors for the selection of specific courses.

Earth and Climate Sciences Minor

A total of five courses is required. The minor shall consist of one introductory course (either ECSC 0112 or ECSC 0161 or ECSC 0170), plus four upper-level courses, which must include ECSC 0201 or ECSC 0211. After completing an introductory Earth and Climate Sciences course, students who intend to minor in Earth and Climate Sciences should arrange specific upper-level courses with the Earth and Climate Sciences chair or designate. Only one ECSC 0500 or off-campus course can count toward the minor.

Environmental Studies-Earth and Climate Sciences Joint Major

One introductory course (ECSC 0112 preferred), both core courses (ECSC 0201, 0202), three electives (0300 level) and two credits of Senior Work (ECSC 0400 and either ECSC 0700 or ECSC 0705) focused on an environmental topic. One of the 300-level electives – with Chair’s approval —  could come from either ECSC 0500 or non-Middlebury coursework. Students wishing to pursue graduate study in Earth or environmental sciences are advised to take additional science and math courses and should consult with their advisor.

 

Departmental Honors 

Departmental Honors in Earth and Climate Sciences are based primarily on outstanding work in original research (ECSC 0700) and are related to course grades only in the context of guidelines in the College Handbook.

ECSC 0105 Energy and Mineral Resources (Spring 2025)

The global economy, world politics, and many aspects of our daily lives are dependent on the extraction and use of materials taken directly from the Earth. Within our lifetimes we will be faced with significant shortages of many of these resources. In this course we will focus on how energy resources (e.g., oil, coal, natural gas), and mineral resources (e.g., aluminum, gold, rare earth elements) are generated by geological processes, how they are extracted and processed, and how these activities impact the environment. Field trips during the laboratory portion of the course will allow us to view first-hand the impacts of resource extraction, processing, and use. (Not open to students who have taken FYSE 1120 or GEOL 0112 or GEOL 0170). 3 hrs lect./disc.; 3 hrs lab SCI

ECSC 0111 Natural Hazards (Fall 2024)

Despite increasing technological sophistication, modern civilization remains vulnerable to natural hazards such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, extraterrestrial impacts, and other events. In this course we will consider the geologic mechanisms behind these hazards, the societal implications of these hazards, and approaches to reducing risk. Case studies will be combined with exploration of fundamental geologic concepts to provide students a foundation for understanding risk exposure and evaluating approaches to hazard management. (Not open to students who have taken GEOL 0112 or 0170) 3 hrs. lect./1 hr. disc. (formerly GEOL 0111) SCI (L. Ultee)
Cross-listed as: ECSC 0112 *

ECSC 0112 Environmental Geology (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Geological processes form the physical framework on which ecosystems operate. We require an understanding of the geological environment in order to minimize disruption of natural systems by human development and to avoid hazards such as floods and landslides. This course is an overview of basic tectonic, volcanic, and landscape-forming processes and systems, including earthquakes, rivers, soils, and groundwater. Environmental effects of energy, mineral, and water resource use, and waste disposal are also examined. Weekly field labs after spring break. Registration priority for first and second-year students. 3 hrs. lect./disc., 3 hrs. lab/field trips (formerly GEOL 0112) SCI (Fall 2024: W. Amidon)
Cross-listed as: ECSC 0111

ECSC 0201 Geologic Evolution of Vermont (Fall 2024)

This course explores the fascinating geology of Vermont. Students learn the geology through six field problems, involving extended trips around western Vermont. Lectures on the meaning of rocks support the fieldwork. The last few indoor labs are devoted to understanding the geologic map of Vermont. Emphasis is on descriptive writing and on use of data to interpret origin of rocks. Culminates in a written report on the geologic and plate tectonic evolution of Vermont. (One ECSC course) 3 hrs. lect., 3 hrs. lab/field trips (formerly GEOL 0201) CW, SCI (D. West)

ECSC 0202 Climate Dynamics (Spring 2025)

In this course we will explore the interconnected components of Earth’s climate system, the laws governing their dynamics, and their changes over time. We will describe how we gather information about Earth’s climate and how we know it is changing. In a weekly laboratory, we will analyse real data and apply simple numerical models to draw conclusions about phenomena in the atmosphere, ocean, ice sheets, and more. A major goal of this course is for students to gain confidence in quantitative methods for studying the Earth system. Prereq: any 100-level course in ECSC. (ECSC majors or with instructor approval) Lecture/lab. (formerly GEOL 0202) SCI

ECSC 0311 Mineralogy (Spring 2025)

Mineralogy (formerly GEOL 0211)
This course covers the nature, identification, composition, and meaning of minerals and mineral assemblages. Introduction to crystallography, hand-specimen identification, optical mineralogy, x-ray analysis, and electron microbeam analysis. Laboratory: study of minerals in hand-specimen and under the polarizing microscope; use of x-ray diffraction and electron microscopy in mineral analysis. (One ECSC course) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab (formerly GEOL 0211)
SCI

ECSC 0322 Remote Sensing in Environmental Science (Spring 2025)

In this course we will discuss fundamentals of air- and space-based remote sensing applied to geological and environmental problems. The core goal is to understand how different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation interact with Earth's surface, and how images collected in these different wavelengths can be used to address questions in the Earth sciences. Lectures will present theory and basics of data collection as well as applications in hydrology, vegetation analysis, glaciology, tectonics, meteorology, oceanography, planetary exploration, and resource exploration. Labs will focus on commonly-used imagery and software to learn techniques for digital image processing, analysis and interpretation in Earth science. (one ECSC course, or by waiver) 3 hrs. lect., 3 hrs lab (formerly GEOL 0322) SCI

ECSC 0353 Hydroclimate and Wildfire in the Western US (Fall 2024)

Rainfall extremes and wildfire impacts in the western US are becoming increasingly prevalent in popular discourse. In this course we will draw on a variety of resources, including scientific papers, paleoclimate proxy data, long-form journalism, and indigenous knowledge to explore the climate history of the western US, with a focus on variability in the hydrologic cycle and wildfire patterns over the last ~20,000 years. We will discuss how climate change and other anthropogenic factors like water infrastructure and land management practices, interface with these natural systems and will situate the current hydroclimate/wildfire paradigm of the western US in the broader geologic context of the late Pleistocene and Holocene. SCI (W. Amidon)

ECSC 0375 Physical Volcanology (Fall 2024)

In this course, we will detail one of the fundamental geologic processes acting across the Solar System – volcanism. We will study the fundamental principles that underlie volcanism, the different expressions observed at the surface, and predict what types of volcanism are expected under various conditions. We will integrate insights from observations, theory, and modelling to form a cohesive understanding of volcanic principles. This will entail why and how volcanism occurs, the formation of igneous rock, and the incorporation of volcanic deposits into the rock record. Likewise, we will use our terrestrial understanding as a jump off point to explore volcanic processes on other planets. A final project will invite students to apply the fundamental principles of volcanology learned during the semester to critically examine an active area of volcanology, develop the skills to critically analyze scientific data and literature, and effectively communicate their findings. (ECSC 0201 or permission of instructor. Recommended ECSC 0311 or GEOL 0311 or ECSC 0322 or GEOL 0322) (S. Peters)

ECSC 0392 Modern Climate Seminar (Fall 2024)

An advanced seminar for students with prior work in physical science of Earth's climate. We will survey current climate change research by reading, discussing, and writing about scientific literature. Assessment reports such as the US National Climate Assessment will form the foundation of our discussions. At the conclusion of this course, students should be able to (1) read scientific papers, (2) identify key open questions in climate science research, and (3) relate scientific findings to common societal questions about climate action. 3hr seminar. (GEOL 0202, ECSC 0202, GEOL 0302 or ECSC 0302). SCI (L. Ultee)

ECSC 0500 Readings and Research (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Individual or group independent study, laboratory or field research projects, readings and discussion of timely topics in earth and environmental science. (Approval only) (formerly GEOL 0500)

ECSC 0700 Senior Thesis Research (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Upon completion of ECSC 0400, all senior ECSC/GEOL majors will continue their independent senior thesis research by taking one unit of ECSC 0700. This research will culminate in a written thesis which must be orally defended. (Approval only) (formerly GEOL 0700)

ECSC 0701 Senior Thesis Research (Spring 2025)

Optional second semester or Senior Work for students undertaking a full-year thesis project. (Approval only)

ECSC 0705 Collaborative Capstone Research Seminar (Spring 2025)

This course features group research on community-connected projects that capitalize on student skills and knowledge developed through previous coursework and related experiences to meet objectives that are important to the community partners. Projects are guided by a faculty member with a high level of independent group work by the students. The course contains elements of readings and discussion, analysis and interpretation, collaboration with project partners, and development of written group thesis projects, culminating with a public presentation and dissemination of the written document. (ECSC 0400, or currently enrolled in ECSC 0400) 3 hrs. sem., 3 hrs. lab. (P. Ryan)
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Department of Economics

Required for the Major

The economics major consists of a minimum of 11 approved courses in four sequences. At least six of these eleven courses, including the electives taken at the 0300- and 0400-levels and the 0701/0702 sequence, must be taken at Middlebury College in Vermont. Note that although the 0701/0702 sequence is taken over two semesters (Fall/Winter or Winter/Spring) and counts as two credits towards the minimum 36 college requirements, it only counts as one course towards the economics major requirements. ECON 0240 and ECON 0500 do not count towards the major requirements. Economics electives taken during the winter term will count towards the major requirements only if so designated in the winter term catalog.

Introductory Sequence

ECON 0150 and ECON 0155. Neither ECON 0150 nor ECON 0155 assumes any prior exposure to economics, but both courses presume a thorough working knowledge of algebra. Note: Students must pass ECON 0150 and ECON 0155 with at least a C- to be admitted into ECON 0250 and ECON 0255 respectively without a waiver.

Quantitative Sequence

The quantitative sequence in economics consists of two courses. The first course can be ECON 0111 (formerly ECON 0210), STAT 0116 (formerly MATH 0116), MATH 0310, PSYC 0201 or STAT 0201. (ECON 0111 may not be taken concurrently with STAT 0116 (formerly MATH 0116), MATH 0310, PSYC 0201 or STAT 0201. Credit is not given for ECON 0111 if the student has taken STAT 0116 (formerly MATH 0116), MATH 0310, PSYC 0201 or STAT 0201. Students with strong mathematical background wanting to take MATH 0410 (Stochastic Processes) should take MATH 0310 rather than STAT 0116 (formerly MATH 0116) or ECON 0111 (formerly ECON 0210), since MATH 0310 is a prerequisite for MATH 0410. The second course in the sequence is ECON 0211. Students must pass ECON 0111 (formerly ECON 0210) with at least a C- to be admitted into ECON 0211 without a waiver.

Intermediate Theory Sequence

ECON 0250; ECON 0255; and one of ECON 0229, ECON 0280 or ECON 0311 (formerly ECON 0212). Note: It is important, especially for those planning to study abroad for a full year, that the above three sequences be completed by the end of the sophomore year.

Elective Sequence

Majors are required to take at least four electives, one of which must be at the 0400-level and one of which must be any of the following:  a 0300-level course, another 0400-level course, or the ECON 0701/0702 senior workshop sequence. The other two electives may be 0200-, 0300-, or 0400-level courses.

The 0300-level courses are advanced electives exposing students to frontier research in specific subfields of economics that have intermediate theory as a prerequisite. The 0400-level courses are seminars that typically enroll no more than 16 students, have intermediate theory as a prerequisite, and serve as a capstone experience for the major. Emphasis is placed on reading, writing, and discussion of economics at an advanced level. The 0701/0702 workshops are seminars that typically enroll eight students, have intermediate theory and a field course as a prerequisite, and involve writing an independent research paper. The difference between an ECON 0400-level seminar and an ECON 0701/0702 workshop is the degree of independence the student has and the level of sophistication expected in the paper.

Honors

For students beginning Fall 2024: To be eligible for honors in economics, students must take the Senior Research sequence (ECON 0701 and ECON 0702) during their senior year. The purpose of the two-term Senior Research sequence is to foster independent student research, culminating in a research paper in the style of an economics journal article. Prior to enrolling in ECON 0701, students must have taken a minimum of six economics courses at Middlebury approved to count towards the major requirements.  Each course in the sequence will have no more than eight students who will work on their projects for two terms (typically either fall/winter or winter/spring) and will include both individual meetings and group meetings to develop new techniques and present and discuss research. Students who have prearranged a research topic with the professor will be given priority in admission to the seminar. Also, because of limited resources for guiding senior work, students with a single major in economics will be given priority over double majors who will do senior work in other departments. Students interested in pursuing departmental honors must take the Senior Research Workshop sequence (ECON 0701 and ECON 0702). To receive any level of departmental honors the student must complete all ECON courses that can count towards the major requirements (both core and elective courses) that are at the 200-level or higher for a letter grade (not credit/no credit).

Honors requires a minimum grade of A- in ECON 0701 and ECON 0702, and have a 3.5 or higher GPA in all economics courses taken at Middlebury approved to count towards the major requirements.

High Honors requires a minimum grade of A in ECON 0701 and ECON 0702, and a 3.75 or higher economics GPA.

Highest Honors requires a minimum grade of A in ECON 0701 and ECON 0702, and a 3.9 or higher economics GPA.

For more detailed information on how the economics GPA is calculated, please contact the department coordinator.

For students who began prior to Fall 2024: To be eligible for honors in economics, students must take the Senior Research sequence (ECON 0701 and ECON 0702) during their senior year. The purpose of this two-semester sequence is to foster independent student research, culminating in a research paper in the style of an economics journal article. Prior to enrolling in ECON 0701, students must have taken a minimum of six economics courses at Middlebury approved to count towards the major requirements. Each course in the sequence will have no more than eight students who will work on their projects for two semesters (either fall/winter or winter/spring) and will include both individual meetings and group meetings to develop new techniques and present and discuss research. Students who have prearranged a research topic with the professor will be given priority in admission to the seminar. Also, because of limited resources for guiding senior work, students with a single major in economics will be given priority over double majors who will do senior work in other departments. Students interested in pursuing departmental honors must take the Senior Research Workshop sequence (ECON 0701 and ECON 0702). To receive departmental honors the student must receive a minimum grade of A- in ECON 0701 and ECON 0702, and have a 3.5 or higher GPA in all economics courses taken at Middlebury approved to count towards the major requirements. High Honors requires a minimum grade of A in ECON 0701 and ECON 0702, and a 3.75 or higher economics GPA. Highest Honors requires a minimum grade of A in ECON 0701 and ECON 0702, and a 3.9 or higher economics GPA. For more detailed information on how the economics GPA is calculated, please contact the department coordinator.

International Politics and Economics Major

Please refer to the International Politics and Economics section of the catalog for details about the major or visit the International Politics & Economics website for the most current information. Note: Students are not allowed to double major in Economics (ECON) and International Politics and Economics (IPEC).

Major in Environmental Studies with a focus in Economics (ESEC)

Please refer to the Environmental Studies Program section of the catalog (under Social Science foci) for details about the major or visit the Environmental Studies website for the most current information. Note: Students are not allowed to double major in Economics (ECON) and Environmental Economics (ESEC).

Major in Environmental Studies with a focus in Policy (ESEP)

Please refer to the Environmental Studies Program section (under Social Science foci) for details about the major or visit the Environmental Studies website for the most current information. It is possible to double major in Economics (ECON) and Environmental Policy (ESEP), however, double counting of Economics courses towards each major is not allowed, except in cases where a specific course is listed as required by both majors. 

AP Credit Policy

To obtain credit, students will need to submit their official scores to the Registrar’s Office and obtain approval from the department chair. Students who score a 5 on the Advanced Placement exam in Macroeconomics or Microeconomics will receive credit for Introductory Macroeconomics (ECON 0150) or Introductory Microeconomics (ECON 0155) respectively and cannot enroll in these courses at Middlebury. Students who score a 5 on the advanced placement exam in statistics are strongly encouraged to enroll in Economic Statistics (ECON 0111, formerly 0210) but they may choose to use their AP credit instead. Note: Students may not receive AP credit and course credit for the same course.

Students who score a 4 on the advanced placement exam in Macroeconomics, Microeconomics or Statistics must earn a B- or better grade in the corresponding intermediate-level course ECON 0250, ECON 0255, or ECON 0211, respectively, to receive college credit for the AP course. Note: Students are required to complete an additional elective for each of these courses when a grade of B- or higher is not earned in the corresponding intermediate-level course.

International Baccalaureate/A-Levels

Students who have completed an International Baccalaureate and have earned a score of 7 on IB Economics or a grade of A on A-Level Economics should begin their studies of Macroeconomics and Microeconomics with ECON 0250 and ECON 0255. These students will be given one course credit toward the economics major, and will be prohibited from enrolling in ECON 0150 or ECON 0155. Students who have earned a score of 6 on IB economics or a grade of B on A-Level economics are encouraged to begin their studies of Macroeconomics and Microeconomics with ECON 0250 and ECON 0255, but they may elect to enroll in ECON 0150 or ECON 0155. Students majoring in Economics will need to replace the other introductory course with an ECON elective. Students who have completed a statistics course with a score of 6 or higher on IB Statistics, or a grade of B or better on A-Level Statistics may begin their course of study of economics statistics with ECON 0211 or MATH 0310. If they choose to start with ECON 0211 or MATH 0310, they will need to replace the ECON 0111 (formerly ECON 0210) credit with an ECON elective. The same rules apply where ECON courses are requirements for other majors. Please notify the department coordinator if you have qualifying IB or A-Level scores in economics that you wish to use as a prerequisite.

Transfer of Credit

Students may take economics courses in approved programs (abroad and domestic) and have those courses count towards the major and/or the general graduation requirement. Summer school courses will not generally be given credit for the major unless there is an overriding reason to take a summer school course. Any summer school course must meet a minimum of six weeks and have at least 36 hours of class time. Students planning to take courses off-campus should discuss the proposed course(s) with their advisor and get pre-approval from the department chair. Upon completion of the course(s), students should submit their course material and a copy of their transcript along with a Transfer Credit Application Form to the department chair for departmental approval. After receiving departmental approval, students must submit their forms to the Registrar’s Office for final approval by the director of off-campus study. Note: Transfer Credit Forms are not required for courses listed in the Course Information Data base (CID) as approved to count towards the major. However, students must notify the Registrar’s Office of any transferred courses approved in the CID that they wish to be counted towards their major requirements. Courses having a BU (Business) or MGMT (Management) prefix will not normally be considered the equivalent of an economics course. No credit will be given for business courses taken over the summer. A maximum of one general credit will be given for a business course taken through a junior year abroad business program. Business courses taken in a non-business program will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Those that match the department’s offerings, and have strong liberal arts content, have the best chance of receiving credit.

Post-Graduate Preparation

Graduate programs in economics or finance [other than a Masters of Business Administration (MBA)] generally require a high degree of mathematical sophistication. Students thinking of continuing in such a program are encouraged to: (i) take MATH 0310 in place of ECON 0111 (formerly ECON 0210); (ii) select economics electives with significant mathematically and statistically rigorous content [recommended courses fulfilling the elective requirements of the economics major include: ECON 0212, ECON 0229, ECON 0280, ECON 0390, and ECON 0411]; (iii) take a number of additional courses in mathematics and computer science [recommended courses include: CSCI 0101, MATH 0315, MATH 0318, MATH 0323, MATH 0410, and MATH 0423]. Good training for graduate school might include being a statistics tutor or having worked as a research assistant at Middlebury College or at a Federal Reserve Bank, or as an intern at a research institute or NGO. Students thinking about this option should discuss their plans with their advisor and other faculty members.. Masters of Business Administration (MBA) programs look for students who have taken a wide range of courses across the curriculum rather than for students who have narrowly focused on economics and math. Thus, it is not necessary for someone planning to go on in business or to an MBA program to have majored in economics. MBA programs normally expect that students have worked for a couple of years in business, government, or similar organization before they begin the MBA program. The appropriate coursework for these MBA programs is a wide range of liberal arts courses.

ECON 0111 Economic Statistics (formerly ECON 0210) (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Fall 2024

Economic Statistics (formerly ECON 0210)
An introduction to the discipline of statistics as a science of understanding and analyzing
data with an emphasis on applications to economics. Key topics include descriptive statistics, probability distributions, sampling, random variables, the Central Limit Theorem, estimation, hypothesis testing, p-values, and linear regression. Students will be introduced to a statistical programming language. A weekly one-hour lab is part of this course in addition to three hours of class meetings per week. (Formerly ECON 0210) (Not open to students who have taken ECON 0210, MATH 0116, MATH 0310, or PSYC 0201.) 3 hrs. lect., 1 hr. lab
DED (E. Gong)

Spring 2025

Economic Statistics (formerly ECON 0210)
An introduction to the discipline of statistics as a science of understanding and analyzing
data with an emphasis on applications to economics. Key topics include descriptive statistics, probability distributions, sampling, random variables, the Central Limit Theorem, estimation, hypothesis testing, p-values, and linear regression. Students will be introduced to a statistical programming language. A weekly one-hour lab is part of this course in addition to three hours of class meetings per week. (Formerly ECON 0210) (Not open to students who have taken ECON 0210, MATH 0116, MATH 0310, PSYC 0201, STAT 0116 [formerly MATH 0116] or STAT 0201.) 3 hrs. lect., 1 hr. lab
DED
Cross-listed as: STAT 0201

ECON 0150 Introductory Macroeconomics (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

An introduction to macroeconomics: a consideration of macroeconomic problems such as unemployment and inflation. Theories and policy proposals of Keynesian and classical economists are contrasted. Topics considered include: banking, financial institutions, monetary policy, taxation, government spending, fiscal policy, tradeoffs between inflation and unemployment in both the short run and the long run, and wage-price spirals. 3 hrs. lect. SOC (Fall 2024: D. Munro, P. Matthews)

ECON 0155 Introductory Microeconomics (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

An introduction to the analysis of such microeconomic problems as price formation (the forces behind demand and supply), market structures from competitive to oligopolistic, distribution of income, and public policy options bearing on these problems. 3 hrs. lect. SOC (Fall 2024: P. Wunnava, P. Sommers)

ECON 0200 Health Economics and Policy (Spring 2025)

In this course we will focus on the health care system of the United States. We will apply standard microeconomic tools to the problems of health and health care markets. The course provides the fundamental tools with which to understand how the health care market is different from the markets for other goods. For example, students will learn about the dominant presence of uncertainty at all levels of health care, the government's unusually large presence in the market, the pronounced difference in knowledge between doctors and patients, and the prevalence of situations where the actions of some impose costs or benefits on others (e.g., vaccinations, drug research). (ECON 0155) 3 hrs. lect. AMR, CW, NOR, SOC

ECON 0207 Economics and Gender (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Economics and Gender is an introduction to using the tools of economics to understand gender-related issues. In the first part of the course we will review economic models of the household, fertility, and labor supply and discuss how they help us interpret long-term trends in marriage and divorce, fertility, and women’s labor-force participation. In the second part of the course we will study economic models of wage determination and focus on explanations of, and policy remedies for, earnings differentials by gender. The final part of the course will focus on new research in economics on gender-related topics. (ECON 0155) 3hrs. lect. CW, SOC (Fall 2024: T. Byker)
Cross-listed as: GSFS 0207

ECON 0211 Introduction to Regression Analysis (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

In this course regression analysis is introduced. The major focus is on quantifying relationships between economic variables. Multiple regression identifies the effect of several exogenous variables on an endogenous variable. After exploring the classical regression model, fundamental assumptions underlying this model will be relaxed, and further new techniques will be introduced. Methods for testing hypotheses about the regression coefficients are developed throughout the course. Both theoretical principles and practical applications will be emphasized. The course goal is for each student to employ regression analysis as a research tool and to justify and defend the techniques used. (MATH 0121; and ECON 0111, (formerly ECON 0210) ECON 0150 or ECON 0155) 3 hrs. lect., 1 hr. lab DED (Fall 2024: G. Reyes, T. Byker)

ECON 0228 Economics of Agricultural Transition (Fall 2024)

In 1860 farmers made up over half the population of this country and fed about 30 million people. Today they number 2% of the population and produce more than enough to feed 300 million people. In this course we will look at the history, causes, and results of this incredible transformation. While studying the economic forces behind the changing farming structure, we will examine farm production, resources, technology, and agricultural policy. Field trips to local farms and screenings of farm-related videos and movies will incorporate the viewpoint of those engaged in agriculture. (ECON 0150 or ECON 0155) 2hrs. lect., 2 hrs. lab AMR, SOC (S. Pecsok)

ECON 0229 Economic History and History of Economic Thought (Fall 2024)

This course will provide an introduction to economic history and the history of economic thought. We will investigate and understand the causes and consequences of important historical events and trends, such as industrialization and globalization, from an economic perspective. We devote considerable attention to the dissemination throughout Europe of new industrial and agricultural practices originating in Britain. Along the way, we evaluate how prominent economists perceived and analyzed the events of their time. (ECON 0150 and ECON 0155) 3 hrs. lect. EUR, HIS, SOC (A. Gregg)

ECON 0234 Economics of Africa (Spring 2025)

Sub-Saharan Africa is home to some of the poorest and some of the fastest growing economies in the world. In this course, we will explore the opportunities for sustained, inclusive economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa, the challenges that must be overcome in realizing these opportunities, and the policy options for overcoming these challenges. Topics may include demography, institutions, infrastructure, agriculture, urbanization, climate change, health, natural resources, mobile technology, trade, and regional integration. Students will be exposed to relevant economic theory and recent empirical economic research on Africa. (ECON 0150 and ECON 0155) CW, SAF, SOC

ECON 0250 Macroeconomic Theory (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Macroeconomic theory analyzes whether the market effectively coordinates individuals' decisions so that they lead to acceptable results. It considers the effectiveness of monetary, fiscal, and other policies in achieving desirable levels of unemployment, inflation, and growth. The theories held by various schools of economic thought such as Keynesians, monetarists, and new classicals are considered along with their proposed policies. (MATH 0121 and ECON 0150) 3 hrs. lect. (Fall 2024: K. Sargent)

ECON 0255 Microeconomic Theory (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Microeconomic theory concentrates on the study of the determination of relative prices and their importance in shaping the allocation of resources and the distribution of income in an economy. We will study the optimizing behavior of households in a variety of settings: buying goods and services, saving, and labor supply decisions. We will also examine the behavior of firms in different market structures. Together, the theories of household and firm behavior help illumine contemporary economic issues (discrimination in labor markets, mergers in the corporate world, positive and negative externalities, for example). (MATH 0121 and ECON 0155) 3 hrs. lect. (Fall 2024: A. Gindin)

ECON 0265 Environmental Economics (Fall 2024)

This course is dedicated to the proposition that economic reasoning is critical for analyzing the persistence of environmental damage and for designing cost-effective environmental policies. The objectives of the course are that each student (a) understands the economic approach to the environment; (b) can use microeconomics to illustrate the theory of environmental policy; and (c) comprehends and can critically evaluate: alternative environmental standards, benefits and costs of environmental protection, and incentive-based environmental policies. (ECON 0155) 3 hrs. lect. (J. Isham)

ECON 0280 Game Theory (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Game theory is general in scope and has been used to provide theoretical foundations for phenomena in most of the social and behavioral sciences. Economic examples include market organization, bargaining, and the provision of public goods. Examples from other behavioral sciences include social dilemmas and population dynamics. In this course students will learn the basics of what constitutes a game and how games are solved. (ECON 0155 and MATH 0121 required; ECON 0255 recommended) 3 hrs. lect. (Fall 2024: A. Robbett)

ECON 0311 Causal Inference (Fall 2024)

“Correlation is not causation” is a frequent refrain from people investigating relationships in data. But what does this mean? In this course we will focus on empirical tools that economists use to identify causal relationships. Students will explore the concept of causality and estimation of counterfactuals using randomized and natural experiments to study economic and social phenomena. Students will learn to apply the main research designs used by economists including randomized control trials (RCTs), difference-in-differences estimation, event studies, instrumental variables, and regression discontinuity. The ethics of conducting empirical research will also be emphasized throughout the course. (ECON 0211) 3 hrs. lect. (C. Myers)

ECON 0365 The Economics of Climate Change (Fall 2024)

In this course we will apply the tools of economic analysis to the problem of global climate change. The goal is to expose students to how economists approach this important policy problem. The course will begin with a review of reasons for policy interventions in markets and policy instrument choice. We will then focus on the measurement of damages from emissions of greenhouse gases. Subsequent topics will include: discounting, technology and abatement costs, benefit-cost analysis, uncertainty and catastrophic risk, and policies in practice. (ECON 0255; ECON 0265 encouraged). 3 hrs. lect. (J. Berazneva)

ECON 0410 The Economics of “Sin”: Sex, Crime, and Drugs (Fall 2024)

In this course we will apply traditional microeconomic principles to non-traditional topics such as adultery, prostitution, teen pregnancy, crime and punishment, drugs and drug legalization, and gambling. We will ask the following questions throughout the course: To what extent is "sinful" behavior rational and utility-maximizing? What role does the government play in regulating "sinful" behavior and what are the consequences of these government interventions? The primary focus will be on the United States but brief comparisons will be made to "sinful" behavior and policy interventions in other countries. (ECON 0211 and ECON 0255) 3 hrs. sem. (J. Holmes)

ECON 0411 Applied Econometrics (Spring 2025)

This course is designed to further students' understanding of parameter estimation, inference, and hypothesis testing for single and multiple equation systems. Emphasis will be placed on specification, estimation, and testing of micro/macro econometric models and using such models for policy analysis and forecasting. Large cross-sectional as well as panel data sets will be used for estimation purposes. (ECON 0211 and ECON 0250 and ECON 0255) 3 hrs. sem.

ECON 0429 Trade and Foreign Aid in Latin America (Spring 2025)

This course is designed to provide an in-depth examination of a number of critical issues that currently confront policymakers in Latin America. The topics of development, regionalization and free trade, and the efficacy of foreign aid will be analyzed in the context of Latin American economic development. (ECON 0250, or ECON 0255 or ECON 0240 or IPEC 0240) 3 hrs. sem. AMR

ECON 0431 Economics of the European Union (Spring 2025)

This course will introduce students to the major economies of Western Europe and also the economic functions and structure of the institutions of the European Union. The course aims to familiarize students with the theoretical economic and policy issues that are currently of concern in the European Union. Moreover, the course aims to analyze economic problems that are of particular relevance to the member states of the European Union, such as the coordination of policies within an intergovernmental supranational framework and how to sustain the integration dynamic. (ECON 0250 or IPEC 0240 [formerly ECON 0240]) 3 hrs. sem. EUR

ECON 0444 International Trade (Spring 2025)

Since March 2020 when the world economies went into cascading lockdowns, global trade has been severely impacted. As the global economy slowly opens up, we will answer some age old and some new questions - First, what factors determine flow of international goods and services? Second, how are the gains and losses from international trade distributed amongst nations? Do all benefit, or are some countries made better off at the expense of others? Third, how does trade affect the internal allocation of resources and distribution of income within a country? Fourth, why do national governments try and influence or control international trade flows? Finally, how does international trade affect the low- and middle-income countries in today's global economy especially in the post Covid world? (ECON 0255 or ECON 0344 or IPEC 0240 [formerly ECON 0240]) 3 hrs. lect.

ECON 0463 Information Economics (Spring 2025)

When individuals make economics decisions, they often have different information than their peers or firms they interact with. This course is designed to analyze how an individual’s private information (or lack thereof) shapes their decision making and strategic interactions. This course introduces students to formal models of asymmetric information which we use to analyze moral hazard, adverse selection, mechanism design, matching, cheap talk, and costly information acquisition. Throughout the course we will study applications of the models we cover including car sales, job search, certification programs, bargaining, auctions, school choice, course selection, and selling user data on tech platforms. (ECON 0255 required, ECON 0280 recommended) 3 hrs.sem.

ECON 0466 Environment and Development (Fall 2024)

Climate change, air pollution, tropical deforestation: there is little doubt that economic development affects, and is affected by, the global and local environment and natural resources. In this course we will explore the complex relationship between environment and development using the theoretical and empirical tools of applied economic analysis. We will begin with pioneering research papers on the empirics of economic growth, examine the macroeconomic evidence, and then move to the micro foundations of the poverty-environment nexus. Major topics will include the resource curse and environmental Kuznets curve hypotheses, approaches for understanding responses to climate variability and disasters in poor communities, management of natural resources in smallholder agriculture, choosing policy instruments for pollution reduction, conservation, and environmental protection, and relationships between human health and the environment. We will conclude with a number of selected topics and issues of contemporary policy relevance. (ECON 0111 (formerly ECON 0210) and ECON 0255 or IPEC 0240 [formerly ECON 0240]) 3 hrs. sem. SOC (J. Berazneva)

ECON 0478 Technology and Labor Markets (Fall 2024)

In this course, we will explore the question: who gains from technological advances, and who loses? We will first learn theories of skill-biased technical change and automation through canonical and task-based Ricardian models. We will then apply these theories to a range of technological advances, including robots, computers, and complex software. For each technology, we will study the nuanced effects on employment, the wage distribution, and the nature of work. Additional topics will include historical technological advances (eg: electricity), and how technology contributes to growth in developing countries. We will then turn to emerging technologies like AI: can we extrapolate from what we have learned to predict how new technologies will impact workers? (ECON 0111 (formerly ECON 0210) and ECON 0250 or ECON 0255) 3 hrs. sem. (Z. Contractor)

ECON 0485 The Economics of Sports (Fall 2024)

This is a survey course of topics illustrating how microeconomic principles apply to the sports industry. Topics covered will include the industrial organization of the sports industry (notably, issues of competitive balance and the implications of monopoly power), the public finance of sports (notably, the impact teams have on host municipalities), and labor issues related to sports (including player worth and discrimination). The prerequisites for this course are meant to ensure that students can both understand fundamental economic concepts and present the results of econometric research as they apply to the sports industry. (ECON 0111 (formerly ECON 0210) and ECON 0211 and ECON 0255) 3 hrs. sem. (P. Sommers)

ECON 0495 Behavioral Economics and Public Policy (Spring 2025)

In this course we will examine some of the main findings of behavioral economics, with a focus on how these findings help design psychologically grounded policies. We will cover policy applications in areas like taxation, health, climate change, and education. We'll discuss papers covering real-world applications of behavioral insights across various contexts. Students will make a policy proposal to improve a current social program using insights from the class. The primary reading for the course will be journal articles and working papers, complemented with policy reports and book chapters. (ECON 0211 and ECON 0255) 3 hrs. sem.

ECON 0500 Individual Special Project (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

If you choose to pursue an area that we do not offer or go in depth in an area already covered, we recommend the Individual Special Project option. These ECON 0500 proposals MUST be passed by the entire department and are to be submitted to the chair by the first Friday of fall and spring semester, respectively. The proposals should contain a specific description of the course contents, its goals, and the mechanisms by which goals are to be realized. It should also include a bibliography. According to the College Handbook, ECON 0500 projects are a privilege open to those students with advanced preparation and superior records in their fields. A student needs to have a 3.5 or higher G.P.A. in Economics courses taken at Middlebury in order to pursue an Individual Special Project. ECON 0500 does not count towards the major or minor requirements.

ECON 0701 Senior Research Workshop I (Fall 2024)

In this first semester, students will design and begin their projects. Emphasis will be on designing a novel research question (while making the case for its importance) and an appropriate strategy for answering it. This requires immersion in the academic literature on the topic. General research principles and tools will be taught in class, as a group, while those specific to individual projects will be covered in one-on-one meetings. By the end of the term, students will outline their plan for completing the project, including demonstrating that it is a feasible research question for which the necessary information (e.g., data or source materials) is available or can be generated by the student (e.g., lab or other experiment). (Approval required) (E. Wolcott)

ECON 0702 Senior Research Workshop II (Spring 2025)

In this second semester of the senior research workshop sequence, the focus is on the execution of the research plan developed in ECON 0701. Most instruction is now one-on-one but the workshop will still meet as a group to discuss and practice the presentation of results in various formats (seminars, poster sessions, et cetera) to the rest of the workshop and others in the college and broader communities. Feedback and critiques from such presentations will be incorporated into the project, which will culminate in a research paper in the style of an economics journal article. (ECON 0701; Approval required) (A. Robbett, C. Myers)
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Program in Education Studies

Through the investigation of educational theory, policy, research and practice from a variety of disciplinary perspectives students learn to think critically and creatively about the processes of teaching and learning and about the place of education in society. Education Studies offers a double major for those students who seek teacher licensure in either elementary (EDEL) or secondary (EDSL) education, and a minor in general education (EDGW) for those who are interested in the field of education, but who do not seek teacher licensure. Students may not choose to major in Education Studies as a stand-alone major. The double major option is available only to those students seeking teacher licensure.

Requirements for the Double Major in Teacher Licensure

Students interested in earning a Vermont teaching license should meet with the Director of the Education Studies Program as soon as possible in their course of study. The four, state-required elements that must be satisfactorily completed in order to be recommended for Vermont initial educator licensure are: (i) Relevant coursework that satisfies the content requirements of the endorsement, (ii) Professional Semester, (iii) Vermont Licensure Portfolio, and (iv) state- required examinations such as Praxis. The specific course requirements for elementary and secondary teacher licensure are as follows:

Required for Major: Elementary Licensure

A major in another discipline. EDST 0115 (Education in the USA), EDST 0215 (Culturally Responsive Pedagogy), EDST 0300 (Models of Inclusive Education), EDST 0237 (Educational Psychology: Learning in Schools), EDST 0238 (Educational Psychology: Learning in the Community), EDST 0305 (Elementary Literacy and Social Studies Methods), EDST 0306 (Elementary Science Methods), EDST 0307 (Elementary Math Methods), EDST 0317 (Children and the Arts) or approved art internship, Professional Semester (see below).

Elementary licensure students must complete both the SCI and DED Distribution Requirements.

Required for Major: Secondary Licensure

A major in the endorsement area. EDST 0115 (Education in the USA), EDST 0215 (Culturally Responsive Pedagogy), EDST 0300 (Models of Inclusive Education), EDST 0237 (Educational Psychology: Learning in Schools), EDST 0238 (Educational Psychology: Learning in the Community), EDST 0327 (Field Experience in Secondary and Special Education), EDST 0505 (Independent Study Secondary Methods taken twice with different placements), Professional Semester (see below).

Middlebury College is authorized to recommend licensure in the following subject areas for secondary education (grades 7-12): Modern and Classical Languages: French, German, Russian, Spanish; English; Mathematics; Science; Social Studies. Art (grades K-12).

  •  In order for secondary licensure candidates to be recommended for licensure they must meet Vermont content endorsement requirements. Generally, this means that students should select their second major in the content area they wish to teach.

Professional Semester

(Fall semester only; by application and approval): Students who elect to pursue licensure either in Elementary (grades K-6) or Secondary (grades 7-12) education must apply to the Education Studies program for acceptance into the Professional Semester. The Professional Semester is a four credit, full-time, student teaching experience in a local school, with a master teacher, and under the supervision of a college-designated supervisor.  If accepted to the Professional Semester, students complete EDST 0410 (the student teaching seminar) and either EDST 0405-7 (elementary) or EDST 0415-17(secondary). Education Studies faculty make the final decision regarding where and with whom a student is placed for the Professional Semester. Students may elect to complete the Professional Semester in either their senior year or in a ninth semester with the degree awarded following completion.

Students should understand that while Middlebury College grants their undergraduate degree, it is the Agency of Education of the state of Vermont that issues the Vermont teaching license. Therefore, in a rare and exceptional circumstance, a student may be accepted into the Professional Semester, complete the coursework requirements for that semester, but not meet all of the requirements to earn a Vermont educator license. In that exceptional instance, a student would graduate with a double major from Middlebury College, but without Vermont teacher certification. Admission to the Professional Semester does not guarantee state certification.

Requirements for the Minor in Education Studies

Students interested in completing a minor in Education Studies should meet with a professor in the Education Studies Program to organize a thoughtful course of study. The Education Studies minor consists of five courses, two of which are required and three of which are selected at the discretion of the student in consultation with an EDST faculty advisor. There is no option for a major in general Education Studies.

  1. Required (2 courses):
  • EDST 0115     (Education in the USA) Prerequisite for all EDST courses
  • EDST 0430     (Senior Seminar in Education Studies)

Students must complete three of the 5 required courses prior to enrolling in the Senior Seminar.

2.   Electives (3 courses):

  • Any three other EDST courses (see course listing)

Students may request to include a non-EDST course, such as a Winter Term internship, or a course taken abroad as one of the five courses. In each instance, students must secure prior approval from Education Studies faculty for any non-EDST course to fulfill the requirements for the minor.

EDST 0102 English Language in Global Context (Spring 2025)

In this course we will discuss and write about the dominance of English in the global landscape. Course readings and films offer an interdisciplinary approach to the topic. We will begin the course with a geographic and historical overview of World Englishes and then will examine the impact of English language dominance on individuals and societies, emphasizing themes such as migration, globalization, education, and identity. Throughout the course, we will explore the relevance of these issues to educators, linguists, and policy-makers around the world. CMP, SOC
Cross-listed as: WRPR 0102 *

EDST 0115 Education in the USA (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

What are schools for? What makes education in a democracy unique? What counts as evidence of that uniqueness? What roles do schools play in educating citizens in a democracy for a democracy? In this course, we will engage these questions while investigating education as a social, cultural, political, and economic process. We will develop new understandings of current policy disputes regarding a broad range of educational issues by examining the familiar through different ideological and disciplinary lenses. 3 hrs. lect. AMR, SOC (Fall 2024: J. Miller-Lane, M. Hammerle)
Cross-listed as: BLST 0115

EDST 0132 Conflict Transformation: Mindfulness Skills as Educational Praxis (Spring 2025)

This course will introduce students to a variety of approaches to conflict transformation (CT) using skills-based practices from the fields of mindfulness and contemplative education. Conflict, as a personal or collective act of disruption, will be examined as a driver for social/political and individual change. We will examine this work through the theoretical lens of social justice and liberatory educational philosophies. Using these frameworks, we will also explore mindfulness-based skills as tools for engaged inquiry, including: identifying shifting conceptual frameworks and mindful states and employing embodied practices as learning praxis. SOC

EDST 0202 Writing to Heal (Fall 2024)

This writing-intensive course examines writing as a catalyst for healing after loss or grief. In a workshop focused on student writing, we will analyze fiction, drama, poetry, and creative nonfiction as a basis for discussions. To this end, we will read creative non-fiction, memoir, and novels. Assignments for this course will include formal analytical essays, creative work (published online), and oral presentations. CW, LIT (M. Hammerle)
Cross-listed as: WRPR 0202 *

EDST 0206 Environmental Education (Fall 2024)

In this interdisciplinary course students will learn foundational principles and practices in environmental education. Topics include ecological citizenship, environmental literacy, place-based education, learning theories, nature pedagogy, school gardens, and forest schools. Most class sessions will be held outdoors, where students will apply and extend their learning, develop lessons, and practice teaching. This course is appropriate for students interested in outdoor environmental education in formal or non-formal settings with any age between early childhood and high school. Field experiences with community partners occur outside of class. Approval Required (EDST 0115) 3hrs. lect. (T. Weston)

EDST 0210 Sophomore Seminar in the Liberal Arts (Fall 2024)

The current pandemic, and all the questions it brings to the fore about what we value in a college experience, make this an ideal moment to consider the meaning and purpose of your liberal arts education. At the heart of this exploration will be a question posed by physicist Arthur Zajonc: “How do we find our own authentic way to an undivided life where meaning and purpose are tightly interwoven with intellect and action, where compassion and care are infused with insight and knowledge?” We will examine how, at this pivotal moment of decision making, you can understand your college career as an act of “cultivating humanity” and how you can meaningfully challenge yourself to take ownership of your intellectual and personal development. Through interdisciplinary and multicultural exploration, drawing from education studies and philosophical, religious, and literary texts, we will engage our course questions by way of student-led discussion, written reflection, and personal, experiential learning practices. In this way we will examine how a liberal arts education might foster the cultivation of an ‘undivided’ life, “the good life”, a life well-lived. (The course is open to sophomores and second semester first-year students. Juniors by permission only.) CMP, CW (D. Evans)
Cross-listed as: INTD 0210 *

EDST 0215 Culturally Relevant and Sustaining Pedagogies (Fall 2024)

Gloria Ladson-Billings’ foundation work on culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) rests on these core propositions—students must experience academic success; students must gain cultural competence in relation to their own culture and at least one other culture; and students must develop a critical consciousness. In this class we will examine CRP and other liberatory pedagogies such as Culturally Sustaining (Paris, 2012); Reality Pedagogy (Emdin, 2016), Abolitionist Teaching (Love, 2019) each of which “seek to open up possibilities,” so that students can bring their “whole self into the classroom and into the world.” (Ladson-Billings, 2021). This is a required course for all students seeking a Vermont teaching licensure. (EDST 0115) 3 hrs. lect. AMR, CMP, SOC (T. Affolter)
Cross-listed as: BLST 0215

EDST 0237 Educational Psychology: Learning in Schools (Fall 2024)

In this course we will expand our understanding of learning and teaching while exploring principles, issues, and research in educational psychology. We will examine learning theories, complex cognitive processes, cognitive and emotional development, and motivation, and apply these constructs to effective instruction, the design of optimal learning environments, assessment of student learning, and teaching in diverse classrooms. (Restricted to EDST majors, others by permission.) (EDST 0115) 3 hrs. lect. SOC (C. Johnston)

EDST 0238 Educational Psychology: Learning in the Community (Spring 2025)

In this course we will expand our understanding of learning and teaching while engaging with the local school community, including professionals and stakeholders who support K-12 students in various roles. We will examine curriculum theory, teaching theories, and practices that support social-emotional as well as proficiency-based learning, trauma-informed teaching, and the use of personalized learning plans to support student growth and development. In this way, students will continue to understand and develop effective instructional practices, the design of optimal learning environments, meaningful assessment tools, and effective and engaging teaching strategies for diverse, inclusive, innovative, student-focused classrooms. (EDST 0237; Restricted to EDST Majors, and others by permission) 3 hrs. lect. SOC

EDST 0275 Make Room: Teaching August Wilson (Fall 2024)

August Wilson has been hailed as “Theater's Poet of Black America,” yet many students have little exposure to this theatrical and literary giant. In this course we will explore Wilson’s "Century Cycle" a collection of 10 plays-each set in a distinct decade- that portray African American experiences in the twentieth century. We will take an interdisciplinary approach to reading, analyzing, staging (where possible), and understanding Wilson’s work. We will explore key influences on Wilson’s work including the blues, The Black Arts Movement, visual artist Romare Bearden, essayist and fiction writer Jorge Luis Borges, and playwright/poet Amiri Baraka among others. We also will engage with visiting artists, scholars, teachers, and community members as we consider Wilson's impact and the importance of teaching and studying his work. 3 hr. lect. AMR, ART, LIT (T. Affolter)
Cross-listed as: BLST 0275

EDST 0405 Student Teaching in the Elementary School (Fall 2024)

A semester-long practicum in a local elementary school under the direct supervision of an experienced cooperating teacher. (Corequisite: EDST 0410) (Approval required) non-standard grade (T. Weston)

EDST 0406 Student Teaching in Elementary School (Fall 2024)

See EDST 0405. (Approval required) non-standard grade (T. Weston)

EDST 0407 Student Teaching in the Elementary School (Fall 2024)

See EDST 0405. (Approval required) non-standard grade (T. Weston)

EDST 0410 Student Teaching Seminar (Fall 2024)

Concurrent with student teaching, this course is designed to provide guidance in curriculum development and its implementation in the classroom, and to explore issues related to the teaching process and the profession. Students will construct a Teaching Licensure Portfolio as well as exchange ideas about their student teaching experiences. Topics including technology, classroom management, special education, and assessment will be featured. The Vermont Framework of Standards and Learning Opportunities, the five Standards for Vermont Educators, the Principles for Vermont Educators, and ROPA-R will guide the development of the Teacher Licensure Portfolio. (Corequisite: EDST 0405, EDST 0406, EDST 0407 or EDST 0415, EDST 0416 EDST 0417) (Approval required) 3 hrs. lect. CW (T. Weston)

EDST 0415 Student Teaching in the Middle School/High School (Fall 2024)

A semester-long practicum in a local middle or high school under the direct supervision of an experienced cooperating teacher. (Corequisite: EDST 0410) (Approval required) non-standard grade (J. Miller-Lane)

EDST 0416 Student Teaching in the Middle School/High School (Fall 2024)

See EDST 0415. (Approval required) non-standard grade (J. Miller-Lane)

EDST 0417 Student Teaching in the Middle School/High School (Fall 2024)

See EDST 0415. (Approval required) non-standard grade (J. Miller-Lane)

EDST 0430 Senior Seminar in Education Studies (Spring 2025)

In this capstone seminar for General Education minors, students will engage, analyze, and offer solutions to real world problems in the current landscape of education. We will read extensively in the field, consider multiple research methods and approaches, and enlist community experts. Working across disciplines and collaboratively, students will create final projects that integrate and apply what they have learned in their coursework, developing and enhancing skills for creative problem solving and leadership in the field. Final projects will vary; all students will make oral presentations. (three of five required courses for the general EDST minor.) 3 hrs. Sem. SOC

EDST 0500 Independent Project (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required)

EDST 0505 Independent Study - Secondary Methods (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

This course is for students who are pursuing a VT teaching license in a Secondary content area. Students are required to commit to a school placement under the guidance and supervision of a certified, secondary VT teacher. The content of the course will be developed collaboratively by the EDST professor overseeing the independent student, the VT secondary teacher who is overseeing the school placement, and the student. Regular meetings involving all three will take place throughout the semester. The exact meeting schedule will be determined on a case by case basis. Students will complete assignments that address the requirements of the VT Educator Portfolio. (EDST0115, EDST0215). By Approval only. Interested students must meet with the Director of Education Studies. (Fall 2024: J. Miller-Lane; Spring 2025: C. Johnston)
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English

Students majoring in English may choose the Literature Track or the Creative Writing Track.

Literature Track

Students who choose the Literature Track will take a total of 11 classes in the ENGL department (transfer credits from other institutions must be approved), as follows:

  • ENGL 103 or CMLT 101
  • ENGL 205
  • Eight Electives:
    • At least TWO of which must be courses carrying the REC (Race, Empire, and Colonialism) tag. Courses fulfilling the REC requirement engage students in the study of black diasporic and African American, Asian diasporic and Asian American, Latinx, indigenous and Native American, and postcolonial literatures. 
    • At least TWO of which must be courses carrying the Pre-1800 tag. Courses fulfilling the Pre-1800 requirement include courses in Medieval, Early Modern, and 18th-century literature. Only one Pre-1800 course may be a course on Shakespeare. 
    • ONE of which may be a Creative Writing workshop
  • One Advanced Seminar (all 400-level ENGL courses are Advanced Seminars)
  • Optional Senior Thesis (required for students seeking to graduate with Honors, and strongly recommended for those students interested in graduate work in English or related fields)
  • Please note: All students must complete 11 courses for the major, whether or not they choose to write a senior thesis. Students who do not write a senior thesis should choose an additional elective. If a particular class satisfies two requirements (e.g., Junior Seminar and pre-1800), the student will need to take an extra elective to ensure a total number of 11 courses. 

These requirements are intended to offer students broad and historically grounded training in the discipline as well as a range of different pathways through the major. Students should confer closely with their advisers concerning their choices of electives.

Requirements for the Joint Major

A joint major in English with a Literature focus requires a minimum of eight ENGL courses, including three required courses: 1) ENGL 0103 or CMLT 0101; 2) ENGL 0205; 3) a joint thesis or other project that integrates both parts of the joint major. In addition, students will choose at least five electives from the available offerings, making sure that these courses satisfy the following requirements (one elective may be a CRWR course):

  • One ENGL course bearing the REC tag (see major requirements for description)
  • One ENGL course bearing the Pre-1800 tag (see major requirements for description)
  • Advanced Seminar (400-level ENGL course)

Requirements for the Minor

Students minoring in English with a Literature focus will take a minimum of six courses, including 1) ENGL 0103 or CMLT 010; 2) ENGL 205; 3) one ENGL elective bearing the REC tag; 4) one ENGL elective bearing the Pre-1800 tag; 5) one 400-level Advanced Seminar; and 6) one additional elective, which may be a CRWR course. A single course may fulfill more than one distribution requirement. See Major Requirements, above, for more description of these course requirements.

Creative Writing Track

Students who choose the Creative Writing Track will take a total of 11 classes, as follows:

  • ENGL 103 or CMLT101
  • ENGL 205
  • Three CRWR Writing Workshops, at least ONE of which must be at the 300 level
  • Five Electives:
    • at least ONE of which must be a course carrying the REC (Race, Empire, and Colonialism) tag. Courses fulfilling the REC requirement engage students in the study of black diasporic and African American, Asian diasporic and Asian American, Latinx, indigenous and Native American, and postcolonial literatures. 
    • at least ONE of which must be a course carrying the Pre-1800 tag. Courses fulfilling the Pre-1800 requirement include courses in Medieval, Early Modern, and 18th-century literature.
  • Advanced Seminar (all 400-level ENGL courses are Advanced Seminars)
  • Optional Senior Thesis (required for students seeking to graduate with Honors, and strongly recommended for those students interested in pursuing graduate work in writing-intensive fields)
  • Please note: All students must complete 11 courses for the major, whether or not they choose to write a senior thesis. Students who do not write a senior thesis should choose an additional elective. If a particular class satisfies two requirements (e.g., Junior Seminar and pre-1800), the student will need to take an extra elective to ensure a total number of 11 courses. 

Requirements for the Joint Major

A joint major in English with a Creative Writing focus requires a minimum of nine courses, including 1) ENGL or CMLT101; 2) ENGL 205; 3) three creative writing workshops, at least ONE of which must be at the 300 level  4) an ENGL course bearing the REC tag; 5) an ENGL course bearing the Pre-1800 tag; 6) a 400-level ENGL Advanced Seminar; and 7) a Senior Thesis or Independent Project that integrates both parts of the joint major. See Major Requirements, above, for more description of these course requirements.

 *Students wishing to undertake a joint major in ENGL (either track) and Theatre should be advised that senior work will normally consist of two full-credit classes, ENGL 0708 and THEA 0708. We strongly recommend that these classes be taken in the same semester, with the understanding that a central goal of the joint major is the thorough integration of both aspects of the joint major. A single-credit, single-semester joint project remains an option for those who wish to pursue a joint thesis that does not include a practical component such as acting or directing.

*Students wishing to undertake a joint major (either track) in ENGL and Film and Media Culture (FMMC) should follow the joint major requirements listed above.  Such students may also wish to take FMMC electives such as FMMC 0257 – Storytelling in Film and Media and FMMC 0279 – Film and Literature. Students on the Creative Track wishing to write a screenplay for their joint thesis must take specifically FMMC/CRWR 0106 – Writing for the Screen and FMMC/CRWR 0341 – Writing for the Screen II—prior to beginning the thesis. 

*Students writing a joint thesis (either track) with HIST or HARC should register for HIST 0700 and 0711 or HARC 0710 and 0711.

Requirements for the Minor

Students minoring in English with a Creative Writing focus will take a minimum of six courses, including 1) ENGL 103 or CMLT101; 2) ENGL 205; 3) one CRWR 100-level course; 4) one CRWR 300-level course; 5) one 400-level Advanced Seminar; and 6) one additional elective, which may be ENGL or CRWR. See Major Requirements, above, for more description of these course requirements.

Senior Program

The ENGL senior program consists of an optional creative or critical Honors Thesis of 30-35 pages in length (ENGL 0700, CRWR 0701). Students may write a thesis in either the fall or the spring semester of their senior year, and may, with the permission of their thesis advisor, attach an independent study semester (ENGL 500 or CRWR 560 in Fall, Winter, or Spring) to their thesis semester (Fall, Spring only) to provide more research time for broader topics or projects. 

CRWR 0701 requires the prior completion of three CRWR workshops, at least one of which must be 300-level, and a grade of at least B+ in the 0300-level course before undertaking a thesis. 

All students will participate in an oral defense of their work with the advisor and additional readers (ideally two) of the project. Students completing a joint thesis should include the advisers from both departments and one additional reader. Additional readers may be other ENGL/CRWR faculty, faculty outside the department, or interested scholars or writers from outside the college. Students are encouraged to complete their 400-level [junior seminar] requirement before embarking on their senior work. Students must have a minimum 3.5 GPA in ENGL courses to be eligible to write a Senior Thesis.

To be eligible for departmental honors, students must complete a senior thesis. 

Individual faculty members also have the opportunity to hire a student research assistant to assist them in their scholarly work. Collaborative research and writing projects sometimes grow from these arrangements.

Honors

Departmental honors will be awarded to those students who achieve a departmental GPA of 3.85 and who complete an Senior Thesis (ENGL 0700 or CRWR 0701) in the fall or spring of the senior year. Completing a Thesis does not guarantee a student will receive honors. (See the ENGL website for more information on the Honors Thesis guidelines.) In determining the numerical average of course grades, all courses designated ENGL or CRWR will be counted, as will all other courses that fulfill requirements for the major (including those taken abroad or at other institutions). Joint majors are eligible to receive honors.  In determining joint honors, all courses that fulfill requirements for both majors will be counted.

CRWR 0106 Writing for the Screen I (Fall 2024)

In this course we will examine the fundamental elements of dramatic narrative as they relate to visual storytelling. We will emphasize the process of generating original story material and learning the craft of screenwriting, including topics such as story, outline, scene structure, subtext, character objectives, formatting standards, and narrative strategies. Weekly writing assignments will emphasize visual storytelling techniques, tone and atmosphere, character relationships, and dialogue. Students will be required to complete two short screenplays. Required readings will inform and accompany close study of selected screenplays and films. (FMMC 0101 OR CRWR 0170 or approval of instructor) (Formerly FMMC/ENAM 0106) 3 hrs. sem. ART (N. Ngaiza)
Cross-listed as: FMMC 0106 *

CRWR 0170 Writing: Poetry, Fiction, NonFiction (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

An introduction to the writing of poetry, short fiction, and nonfiction through analysis of writings by modern and contemporary poets and prose writers and regular discussion of student writing. Different instructors may choose to emphasize one literary form or another in a given semester. Workshops will focus on composition and revision, with particular attention to the basics of form and craft. This course is a prerequisite to CRWR 0380, CRWR 0385, CRWR 0370, and CRWR 0375. (This course is not a college writing course.) (Formerly ENAM 0170) 3 hrs. sem. ART (Fall 2024: K. Gottshall, M. Mayhew-Bergman)

CRWR 0173 Environmental Lit Workshop: Environmentalist Literature and Action (Fall 2024)

Some would say we live in supremely disturbing times. A pandemic; the sixth extinction; fascism within democracies and militant nationalisms; climate apartheid, and a political economy based around the commodification and exploitation of people and the earth. In this course careful reading and analysis is paired with literary conversation and action. Course readings represent a wide array of environmental justice in differing genres. While we respond to assigned texts, we will simultaneously write our way toward an environmental literature of our own design. 3 hrs. lect. ART, LIT (S. Ulmer)

CRWR 0218 Playwriting I: Beginning (Spring 2025)

The purpose of the course is to gain a theoretical and practical understanding of writing for the stage. Students will read, watch, and analyze published plays, as well as work by their peers, but the focus throughout will remain on the writing and development of original work. (Formerly THEA/ENAM 0218) ART, CW
Cross-listed as: THEA 0218 *

CRWR 0318 Playwriting II: Advanced (Fall 2024)

For students with experience writing short scripts or stories, this workshop will provide a support structure in which to write a full-length stage play. We will begin with extended free and guided writing exercises intended to help students write spontaneously and with commitment. Class discussions will explore scene construction, story structure, and the development of character arc. (ENAM 0170 or THEA/CRWR 0218 or FMMC/CRWR 0218; by approval) 2 1/2 hrs. lect./individual labs ART, CW (D. Yeaton)
Cross-listed as: THEA 0318 *

CRWR 0341 Writing for the Screen II (Spring 2025)

Building on the skills acquired in Writing for the Screen I, students will complete the first drafts of their feature-length screenplay. Class discussion will focus on feature screenplay structure and theme development using feature films and screenplays. Each participant in the class will practice pitching, writing coverage, and outlining, culminating in a draft of a feature length script. (FMMC 0106) 3 hrs. sem/3 hrs. screen. ART
Cross-listed as: FMMC 0341 *

CRWR 0370 Advanced Fiction Workshop (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Study and practice in techniques of fiction writing through workshops and readings in short fiction and novels. Class discussions will be based on student manuscripts and published model works. Emphasis will be placed on composition and revision. (Approval required; please email a writing sample to cohen@middlebury.edu) (Formerly ENAM 0370) (Any 100-level CRWR course) (This course is not a college writing course) 3 hrs. sem ART, LIT (Fall 2024: R. Cohen)

CRWR 0375 Workshop: Poetry (Spring 2025)

This course is an advanced workshop for students who have already done some work in poetry and are committed to the challenge of continued artistic development. Students will write a new poem each week, and revise at least eight of these for inclusion in a final chapbook project. Readings will include craft essays as well as several recent poetry collections by writers such as Hanif Abdurraqib and Natalie Diaz. Students must have completed (CRWR 0170 or CRWR 0175 and instructor approval). 3 hrs. sem. ART

CRWR 0380 Advanced Non-Fiction Workshop: Reading and Writing Memory and Landscape (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

The human animal is shaped by place and memory of place. How can a writer best create what Nabokov called "bright blocks of perception" and evoke the power of formative landscapes? We will move between memoir, narrative non-fiction, and autobiographical fiction, reading Virginia Woolf, Nabokov, Jesmyn Ward, and Mary Oliver. We will contemplate the way memory works with Oliver Sacks and Robin Kimmerer. Students will generate critical and creative work based on their own experiences and adventures, with room for interdisciplinary/multi-genre output. (One intro CRWR course, or by instructor approval) (formerly ENAM 0380) 3 hrs. sem. ART (Fall 2024), LIT (Fall 2024: M. Mayhew-Bergman)

CRWR 0560 Special Project: Creative Writing (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Approval Required. (Fall 2024: D. Evans, C. Shaw, J. Berg, J. Bertolini, D. Brayton, M. Mayhew-Bergman, M. Newbury, T. Billings, C. Baldridge, J. Parini, Y. Siddiqi, S. Ulmer, R. Cohen, M. Wells, K. Gottshall, A. Losano, S. Cassarino, B. Graves, B. Millier, W. Nash; Spring 2025: D. Evans, J. Berg, M. Mayhew-Bergman, D. Brayton, S. Halpern, M. Newbury, B. Graves, C. Baldridge, J. Parini, Y. Siddiqi, S. Ulmer, W. Nash, R. Cohen, M. Wells, S. Cassarino, K. Gottshall, T. Billings, B. Millier, P. Lourie)

CRWR 0701 Senior Thesis: Creative Writing (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Discussions, workshops, tutorials for those undertaking one-term projects in the writing of fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction.

ENGL 0103 Reading Literature (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Fall 2024

Section A
Towards a Poetics of Community
Why read literature? One answer: such reading is not individual but communal. It links readers to each other in aesthetic experience, in ethical and hermeneutic debate, and in appreciation for writers and fellow readers. As we read literary texts from different times, cultures, and genres, we will examine how they anticipate, create, or recreate readerly communities, and how these communities in turn help shape the texts as they are experienced. We will also strive to form our own readerly community—one that is as inclusive and as intellectually generous as possible. We will begin with close analysis of poetry in various forms from various historical periods. We will then read dramas by such playwrights as William Shakespeare, Margaret Edson, and/or Lolita Chakrabarti, as well as two works from among such prose writers as Charles Dickens, Emily Brontë, Herman Melville, Mark Twain, Marilynne Robinson, Virginia Woolf, Toni Morrison, Ian McEwan, Walter Moseley, and Jean Rhys. 3 hrs. lect./disc
CW, LIT (J. Berg)
Section B
Reading Literature: Fantastic Voyages
If every work of literature takes us to some “far country” of a world partly real and partly imagined, this course will be a “grand tour” of far-flung destinations, some tranquil, some desperately at war; some of which prompt us to look inward, some of which challenge us to act forcefully in the world at large. Our sustained concern, apart from learning how to appreciate a wide variety of styles, techniques, and genres, will be to acquire the analytical and writing skills that will allow students to convincingly communicate their feelings and insights about literature to others. To accomplish this, we will closely read selected works from Shakespeare to the present, become familiar with a lexicon of helpful literary terms, and introduce ourselves to some basics of literary theory. 3 hrs. lect./disc.
CW, LIT (C. Baldridge)
Section C
Reading Literature: How to Do Things with Words
How does language make and unmake the world around us? Is literature capable of intervening in the social and historical conditions of its own making? How does literary criticism participate in cultural transformation? To get a grasp on these questions, we will read widely in literature that explores the relationships between language, power, and social life, as well as criticism and theory that examines the interactions between aesthetics and politics. Our inquiry will survey the practical and theoretical foundations of literary study, as well as current debates about methodology in the field. Readings might include: Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and poetry by Phillis Wheatley Peters, John Keats, Dionne Brand, Solmaz Sharif, and M. NourbeSe Philip
CW, LIT (R. Sheldon)

Spring 2025

Section B
Reading Literature: Place, Space, and Time
Writers have always been concerned with the meaning of place and the passage of time, and our task will be to explore the diverse ways that literature in English expresses, grapples with, and comes to terms with these fundamental concepts. Of central concern will be the relationship between form and content in literary expression. Along the way, you will learn to more fluently read, write about, and talk about multiple literary genres—poetry, drama, short fiction, and novel—from Shakespeare to the 21st century. 3 hrs. lect./disc
CW, LIT
Section C
Reading Literature: Theory & Artistry
In this seminar we will cover the basics of literary theory while analyzing a broad selection of literature from the sonnet to slam poetry, and from the modernist novel to the contemporary short story. Our goals are to become competent and confident critics of literary meaning, both in its politics (gender, race, class, sexual) and in its philosophy (hermeneutic, formal, deconstructive). Our objects of study are both literature and ourselves. We will even do some creative writing of our own. Authors may include William Shakespeare, John Donne, Virginia Woolf, Nella Larsen, Octavia Butler, Junot Diaz, Ocean Vuong, Danez Smith, and Franny Choi, among others. 3 hrs. sem.
CW, LIT

ENGL 0105 Victoria's Secrets (Spring 2025)

Known as the great age of the realist novel and the epitome of staid decorum, the nineteenth century also had its guilty pleasures--mysteries, ghost stories, science fiction, adventure tales, and more--which exposed a radical underside to the Victorian imagination where norms of gendered, racial, and ethnic identity were called into question. In this course we will read both canonical realist novels and their non-traditional counterparts in an attempt to understand the productive interplay between these two seemingly disparate literary traditions. Authors may include: Austen, Dickens, Eliot, Hardy, the Brontës, Wilkie Collins, R.L. Stevenson, Arthur Conan Doyle, H.G. Wells, Bram Stoker, Mary Elizabeth Braddon, and others. EUR, LIT
Cross-listed as: GSFS 0105

ENGL 0109 Literary “Character” (Fall 2024)

In this course we will investigate literary character—what it is; what makes it “round,” “flat,” “deep,” “shallow”; its history. In seeking to understand “character,” we will create our own stories, using characters from our readings, or introducing characters we create into plots or settings from those readings. In expository essays and class discussions, we will also consider the following questions: how and why did “fictional person” acquire the name “character” (literally “engraved mark”)? How does “character” relate to representations of body, property, authorship, gender, race? How does theatrical character relate to novelistic and short-story character? Possible authors: Aristotle, Theophrastus, Terence, Geoffrey Chaucer, William Shakespeare, Laurence Sterne, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Herman Melville, Mark Twain, Virginia Woolf, Richard Wright, Julia Alvarez. 3 hrs. lect. (Formerly ENAM 0109) EUR, LIT (J. Berg)

ENGL 0118 Great Moments in American Fiction (Fall 2024)

In this course we will look at major moments in the development of a distinctly American tradition in fiction. Focusing on short, intense novels by major authors from the mid-19th to the late 20th centuries, we will see how these writers grapple with and illuminate the central questions of the American experience of democracy, race, gender, and social class. (3 hrs lect./disc.) AMR, CMP, LIT (B. Millier)

ENGL 0119 Shakespeare Then and Now (Spring 2025)

In the1623 First Folio, the first collected edition of Shakespeare’s plays, rival playwright and poet Ben Jonson says that the world’s most famous author was “not of an age, but for all time.” Jonson might more accurately have said that Shakespeare was “for all time” because “of an age.” To see how this is so, we will study ten to twelve plays from the following list: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet, Richard II, The Merchant of Venice, Henry IV, Much Ado About Nothing, Twelfth Night, Hamlet, Othello, All’s Well that Ends Well, King Lear, Anthony and Cleopatra, and The Winter’s Tale. Lectures and discussions will emphasize historical context, staging, structure, character, authorial development, and performance and reception history, as well as social and political concerns important in both Shakespeare’s times and ours: sexuality, gender, race, property, censorship, and autocratic and collective power. EUR, LIT

ENGL 0122 African Environmental Works (Spring 2025)

Contemporary African Environmental Works (Writing, Photography and Film)
Concerned with social implications of environmental change, many contemporary African photographers, filmmakers, and authors are challenging the public with social documents that protest ecologically destructive forms of neocolonial development. These works actively complicate what it means to write about and look at those most affected by environmental injustices perpetrated by international and national actors. In this course we will read and view relevant works of African environmental literature and art. Whilst reading, we will ask ourselves the hard questions of what to do with our own complicity when facing the role that the global north plays in the causation of environmental degradation and human suffering./(REC)/
ART, LIT, SAF
Cross-listed as: ENVS 0122

ENGL 0170 Writing: Poetry, Fiction, NonFiction (Spring 2025)

An introduction to the writing of poetry, short fiction, and nonfiction through analysis of writings by modern and contemporary poets and prose writers and regular discussion of student writing. Different instructors may choose to emphasize one literary form or another in a given semester. Workshops will focus on composition and revision, with particular attention to the basics of form and craft. This course is a prerequisite to ENAM 0370, ENAM 0375, ENAM 0380, and ENAM 0385. 3 hrs. lect. (Formerly ENAM 0170) ART

ENGL 0204 Foundations of English Literature (Pre-1800) (Spring 2025)

Students will study Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and Milton's Paradise Lost, as well as other foundational works of English literature that may include Shakespeare, non-Shakespearean Elizabethan drama, the poetry of Donne, and other 16th- and 17th-century poetry. 3 hrs. lect./disc.(Formerly ENAM 0204) EUR, LIT

ENGL 0205 Introduction to Contemporary Literary Theory (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

In this course we will introduce several major schools of contemporary literary theory. By reading theoretical texts in close conjunction with works of literature, we will illuminate the ways in which these theoretical stances can produce multiple interpretations of a given literary work. The approaches covered may include New Criticism, Psychoanalysis, Marxism and Cultural Criticism, Race Theory and Multicultural Criticism, Feminism, Post-Colonial Criticism, Queer Studies, Eco-Criticism, Post-Structuralism, and others. These theories will be applied to various works of fiction, poetry, and drama. The goal will be to make students critically aware of the fundamental literary, cultural, political, and moral assumptions underlying every act of interpretation they perform. 3 hrs. lect/disc. (Formerly ENAM 0205) EUR, LIT (Fall 2024: A. Losano)
Cross-listed as: CMLT 0205

ENGL 0206 Nineteenth-Century American Literature (Fall 2024)

This course will examine major developments in the literary world of 19th century America. Specific topics to be addressed might include the transition from Romanticism to Regionalism and Realism, the origins and evolution of the novel in the United States, and the tensions arising from the emergence of a commercial marketplace for literature. Attention will also be paid to the rise of women as literary professionals in America and the persistent problematizing of race and slavery. Among others, authors may include J. F. Cooper, Emerson, Melville, Douglass, Chopin, Whitman, Dickinson, Twain, Hawthorne, Stowe, Alcott, Wharton, and James. . 3 hrs. lect./disc.(Formerly ENAM 0206) AMR, LIT (B. Millier)

ENGL 0212 American Literature Since 1945 (AL) (Spring 2025)

In this course we will trace the development of the postmodern sensibility in American literature since the Second World War. We will read works in four genres: short fiction, novels, non-fiction (the "new journalism"), and poetry. Authors will include Saul Bellow, Joseph Heller, Ralph Ellison, Flannery O'Connor, Jack Kerouac, Vladimir Nabokov, Tom Wolfe, Joan Didion, Toni Morrison, and Don DeLillo. 3 hrs. lect./disc. (Formerly ENAM 0212) AMR, LIT

ENGL 0215 Contested Grounds: U.S. Cultures and Environments (Spring 2025)

Throughout the history of the United States, Americans have created a complex set of meanings pertaining to the environments (wild, pastoral, urban, marine) in which they live. From European-Native contact to the present, Americans’ various identities, cultures, and beliefs about the bio-physical world have shaped the stories they tell about “nature,” stories that sometimes share common ground, but often create conflicting and contested understandings of human-environment relationships. In this course we will investigate these varied and contested stories from multi-disciplinary perspectives in the humanities—history, literature, and religion--and will include attention to race, class, gender, and environmental justice. 3 hrs. lect./disc. (Formerly ENAM 0215) AMR, NOR
Cross-listed as: ENVS 0215 *

ENGL 0225 Forms of Enlightenment: Long Eighteenth-Century Literature and Culture (Pre-1800) (Fall 2024)

In this course, we will explore the development of literary genres, forms, and institutions in long eighteenth-century (1660-1830) Britain and its empire. We will track how writers in the period reimagined knowledge production, social organization, and politics in print. As we consider the key questions of the moment—the relationships between sensations, ideas, and truth; between reason, sympathy, and self-interest—we will attend carefully to the contradictions, exclusions, and omissions that structure Enlightenment thought, particularly with respect to questions of race and colonialism. Authors might include Aphra Behn, Henry Neville, Alexander Pope, Jonathan Swift, Sarah Scott, Adam Smith, Olaudah Equiano, Ignatius Sancho, Edmund Burke, and Phillis Wheatley Peters. 3 hrs. lect./disc. (Formerly ENAM 0225) EUR, LIT (R. Sheldon)

ENGL 0242 Critical Conditions: Gender, Literature, and Illness (Pre-1800) (Fall 2024)

In this course we will explore the literary representation of illness and pain in a range of texts from the classical period to the present day, focusing in particular on the intersection of illness with questions of gender, race, and sexuality. Beginning with Sophocles’s tragedy Women of Trachis, we will explore the classical representation of acute pain in the context of early Greek medicine, before examining medieval and early modern literary works inspired by the Black Death, including selections from Boccaccio’s Decameron. The second half of the class will focus on modernist and contemporary accounts of illness, including Virginia Woolf’s treatment of both the 1918 influenza epidemic and so-called “shell-shock” in her novel Mrs Dalloway. We will intersperse our literary readings with theoretical explorations of cure, disability, and ableism by writers such as Eli Clare, as well as work from the emerging field of narrative medicine. 3 hrs. lect.(Formerly ENAM 0242) EUR, LIT (M. Wells)
Cross-listed as: GSFS 0242

ENGL 0248 Human Rights and World Literature (Fall 2024)

In this course we will explore the idiom of human rights in law, literature, and political culture. We will place literary representations of human rights violations (genocide, torture, detention and forced labor, environmental devastation, police violence) in dialogue with official human rights treaties and declarations in order to historicize and critique the assumptions of human rights discourse. Who qualifies as a “human” deserving of humanitarian intervention? How do human rights rehearse a colonial dynamic based on racial and geo-political privilege? To answer these questions we will turn to some of the most controversial voices in global fiction and poetry. 3 hrs. lect. (not open to students who have taken ENAM 0230)
(Race, Empire, and Colonialism) (Formerly ENAM 0248)
CMP, LIT, SOC (B. Graves)
Cross-listed as: CMLT 0248

ENGL 0252 African American Literature (AL) (Fall 2024)

This course surveys developments in African American fiction, drama, poetry, and essays during the 20th century. Reading texts in their social, historical, and cultural contexts—and often in conjunction with other African American art forms like music and visual art—we will explore the evolution and deployment of various visions of black being and black artistry, from the Harlem Renaissance through social realism and the Black Arts Movement, to the contemporary post-soul aesthetic. Authors may include Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Gwendolyn Brooks, Ralph Ellison, Lorraine Hansberry, Amiri Baraka, Ishmael Reed, Toni Morrison, Charles Johnson, and Octavia Butler. 3 hrs lect./disc. (Diversity) (Rec) (Formerly ENAM 0252) AMR, LIT (W. Nash)
Cross-listed as: AMST 0252 *

ENGL 0253 Science Fiction (Fall 2024)

Time travel, aliens, androids, robots, corporate and political domination, reimaginings of race, gender, sexuality and the human body--these concerns have dominated science fiction over the last 150 years. But for all of its interest in the future, science fiction tends to focus on technologies and social problems relevant to the period in which it is written. In this course, we'll work to understand both the way that authors imagine technology's role in society and how those imaginings create meanings for science and its objects of study and transformation. Some likely reading and films include Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, H. G. Wells, The Island of Doctor Moreau, Ridley Scott, Blade Runner, and works by William Gibson, Ursula LeGuin, Octavia Butler and other contemporary writers. (Students who have taken FYSE 1162 are not eligible to register for this course). 3 hrs. lect./disc. (Formerly ENAM 0253) LIT (M. Newbury)
Cross-listed as: AMST 0253 *

ENGL 0257 Black Aesthetics in the Wake of Slavery (Spring 2025)

One of the most powerful ways in which contemporary Black writers and visual artists have examined the afterlives of slavery has been to question the authority of official documents such as ships’ ledgers, legal manuscripts, newspaper photographs, and auction catalogues. While showing how dominant archives negate black personhood, cultural producers such as Saidiya Hartman, M. NourbeSe Philip, Dionne Brand, Arthur Jafa, Christina Sharpe, and Kara Walker have explored the possibilities of alternative archival sources such as music, dance, personal correspondences, oral histories, tattoos, diary entries, and cleaning manuals. Students will explore how such sources (and their exciting aesthetic and scholarly treatment) disrupt the racial violence perpetuated by dominant archives. (REC)/ AMR, LIT

ENGL 0263 American Psycho: Disease, Doctors, and Discontents (Spring 2025)

What constitutes a pathological response to the pressures of modernity? How do pathological protagonists drive readers toward the precariousness of their own physical and mental health? The readings for this class center on the provisional nature of sanity and the challenges to bodily health in a world of modern commerce, media, and medical diagnoses. We will begin with 19th century texts and their engagement with seemingly "diseased" responses to urbanization, new forms of work, and new structures of the family and end with contemporary fictional psychopaths engaged in attacks on the world of images we inhabit in the present. Nineteenth century texts will likely include stories by Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Later 20th-century works will likely include Ken Kesey, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Thomas Harris, The Silence of the Lambs, Susanna Kaysen, Girl, Interrupted, and Bret Easton Ellis, American Psycho. (Formerly ENAM 0263) AMR, LIT
Cross-listed as: AMST 0263

ENGL 0268 Literature of Displacement: Forced Migration, Diaspora, Exile (Spring 2025)

In this course we will study postcolonial literature about migration, displacement, exile, and diaspora. Spurred variously by force, necessity and desire, migrants leave their homes and homelands with regret and with hope. Writers address the historical forces that propel these migrations: decolonization and neo-colonialism, globalization, warfare, dispossession, political violence, religious conflict, and environmental catastrophe. They experiment with narrative form and poetic language to explore the experiences of undocumented immigrant workers, exiles, refugees and well-to-do migrants. We will examine how displacement shapes constructions of identity, history, community and place in texts by writers such as Anzaldua, Ali, Darwish, Diome, Patel, Gomez Pena, Said, Rushdie, and others. 3 hrs. sem. (Diversity) (Rec) Please note that, if circumstances require, this course may occasionally be taught remotely. (formerly ENAM 0268) CMP, LIT, SOA, SOC
Cross-listed as: GSFS 0462

ENGL 0270 Reading Postcolonial and Indigenous Literature (Fall 2024)

European colonialism and racial capitalism have radically and violently transformed people’s lives across the globe. The effects of racial capitalism continue to be felt, and arguably imperialism continues but in other forms. How have writers responded to the experiences of colonization, racial capitalism, nationalism, development, globalization and migration? In this course, we will discuss writing by indigenous and postcolonial writers such as Chinua Achebe, Chimanda Ngozie Adichie, Mourid Barghouti, J. M. Coetzee, Tstitsi Dangarembga, Frantz Fanon, Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, Shailja Patel, Raja Rao, Arundhati Roy, Salman Rushdie, Leanne Betasomosake Simpson, and Wole Soyinka (readings will vary), focusing on colonization, anti-colonial resistance, nationalism, representation, agency and power. The class will include lectures, in-class discussions, writing exercises, and group work. (formerly ENAM 0270) (REC) CMP, CW, LIT, SOA, SOC (Y. Siddiqi)
Cross-listed as: CMLT 0270

ENGL 0291 Portraits of the Lady: The New Woman in American Literature & Culture (Spring 2025)

At the end of the 19th century, women fought against restrictions limiting their sphere of influence. As they sought to exercise more control over their lives personally, socially, and economically, this “New Woman,” and the way she was changing the face of society, became a popular subject in literature and art. In this course we will consider portraits of women by well-known American authors (such as James, Chopin, Wharton, Sui Sin Far, Cather, Larsen, Hurston) alongside those by prominent painters, sculptors, photographers, illustrators, and filmmakers. We will consider how representations of women through the early twentieth century embodied the values of the nation and codified both the fears and aspirations of its citizens. 3 hrs. lect. (Formerly ENAM 0291) AMR, ART, LIT
Cross-listed as: AMST 0291 *

ENGL 0309 Contemporary Literature (Fall 2024)

In this course we will explore seminal works of the post-World War II literature written in English. In the course of our readings we will move through the cultural and social transformations beginning with the paranoia and alienation of the Cold War, and continuing with the Civil Rights era, the national crisis of Vietnam, the rise of multiculturalism and the culture wars in the 1980s, the wide ranging effects of the information revolution, the profits and perils of globalization, and the profound anxiety of the war on terror. Writers studied will include Thomas Pynchon, Vladimir Nabokov, Don DeLillo, Donald Barthelme, William S. Burroughs, Toni Morrison, Ishmael Reed, Ana Castillo, and Art Spiegelman. 3 hrs. lect. (Formerly ENAM 0309) AMR, LIT, NOR (R. Cohen)

ENGL 0310 Literature and Economy: Credit, Speculation, Fiction (Spring 2025)

Beyond its engagements with the political economy of its day, Karl Marx’s Capital is rich with allusions to literary texts—among them Dante’s Inferno, Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe. In this course we will explore the imaginative aspects of classical economic thought and the economically descriptive capacities of literature. We will track their common interests in concepts of belief, credibility, and abstraction by looking (primarily) at a period that witnessed the emergence of political economy and modern literary forms like the novel—the eighteenth century. Along the way, we will hazard answers to the following question: in an age of rampant inequality and financialization, what can we learn from representations of historical crises, bubbles, and class struggles? 3 hrs. sem EUR, LIT, PHL

ENGL 0312 Modern Poetry (Spring 2025)

This course will examine the nature and achievement of the major modern poets of Britain and America during the modern period, beginning with the origins of poetic modernism in the work of Gerard Manley Hopkins, Emily Dickinson, and Walt Whitman. The central figures to be studied are William Butler Yeats, T.S. Eliot, Robert Frost, Wallace Stevens, and W.H. Auden. The course will conclude with a look at some after-echoes of modernism in the work of Elizabeth Bishop and others. Two papers, one exam, with occasional oral presentations in class 3 hrs. lect./disc.(Formerly ENAM 0312) LIT

ENGL 0313 Race, Capitalism, Decolonization (Fall 2024)

What does race have to do with capitalism and profit, exploitation and dispossession? Drawing on contemporary fiction, poetry, and theory, we will consider the intersections of race and capitalism in shaping contemporary epistemologies, institutional practices, and lived experiences in local and global contexts. We will explore how present-day formations of race and capitalism are related to histories of imperialism and the global extraction of labor and resources. Decolonization implies a deep, complex, and multi-faceted process by which the discourses, knowledges, and practices at the core of capitalism and imperialism(s) and their mechanisms of oppression are challenged and dismantled. (Formerly ENAM 0313) (REC) CMP, SOC (Y. Siddiqi)
Cross-listed as: BLST 0313

ENGL 0320 Indigenous and Settler Colonial Fictions (Fall 2024)

The term “settler colonialism” has gained currency recently as a way of describing the unjust displacement of indigenous peoples, the theft of their lands and resources, and the negation of native epistemologies, cultures, and histories. This course foregrounds indigenous literary voices that challenge and present alternatives to settler colonial narratives. Students will adopt a comparative approach that identifies continuities and disparities between Native American/First Nations, Mexican, Pacific Islander, South African, Palestinian, Maori, and Hawaiian depictions of indigeneity. Authors will include Haunani-Kay Trask, Leslie Marmon Silko, Oscar Zeta Acosta, Craig Santos Perez, Joy Harjo, Maxine Hong Kingston, Rigoberta Menchu, Keri Hulme, Joe Sacco, and J.M Coetzee. (Race, Empire, and Colonialism) CMP, HIS, LIT (B. Graves)

ENGL 0327 Imagining Rural America (Spring 2025)

Although many Americans equate “rural” with whiteness, political conservatism, and poverty, the realities and representations of rural life have always been complicated those notions. Using methodologies from geography, cultural history, folklore, and literary criticism, and privileging lenses of race, class, and gender, we will explore these complexities by analyzing novels, paintings, photographs, moving images, and music against the histories of Appalachia, the Rust Belt, the Dust Bowl, and New England. Texts may include Richard Wright’s Twelve Million Black Voices, The Grapes of Wrath (novel and film), paintings of Thomas Hart Benton and Edward Hopper, Winter’s Bone, O Brother Where Art Thou?/, and the music of John Prine and Steve Earle. AMR, ART, LIT
Cross-listed as: AMST 0327 *

ENGL 0373 Postcolonial Literature and the City (Spring 2025)

In this course we will examine a number of novels from the 20th and 21st centuries that are about life in the city, taking a global and trans-national approach. We will explore formations of urban life alongside transformations in the novel as a genre. We will put these novels of city life in dialogue with critical theory—that is, theories of culture and society that have as their aim human emancipation (for example, Marxism, feminism, critical race studies, and postcolonial studies). The novels we read will reflect important literary movements such as realism, modernism, and postmodernism. (Not open to students who have taken ENAM 0447) (Rec) (Formerly ENAM 0373) CMP, LIT, SOC

ENGL 0375 Workshop: Poetry (Spring 2025)

This course is an advanced workshop for students who have already done some work in poetry and are committed to the challenge of continued artistic development. Students will write a new poem each week, and revise at least eight of these for inclusion in a final chapbook project. Readings will include craft essays as well as several recent poetry collections by writers such as Hanif Abdurraqib and Natalie Diaz. (any 100-level CRWR course and Instructor Approval). 3 hrs. sem. ART

ENGL 0410 Shakespeare on Tyranny (Fall 2024)

Shakespeare wrote a great deal about tyrants and tyranny throughout his career, from the early comedies and history plays to the great tragedies and late romances. Characters whose abuse of power for personal gain wreaks havoc and ultimately leads to their own demise are illustrative and instructive today. In this class we will read and discuss a selection of Shakespeare plays, including Richard III, Julius Caesar, Henry V, Macbeth, Measure for Measure, King Lear, and The Tempest, as well as a selection of historical materials on politics and statecraft. These readings will be supplemented by two modern scholarly books, Tyrant, by the literature scholar Stephen Greenblatt, and On Tyranny, by historian Timothy Snyder. Our main goals will be to hone our critical inquiry skills by close-reading and intensive discussion as well as to strengthen our research and writing skills. Prerequisite: at least one ENGL class. Pre-1800 tag. EUR, LIT, PHL (D. Brayton)

ENGL 0417 Pulling Reality’s Hair: Truth and Other Fictions (Spring 2025)

We will, in this seminar, occupy ourselves with works that straddle or blur or occasionally just flat out ignore the aesthetic divide between fiction and non-fiction, in the hopes of getting a better grip on the relation between self and other, word and world, narrative strategy and fidelity to truths both large and small. Hence readings will include biographical and autobiographical novels, novelistic treatments of biography and autobiography, and a number of hybrid composites that cannot be classified, though we will surely try. Readings will include Nabokov, Proust, Henry Adams, J.M. Coetzee, W.G. Sebald, Lydia Davis, Joan Didion, Gregoire Bouillier, Art Spiegelman, and Spalding Gray. In addition we will view films by Ross McElwee, Andre Gregory, and Charlie Kaufman. This course is not open to students who have taken ENAM 0307. (3 hrs. sem.) (Formerly ENAM 0417)
Cross-listed as: CMLT 0417

ENGL 0451 The Novels of J.M. Coetzee: Ethics and Empire (Fall 2024)

Coetzee, whose novels engage questions of institutional racism, state-sponsored violence, patriarchal privilege, environmental degradation, animal rights, and how to ethically approach cultural Others, manages to speak of specific historical circumstances—such as South Africa’s apartheid regime—while simultaneously addressing universal dilemmas of our contemporary human condition. Having received both the Booker (twice) and Nobel Prizes for literature, Coetzee is recognized as the living heir of both Kafka and Beckett, and as a writer whose searing prose and formal experimentation both extend and transform the novel’s traditional role as our culture’s most skeptical self-inquisitor. Depicting every act of writing as either a confrontation or an evasion, Coetzee both reveres and rebukes the literary traditions he warily embraces. We will read his strongest and most globally recognized works, from Waiting for the Barbarians through Disgrace. LIT (C. Baldridge)

ENGL 0467 Dickinson and Bishop (Spring 2025)

In this course we will study, in significant depth, the lives and work of poets Emily Dickinson and Elizabeth Bishop. These authors are important and widely discussed; thus our topics will include a range of aesthetic, literary-historical, biographical, and political perspectives. And we will make use of a range of archival materials—journal entries, letters, drafts of poems—both published and unpublished. At the heart of our discussions, however, will be the poems these great writers produced. We will learn about ways to read and explicate poems, and about the use of archival materials in literary research and analysis. 3 hrs. sem. LIT

ENGL 0500 Special Project: Literature (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Approval Required. (Formerly ENAM 0500)

ENGL 0700 Senior Thesis: Critical Writing (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Individual guidance and seminar (discussions, workshops, tutorials) for those undertaking one-term projects in literary criticism or analysis. All critical thesis writers also take the Senior Thesis Workshop (ENAM 700Z) in either Fall or Spring Term. (Formerly ENAM 0700)

ENGL 0705 Senior Colloquium in Literary Studies (Fall 2024)

Although it is required of all Literary Studies seniors, this course is intended for students working in any discipline who seek a close encounter with some of the greatest achievements of the literary imagination. In addition to being understood as distinctive artistic and philosophical accomplishments, the major works which constitute the reading list will also be seen as engaged in a vital, overarching cultural conversation across temporal and geographical boundaries that might otherwise seem insurmountable. The texts for this semester include Homer’s Odyssey, Aeschylus’ Oresteia, Cervantes’ Don Quixote, Dostoevsky’ Crime and Punishment, Pirandello’ Six Characters in Search of an Author, and Borges’ Ficciones. (Open to non-majors with the approval of the instructor.) 3 hrs. sem.
Cross-listed as: LITS 0705 *

ENGL 0708 Senior Work: Joint Majors in English & American Literatures and Theatre (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Approval required. (Formerly ENAM 0708)
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Program in Environmental Studies

Major in Environmental Studies

The environmental studies major is composed of course work in four areas: four environmental studies core courses; 7-8 courses in a focus area; two environmental cognate courses; and an integrative capstone experience. Except for transfer students, the core courses and capstone experience must be Middlebury College courses, which for the purposes of the Environmental Studies major are defined as those offered by the undergraduate college during fall, winter, spring, and summer terms. The student’s advisor must approve any non-Middlebury College courses within the focus area; the ES Director must approve any non-Middlebury College courses within the rest of the major. A maximum of three non-Middlebury College courses may be credited toward completion of the major.

I. Core Course Requirements

All majors are required to complete four core courses, ENVS 0112, ENVS 0211, ENVS 0215, and one spatial analysis course, chosen in consultation with your advisor, from among the following: ENVS/GEOG 0251, ENVS/GEOG 0261, ENVS/GEOG 0271, or ENVS/GEOG 0281.

If possible, ENVS 0112 should be completed by the end of the fourth semester, and all four core courses by the end of the sixth semester. However, students unable to meet that goal may enroll in later semesters.

II. Focus Course Requirements
Majors must complete the 7-8 course requirements for one of 17 established foci. Foci fall into one of four academic divisions: arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. These divisions govern which cognate courses a student may take. Courses taken within the focus that are not specified must be approved by the student’s advisor, who must come from the student’s focus. As indicated, some foci automatically qualify the student for joint major status. Environmental Studies foci are as follows (specific requirements for each can be found further below):

Arts Foci:

  • Environmental Dance
  • Environmental Studies-Architecture joint major
  • Environmental Studio Art
  • Environmental Theatre

Humanities Foci:

  • Environmental History
  • Environmental Literature
  • Environmental Writing
  • Religion, Philosophy and the Environment

Natural Science Foci:

  • Conservation Biology (Environmental Studies-Biology joint major)
  • Environmental Studies-Chemistry joint major
  • Environmental Earth and Climate Sciences joint major

Social Science Foci:

  • Conservation Psychology
  • Environmental Economics
  • Environmental Justice
  • Environmental Policy
  • Environmental Studies-Anthropology joint major
  • Environmental Studies-Geography joint major

III. Cognate Course Requirements
Two cognate courses must be selected from the approved list of cognates, subject to the following:

For ES majors with a focus in the Natural Sciences (ESBI, ESSC, and ESCH):  

1 cognate from the approved list in the Social Sciences or Integrated Courses
1 cognate from the approved list in the Humanities/ARTS or from the Integrated Course list

For ES majors with a focus in the Social Sciences (ESEC, ESGG, ESEP, ESEJ, ESAN, ESCP)

1 cognate from the approved list in the Natural Sciences with a lab (this course should be completed by the end of junior year)
1 cognate from the approved list in the Humanities/ARTS OR from the Integrated Course list

For ES Majors with a focus in the Humanities or Arts (ESAE, ESDA, ESHI, ESAT, ESTH, ESET, ESLI, ESWR):

1 cognate from the approved list in the Natural Sciences with a lab (this course should be completed by the end of junior year)
1 cognate from the approved list in the Social Sciences OR from the Integrated Course list

Because integrative courses represent more than one academic division, they inherently represent an academic division outside the division of the student’s focus; therefore, all integrative courses can be counted by all majors toward completion of the cognate requirement, subject to the rules above. Not all approved cognates are offered each semester. Please check with relevant departments regarding course offerings.

IV. Advanced Integrative Capstone Requirement
After completing the required core courses, majors must complete the community-engaged environmental studies practicum ENVS 0401, open to juniors and seniors.

Senior Work in Environmental Studies

All seniors are required to take ENVS 0401, the ENVS senior seminar devoted to community-connected learning and requiring significant interdisciplinary work. ENVS does not universally require senior independent work; however, some foci within ENVS do.

Majors who are not required to complete independent senior work in their focus may, in consultation and approval of an advisor, apply to complete (optional) senior independent work in ENVS. Senior work in ENVS may be carried out as a one-term senior project (ENVS 0700) or as a multi-term senior thesis (ENVS 0700/0701).

All senior independent work carried out in ENVS or toward honors eligibility (i.e., carried out in a focus department) in Environmental Studies must be on a topic pertinent to the relationship between humans and environment; be supervised by at least one faculty advisor who is appointed in or affiliated with the environmental studies program; and must be presented publicly. In consultation with the thesis committee, students may present as part of the Spring Research Symposium or as a separate event arranged with the committee and ES Program.

For additional important details regarding the integrative capstone requirement and/or senior work options, please visit the senior work page.

Minor in Environmental Studies

The minor in environmental studies consists of five courses: three environmental studies core courses to be completed by the end of the sixth semester: ENVS 0112; ENVS or ENVS/PSCI 0211; and ENVS or ENVS/ENAM 0215; one course selected from among: ART 0348, DANC 0277, ECON 0265, ENGL 0227, ENVS 0209, ENVS 0210, ENVS 0220, ENVS 0230, ENVS 0395, ENVS 0485, HARC 0231, HIST 0222, PHIL 0356, PSCI 0214, PSYC 0233/0333; and one course from among: BIOL 0140, CHEM 0270, ENVS/GEOG 0251, ECSC 0112, ECSC 0161, or ECSC 0323. Except for transfer students, the environmental studies core courses must be taken at Middlebury College. With the approval of the Environmental Studies program director, a maximum of one course taken off campus may be credited toward completion of other (e.g., non-core course) minor requirements.

Joint Majors

Environmental studies majors who focus in architecture, biology, chemistry, earth and climate sciences, geography, or anthropology automatically qualify as joint majors. Students may pursue a joint major between environmental studies and other majors. The other major usually overlaps the student’s focus and represents additional coursework in the focus. Students interested in completing such a “non-automatic” joint major should consult with the chair of their focus department about joint majors. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the environmental studies major, there is no reduction in course requirements for the environmental studies component of a joint major.

Focus Specific Requirements

Arts Foci

Environmental Dance: ARDV 0116; DANC 0160; DANC 260; DANC 0277 or       
DANC 1025; DANC 0284; DANC 0376; DANC 0700.

Environmental Studies-Architecture joint majorHARC 0130; HARC 0230; HARC 0231 (joint major capstone); HARC 0259; HARC 0330 (or a pre-approved substitute); one additional course taken in the department that deals with architectural history, theory or practice, urbanism, or modern/contemporary visual culture; HARC 0731 and HARC 0732, to be taken sequentially. Note: This joint major does not result in a professional degree in architecture. Students wishing to pursue graduate study in architecture are advised to take additional science and math courses and should consult with their advisor.

Environmental Studio Art: One 100- or 200-level drawing course; HARC 0327 (strongly suggested) or other approved substitute in the history of art-practice; ART 0348; four electives in studio art, three of which must be at the 300-level; ART 0700.

Environmental Theatre: ARDV 0116 or THEA 0101; THEA 0102; THEA 0208; DANC 0277; THEA 0235 or a THEA literature course chosen in consultation with advisor; two THEA electives of which only one may be a Production Studio course; and completing a crew requirement. The crew requirement must be completed by the end of the 5th term and will normally be satisfied by undertaking a running crew assignment on a for-credit production; the requirement may also be fulfilled by stage managing a faculty show, or by completing THEA 0119 or THEA 0129.

Humanities Foci

Environmental History: HIST 0222; three 100-300-level HIST courses; one 400-level HIST course or equivalent approved by adviser; HIST 0600 or equivalent approved by adviser; one additional course from the ENVS humanities cognate list or an approved substitute.

Environmental Literature: ENAM 0103 or CMLT 0101; ENAM 0205; three approved environmental literature courses (see full list) of which one must be at the 100-200 level and one must be at the 300-400 level; one term of senior independent work, typically ENAM 0700, or, upon approval, a senior thesis, typically ENAM 0700/ENVS 0701.

Environmental Writing: ENAM 0103 or CMLT 0101; CRWR 0170 or CRWR 0175; two approved environmental literature courses (see full list) of which one must be at the 100-200 level and one must be at the 300-400 level; two 300-level writing workshops; one term of senior independent writing, typically ENAM 0701.

ReligionPhilosophy, and the Environment: ENVS 0395; PHIL 0356; ENVS 0700; and four courses in accordance with either the Religion track or the Philosophy track.

Religion track: Four RELI 100-200 level courses of which, at least, two should focus either on a particular religious tradition (e.g. Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism) or on a particular geographic area (e.g. religions of South Asia) and, at least, one should focus on an alternate religious tradition/geographic area. ANTH 0211 or HIST/PHIL 0237 maybe substituted for a 200-level course with approval of the advisor.

Philosophy track: PHIL 0150 or PHIL 0151; at least one ethics course selected among: PHIL 0205, PHIL 0210, PHIL 0285, or an approved alternative; at least one philosophy of science course selected among: PHIL 0214 (strongly recommended), PHIL 0216, or an approved alternative; an additional PHIL course selected in consultation with the advisor.

Students with strong comparative interests in both religion and philosophy should consult with their advisor.

Natural Science Foci

Conservation Biology (Environmental Studies-Biology joint major): BIOL 0140; BIOL 0145; BIOL 0392; two field methods courses chosen from BIOL 0203 BIOL 0304, BIOL 0308, BIOL 0323 and BIOL 0371; one organismal course chosen from among BIOL 0202, BIOL 0203, BIOL 0204, BIOL 0205 BIOL 0308 and BIOL 0310; and two BIOL electives chosen from the 0200-0700 level (only one of which can be BIOL 0500 or higher). Notes: BIOL 0203 and 0308 may count toward the field methods or the organismal requirement but not towards both. Winter Term courses offered through the Biology Department can be used to satisfy one of the elective courses; BIOL 0211 is a prerequisite for independent study in Biology (BIOL 0500 and higher). ENVS 0401 satisfies the required joint work for ENVS-BIOL joint majors. Students wishing to pursue graduate study in biology are advised to take additional science and math courses and should consult with their advisor.

Environmental Studies-Chemistry joint major: CHEM 0103; CHEM 0104 or 0107; CHEM 0203, CHEM 0204; CHEM 0270; and CHEM 0311.  Students wishing to pursue graduate study in chemistry are advised to take additional science and math courses and should consult with their advisor.

Environmental Studies-Earth and Climate Sciences joint majorOne introductory course (ECSC 0112 preferred), both core courses (ECSC 201, 202), three electives and a two-term senior thesis (ECSC 400, 700) focusing on geology and the environment. Students wishing to pursue graduate study in geology are advised to take additional science and math courses and should consult with their advisor.

Social Science Foci

Conservation Psychology: PSYC 0105; PSYC 0201; PSYC 0202; PSYC 0233/0333; PSYC 0416 or PSYC 0423, and two additional courses to be determined in consultation with the student’s advisor.

Environmental Economics: MATH 0121 or MATH 0122; ECON 0155; ECON 0111 (formerly ECON 0210); ECON 0211; ECON 0255; ECON 0265; ECON 0465 or ECON 0466; one course from among INTD 0222, ECON 0228, ECON 0365, ECON 0425, ECON 0427, ECON 465, ECON 0466, and ECON 0488.

Environmental Justice:  ENVS 208 (EJ in the Anthropocene); one course from the foundations list; three courses from the electives list; and two courses from the advanced list.  Substitute or additional courses not listed here, including Winter Term courses and off-campus courses, may count toward the focus with the approval of an ESEJ faculty adviser. This is a social science-based focus, so majors in ESEJ follow the cognate course requirements for the social science division.  Majors may count any humanities course listed for the focus (HIST, RELI, ENAM, PHIL, HARC, CLAS) as a cognate if they do NOT count it toward the focus.  In choosing their natural science cognate, ESEJ majors are encouraged to consider CHEM 270, Environmental Chemistry and Health for their natural science lab cognate.

Environmental Policy: ECON 0155; ECON 0265; ECON 0111 (formerly ECON 0210) or MATH 0116 or PSYC 0201 or STAT 0118; PSCI 0214 or ENVS 0485; PSCI 0421 or PSCI 0452; two courses from among ENVS 0208, ENVS 0209, ENVS 0310, and any PSCI courses at the 0200-0300 level.

Environmental Studies-Geography joint major: GEOG 0100 or GEOG 0151; one GEOG course numbered between 0250 and 0300; four additional geography elective courses numbered below GEOG 0400, at least one of which must be numbered below 0250; and one 0400-level seminar or one 0700-level senior independent project. At least two of the electives must be semester-long courses completed on the Middlebury campus. The electives and seminar must be selected in consultation with, and approved by, the student’s Geography advisor. ENVS 0401 satisfies the required joint work for ENVS-GEOG joint majors.

Environmental Studies - Anthropology joint major. 
Choose one course from the following: ANTH 0103, ANTH 0107, ANTH 0109 or ANTH 0159
Students must take: ANTH 0211 and ANTH 0302
Choose one course from the following: ANTH 0306, ANTH 0396 or ANTH 0492
In addition, students must take three electives related to environmental topics from the Anthropology curriculum or ENVS 0210 or ENVS 0485 in consultation with the student’s advisor.

Students pursuing senior work may only count one semester towards their elective requirement. No more than one elective may be taken outside of the regular fall and spring semesters at Middlebury (e.g., as a winter term course or transfer credit).  Any departures from this program must be approved by the Anthropology department chair.

Other Environmental Perspectives

For students interested in studying the environment from perspectives for which there is not an established focus (e.g., international environmental studies, food studies), we recommend that students select the established focus that most closely meets their goals, select cognates that complement these goals, and, when possible, select topics on course assignments and projects that complement their goals and interests. Students are also encouraged to consider the possibility for intersecting study abroad opportunities with their goals and interests. Finally, students might consider completing a minor in environmental studies alongside a major of their choice. Students are encouraged to meet with the ES Director or with faculty advisors who advise for foci related to their interests to discuss their options.

Environmental Studies Program Honors

Program honors will be awarded to majors who complete a multi-term senior thesis on a topic pertinent to the relationship between humans and the environment and meet the following requirements: the thesis must be supervised by a faculty advisor who is appointed in or affiliated with the environmental studies program; the work must be presented publicly, orally defended before their committee, and be of superior quality (B+ or higher); the student must achieve an average GPA of B+ or higher in courses taken toward completion of the major. Courses counting toward the GPA in the major include core courses, courses taken in fulfillment of focus with the exception of senior thesis courses (i.e., 700-level courses are excluded), cognates, and ENVS 0401 (if taken). If extra cognates or courses within the focus were taken, those with the highest grades will be applied toward completion of the major and toward the GPA calculation for honors eligibility.

ENVS 0101 Reimagining Sustainability (Spring 2025)

Reimagining Sustainability: Exploring Holistic Futures (Half Credit)
What does Sustainability mean and how does it apply to our campus and beyond? In this course students will deconstruct the mainstream views of sustainability and the systems that surround it. Using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and excerpts from climate thinkers such as Adrienne Marie Brown, Robin Wall Kimmerer, and Ayana Elizabeth Johnson as a framework, we will delve into themes surrounding an evolving paradigm shift. Students will explore how to redefine what sustainability could mean for a holistic future grounded in interdependence and interconnectedness and develop their climate communication and storytelling skillsets. Readings will include Johnson and Wilkinson, eds., All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis, Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass, and Jeremy Caradonna, Sustainability: A History. 1.5 hours sem.

ENVS 0112 Natural Science and the Environment (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

We will explore in detail a series of current environmental issues in order to learn how principles of biology, chemistry, geology, and physics, as well as interdisciplinary scientific approaches, help us to identify and understand challenges to environmental sustainability. In lecture, we will examine global environmental issues, including climate change, water and energy resources, biodiversity and ecosystem services, human population growth, and world food production, as well as the application of science in forging effective, sustainable solutions. In the laboratory and field, we will explore local manifestations of global issues via experiential and hands-on approaches. 3 hrs. lect., 3 hrs. lab. SCI (Fall 2024: P. Ryan)

ENVS 0122 African Environmental Works (Spring 2025)

Contemporary African Environmental Works (Writing, Photography and Film)
Concerned with social implications of environmental change, many contemporary African photographers, filmmakers, and authors are challenging the public with social documents that protest ecologically destructive forms of neocolonial development. These works actively complicate what it means to write about and look at those most affected by environmental injustices perpetrated by international and national actors. In this course we will read and view relevant works of African environmental literature and art. Whilst reading, we will ask ourselves the hard questions of what to do with our own complicity when facing the role that the global north plays in the causation of environmental degradation and human suffering. (REC)/
ART, LIT, SAF
Cross-listed as: ENGL 0122

ENVS 0166 Pleistocene Park, Jurassic World: Fossil Stories of Our Future (Fall 2024)

What can coprolites tell us about climate change? Will mammoths roam Siberia once more? While paleontology might seem like it’s all about the past, the tools that paleontologists employ are directly relevant to our future. Students will explore scientific topics such as the process of fossilization, how to reconstruct the history of life, and why mass extinctions happen. We will also discuss the ethical dimensions of fossil ownership, de-extinction, science communication, and other societal issues. Ultimately, students will leverage the richness of geologic and evolutionary time to develop a new personal context for interpreting our rapidly changing planet. 3 hrs. lect SCI (A. Mychajliw)

ENVS 0208 Environmental Justice in the Anthropocene (Fall 2024)

We live in a moment defined by environmental change. Yet the causes and consequences of these transformations are profoundly uneven. Across race, class, gender, and other forms of difference, “environmental problems” manifest in radically unequal ways, disproportionately burdening some while benefiting others. In this class we will dwell on this central tension in thinking about present socio-environmental crises and what to do about them, from toxic landscapes and biodiversity loss to global hunger and a warming climate. Certainly, these problems pose urgent, even existential problems that demand intervention. Yet common refrains about ‘how to save the environment’ always come with baggage. They have deep histories and hidden assumptions about causes and solutions, justice and inequality, politics and social change, which we will wrestle with together in this course. 3 hrs. lect. CMP, SOC (D. Suarez)

ENVS 0211 Conservation and Environmental Policy (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

This course examines conservation and environmental policy in the United States. In order to better understand the current nature of the conservation and environmental policy process, we will begin by tracing the development of past ideas, institutions, and policies related to this policy arena. We will then focus on contemporary conservation and environmental politics and policy making—gridlock in Congress, interest group pressure, the role of the courts and the president, and a move away from national policy making—toward the states, collaboration, and civil society. 3 hrs. lect./disc. AMR, SOC (Fall 2024: C. Klyza)
Cross-listed as: PSCI 0211

ENVS 0215 Contested Grounds: U.S. Cultures and Environments (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Throughout the history of the United States, Americans have created a complex set of meanings pertaining to the environments (wild, pastoral, urban, marine) in which they live. From European-Native contact to the present, Americans’ various identities, cultures, and beliefs about the bio-physical world have shaped the stories they tell about “nature,” stories that sometimes share common ground, but often create conflicting and contested understandings of human-environment relationships. In this course we will investigate these varied and contested stories from multi-disciplinary perspectives in the humanities—history, literature, and religion--and will include attention to race, class, gender, and environmental justice. 3 hrs. lect./disc. AMR (Fall 2024: R. Gould)
Cross-listed as: ENGL 0215

ENVS 0244 Poetics and Practice: Engaging Complexity in the Age of Climate Change (Fall 2024)

Climate change. Race. Technology. Story. In this course, we will engage academia, the arts, and activism to explore the nature of climate change and its impacts, how we show up in this moment, and how “difference” informs our choices. What is our emotional relationship to change and why does that matter? How do we consider different entry points based on experience, identity, and understanding? How do we lean into the complexity (whether talking about identity, technology, or the environment) and move from personal practice to a collective practice? We will explore diverse ideas from artists, activists, writers and thinkers including Ava DuVarney, Robert Sapolsky, and Ayana Elizabeth Johnson through lectures, dialogue, writing and story-making. Come ready to play! (C. Finney)

ENVS 0251 Mapping Global Envrn Change (Fall 2024)

Mapping Global Environmental Change (formerly ENVS 0150)
How do geographers use geospatial technologies to observe the Earth’s surface? How do geographers use this information to interpret changes in the global environment across space and time? In this course we will learn how to work with large geographic datasets to explore patterns and changes to the Earth’s surface at local to global scales. Case studies will use remotely-sensed images to study land cover, climate, weather, wildfire, and other topics. Students will learn concepts, methods, and ethics for using a cloud-based geospatial analysis platform to process data, critically interpret workflows and results, and communicate findings with web maps and graphics. 4 hrs. lect./1.5 hrs. lab.
DED (J. Howarth)
Cross-listed as: GEOG 0251 *

ENVS 0261 Human Geography with GIS (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Human Geography with GIS (formerly ENVS 0120)
How do geographers study spatial interactions between people and the environment? How does socio-economic status relate to spatial patterns of settlement, social organization, access to resources, and exposure to risks? How can geographic information systems (GIS) help geographers explain these spatial patterns and processes? In this course we will apply GIS to a wide range of topics in human geography including urban, environmental, political, hazards, and health. We will learn how to gather, create, analyze, visualize, and critically interpret geographic data through tutorials, collaborative labs, and independent work that culminate in cartographic layouts of our results. 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab.
DED (30 seats), SCI (J. Holler)
Cross-listed as: GEOG 0261 *

ENVS 0271 Cartography (Spring 2025)

How do maps work? What are their intended uses and impacts? How do maps differ across cultures and times? In this course we will explore these questions through a series of practical exercises, readings, discussions, and critiques. We will learn fundamental concepts, principles, and patterns for using graphics to depict geographical ideas. We will practice both manual and digital methods for making maps, including GIS and graphics software, and compare frameworks and paradigms for evaluating map style and use. 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab. SOC
Cross-listed as: GEOG 0271 *

ENVS 0332 The Perennial Turn (Fall 2024)

The work of repairing Earth—response-ably attending to life-nourishing human and more-than-human interrelationships—starts at scales of self and community. Power dynamics, thoughtways, humans and planet Earth changed when our ancestors began annually disrupting soil ecosystems and storing surplus food. We explore notions of perennial thinking and action through readings, direct experience, and work with local partners at the forefront of the perennial turn. Combining ancient and contemporary knowledges in science, history, philosophy, spirituality, and more, we investigate thinking more like a prairie than a plow. How might we regrow deep roots and craft ways that align with current understandings of Universe, Earth, life? In the Spring 2023 semester we will focus on healing and food systems.3 hrs. sem., PHL (M. Lapin, B. Vitek)

ENVS 0349 From Social Justice to Environmental Justice (Spring 2025)

We will examine environmental justice cases in the context of the social justice movements that have preceded them, paying particular attention to how these earlier movements have influenced the challenges and tactics of environmental justice today. Drawing on the work of Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Dorothy Day, and others, we will explore the roles race, class, gender, and religion have played in confronting poverty, racism, and violence. We will then investigate contemporary environmental justice movements, using case studies to explore how these movements are rooted in, as well as distinct from, social justice movements of earlier periods (ENVS 0215 or any 100 or 200 level course in Religion or by permission) (not open to students who have taken ENVS 1028) AMR, NOR, PHL

ENVS 0401 Community-Engaged Environmental Studies Practicum (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

In this course students work in small groups with one of a variety of partners and organizations to complete a semester-long, community-engaged project. Project themes vary by term and typically focus on local and regional environmental issues that have broader application. Projects rely on students’ creativity, interdisciplinary perspectives, skills, and knowledge developed through their previous work. The project is guided by a faculty member and carried out with a high degree of independence by the students. Students will prepare for and direct their project work through readings and discussion, independent research, collaboration with project partners, and consultation with external experts. The course may also include workshops focused on developing key skills (e.g., interviewing, public speaking, video editing). The project culminates in a public presentation of students’ final products, which may various forms such as written reports, policy white papers, podcasts, or outreach materials. (Open to Seniors) (ENVS 0112, ENVS 0211, ENVS 0215, GEOG 0251 [formerly GEOG 0150] or GEOG 0261 [formerly GEOG 0120] or GEOG 0271) 3 hrs. sem./3 hrs. lab (Fall 2024: K. Morse, D. Munroe, J. Isham)

ENVS 0485 Global Political Ecology (Fall 2024)

From global land grabs and agrarian revolutionary movements to clashes over energy infrastructure and the establishment of protected areas, today’s “environmental issues” are suffused with political relations and deeply entangled with the historical formations of capitalism, colonialism, the state, and science. In this seminar we will analyze how “social” questions of power, political economy, and social struggle, pervade the “natural” (and vice versa). Such questions are invariably messy and full of surprises, confounding reduction to universal theories extended from afar. Often, they require a close in-the-weeds look. That is what this class will invite you to do. The field of political ecology offers a rich repertoire of approaches for developing empirically grounded, historically contextualized, and theoretically nuanced forms of analysis that grapple with the situated complexities of resource and environmental issues. (formerly ENVS 0385) (ENVS 0208 or ENVS 0211 or PSCI 0214) 3 hrs. sem. CMP, SOC (D. Suarez)
Cross-listed as: ANTH 0485

ENVS 0500 Independent Study (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

In this course, students (non-seniors) carry out an independent research or creative project on a topic pertinent to the relationship between humans and the environment. The project, carried out under the supervision of a faculty member with related expertise who is appointed in or affiliated with the Environmental Studies Program, must involve a significant amount of independent research and analysis. The expectations and any associated final products will be defined in consultation with the faculty advisor. Students may enroll in ENVS 0500 no more than twice for a given project. (Approval only)

ENVS 0700 Senior Independent Study (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

In this course, seniors complete an independent research or creative project on a topic pertinent to the relationship between humans and the environment. During the term prior to enrolling in ENVS 0700, a student must discuss and agree upon a project topic with a faculty advisor who is appointed in or affiliated with the Environmental Studies Program and submit a brief project proposal to the Director of Environmental Studies for Approval. The expectations and any associated final products will be defined in consultation with the faculty advisor. Students may enroll in ENVS 0700 as a one-term independent study OR up to twice as part of a multi-term project, including as a lead-up to ENVS 0701 (ES Senior Thesis) or ENVS 0703 (ES Senior Integrated Thesis). (Senior standing; Approval only)

ENVS 0701 Senior Thesis (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

This course is the culminating term of a multi-term independent project, resulting in a senior thesis on a topic pertinent to the relationship between humans and the environment. Approval to enroll is contingent on successful completion of at least one term (and up to two) of ENVS 0700 and the approval of the student’s thesis committee. The project, carried out under the supervision of a faculty advisor who is appointed in or affiliated with the Environmental Studies Program, will result in a substantial piece of scholarly work that will be presented to other ENVS faculty and students in a public forum and defended before the thesis committee. (Senior standing; ENVS major; ENVS 0112, ENVS 0211, ENVS 0215, GEOG 0120, and ENVS 0700; Approval only)
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Department of Film & Media Culture

Major Requirements

Students must complete ten courses to satisfy the requirements for a major in Film and Media Culture. Before declaring a Film and Media Culture major, the student must have completed or be currently enrolled in one of the basic core courses. Those courses are as follows:

Basic Core Course Requirements

FMMC 0101 Aesthetics of the Moving Image; FMMC 0102 Global Film Histories I or FMMC 0103 Global Film Histories II; FMMC 0104 TV and American Culture; and one production course - either FMMC 0200 Filmmaking or FMMC 0106 Screenwriting. The basic core courses should be completed by the end of the junior year.

Required Advanced Courses

One 0300 level course in theory — FMMC 0354, FMMC 0355, FMMC/GSFS 0358, FMMC 0360, or another approved 0300 level course — typically to be completed during junior year; and FMMC 0700 Film and Media Senior Tutorial.

Electives

Four additional FMMC courses, with at least two of these being critical studies or history courses. With the prior permission of a student’s academic advisor, one winter term FMMC course may be counted as an elective. Independent study courses will typically not count as an elective unless approved by the department chair for exceptional circumstances. Students taking courses focused on film and media taught in a foreign language, either at Middlebury or abroad, may request major elective credit from their advisor. Note that courses may not count toward both FMMC and another department’s major or minor. Courses transferred from other institutions will normally count only as an elective toward the FMMC major, not to fulfill core requirements.

Minor

Minors must take at least 2 introductory courses from the list of FMMC 0101 Aesthetics of the Moving Image, FMMC 0102 Global Film Histories I, FMMC 0103 Global Film Histories II, or FMMC 0104 TV and American Culture. In addition, minors must take four additional courses that are listed or cross-listed as FMMC, with at least one course at the 0300 or 0400-level. At least one of the four electives must be a critical studies or history course.

Joint Major

The joint major with FMMC is a combination of two disciplines, culminating in a joint senior project; the plan for joint majors is negotiated between the student and the two departments in which the joint program of study is pursued at the time of declaring the joint major. The senior project must combine aspects of both majors and in most cases will require approval, supervision, and evaluation from either departments or programs. The Film and Media Culture part of the joint major requires a minimum of seven courses, including four introductory-level courses (FMMC 101; FMMC 102 or FMMC 103; FMMC 104; FMMC 106 or FMMC 200), a 300-level theory course, FMMC 0700 Film and Media Senior Tutorial (or the equivalent senior project course in the other department), and any courses required or appropriate prior to undertaking the joint senior project. FMMC supports a concentration in American Studies, as detailed on its page.

Joint Major with English

A common joint major is ENAM/FMMC, combining an interest in storytelling in both literary and visual forms. Joint ENAM/FMMC majors are required to fulfill the basic Joint requirements for FMMC as listed above, and are encouraged to take the relevant electives FMMC 0257 Storytelling in Film and Media and FMMC 0279 Film and Literature if possible. Students who wish to write a screenplay for their joint senior project are required to take FMMC 0106 Screenwriting and FMMC 0341 Advanced Screenwriting; additionally, their screenwriting project must be tied to literary topics or issues (including adaptation).

Honors

The faculty of Film and Media Culture will award honors to select students based on their overall excellence in film and media coursework with a minimum GPA of 3.7, and on the merit of their senior project.

FMMC 0101 Aesthetics of the Moving Image (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

How do films convey meaning, generate emotions, and work as an art form? What aspects of film are shared by television and videogames? This course is designed to improve your ability to watch, reflect on, and write about moving images. The course will be grounded in the analysis of cinema (feature films, documentaries, avant-garde, and animation) with special focus on film style and storytelling techniques. Study will extend to new audio-visual media as well, and will be considered from formal, cultural, and theoretical perspectives. Note to students: this course involves substantial streaming of films and television for assigned viewing. 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. screen ART (Fall 2024: N. Dobreva)

FMMC 0102 Global Film Histories I (Fall 2024)

This course will survey the development of the cinema from 1895 to 1960. Our study will emphasize film as an evolving art, while bearing in mind the influence of technology, economic institutions, and the political and social contexts in which the films were produced and received. Screenings will include representative and celebrated works from world cinema. 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. screen ART, HIS (C. Keathley)

FMMC 0104 Television and American Culture (Spring 2025)

This course explores American life in the last seven decades through an analysis of our central medium: television. Spanning a history of television from its origins in radio to today’s digital convergence via YouTube and Netflix, we will consider television's role in both representing and constituting American society through a variety of approaches, including: the economics of the television industry, television's role within American democracy, the formal attributes of various television genres, television as a site of gender and racial identity formation, television's role in everyday life, the medium's technological transformations, and television as a site of global cultural exchange. Note to students: this course involves substantial streaming of television for assigned viewing. 3 hrs. lect./disc. / 3 hrs. screen AMR, SOC
Cross-listed as: AMST 0104

FMMC 0106 Screenwriting (Fall 2024)

In this course we will examine the fundamental elements of dramatic narrative as they relate to visual storytelling. We will emphasize the process of generating original story material and learning the craft of screenwriting, including topics such as story, outline, scene structure, subtext, character objectives, formatting standards, and narrative strategies. Weekly writing assignments will emphasize visual storytelling techniques, tone and atmosphere, character relationships, and dialogue. Students will be required to complete one short screenplay. Required readings will inform and accompany close study of selected screenplays and short films. This class will require some streaming of video material. (FMMC 0101 OR CRWR 0170 or approval of instructor) (Formerly FMMC/ENAM 0106) 3 hrs. sem. ART (N. Ngaiza)
Cross-listed as: CRWR 0106

FMMC 0200 Filmmaking (Fall 2024)

In this course students will gain a theoretical understanding of the ways moving images and sounds communicate, as well as practical experience creating time-based work. We will study examples of moving images as we use cameras, sound recorders, and non-linear editing software to produce our own series of short works. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the possibilities of the medium through experimentation, analysis, and detailed feedback while exploring different facets of cinematic communication. (FMMC 0101, or FMMC 0102, or approval of instructor) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab ART (I. Uricaru)

FMMC 0204 Classic Hollywood/New Hollywood (Spring 2025)

During the period know as “New Hollywood” (1967-76), American filmmakers routinely turned to classical genres as a way both to celebrate the films that had inspired them and to re-think their values and themes in light of the changes in American culture during that period. In this class, we will focus on three film genres (detective, western, and gangster films) and will view classical versions and New Hollywood reworkings. Films screened will include The Maltese Falcon (1940), Chinatown (1974), My Darling Clementine (1946), McCabe & Mrs Miller (1971), Little Caesar (1931), and The Godfather (1972), among others. (FMMC 0101 or FMMC 0102 or by approval) 3 hrs. seminar/3 hr. screen AMR, ART, NOR

FMMC 0206 Faking Reality: Mockumentaries, Hoaxes & Pseudo-docs (Fall 2024)

The line between fiction and nonfiction media has always been blurred, but the rise of reality TV and digital video in the 21st century has expanded both the quantity and scope of works that straddle these categories. In this course we will explore the history, ethics, cultural impacts, and aesthetic possibilities of mockumentaries, hoax media, and other examples of film and television that challenge easy categorization as “truthful” or fictional. We will study a wide range of works, including F is for Fake, The Blair Witch Project, The Office, Borat, American Vandal, and The Rehearsal. The course will culminate in students either producing their own boundary-blurring media project or authoring a critical essay in written or videographic form. (FMMC 101 or 104) 3 hr. lecture / 3 hr. screening. (J. Mittell)

FMMC 0207 The Anime Industry: Studios, Genres, Media Mix (Spring 2025)

What exactly is anime? Why and how did it become so popular around the world? In response to these questions, we will study Japanese anime in the context of its unique media mix industry that involves franchising across manga, movies, television series, and original video animation, as well as toys, merchandise, and video games. We will explore the establishment and development of that industry through the works of key auteurs (e.g., Osamu Tezuka, Mamoru Oshii, Rumiko Takahashi, Masaaki Yuasa), studios (e.g., Toei, Ghibli, Madhouse, Production I.G.), and genres (e.g., mecha, shojo, BL, sports). Our discussions will focus on both the politics and aesthetics of anime, and will be informed by broader historical and theoretical readings. ART, NOA

FMMC 0213 Media Curation and Exhibition (Fall 2024)

While digital technology has increased accessibility and affordability of media creation, bringing media to the audience is an increasingly difficult challenge. In this course we will survey the current landscape of American independent and international media exhibition and curation, focusing on institutions and practices relevant to students interested in the media industries. Topics of the course include festivals as launching venues; development programs and their importance as curators; competitions, awards and grants that support independent filmmaking; film series and other curated modes of exhibition. About half of the work in the course will consist of hands-on work on the Hirschfield Screening Series, including research, screener viewing, title selection, liaising with distribution companies, organizing screenings and guest visits. (I. Uricaru)

FMMC 0223 Fan Video: Cultures, Theory, Practice (Spring 2025)

In this course we will explore the range of fan video forms, aesthetics, cultures, and histories. Fans re-edit pre-existing media (TV, film, etc.) into new transformative works that can receive millions of views as well as critical acclaim. We will study the visual and rhetorical logics of fan video, the distribution and reception circuits for fan video, and the legal and political questions bound up in fan video practices. We will consider fan video as a critical practice, and we will learn by engaging with scholarship on fan video as well as by making our own fan videos. ART

FMMC 0225 Gothic and Horror (Fall 2024)

This course examines the forms and meanings of the Gothic and horror over the last 250 years in the West. How have effects of fright, terror, or awe been achieved over this span and why do audiences find such effects attractive? Our purpose will be to understand the generic structures of horror and their evolution in tandem with broader cultural changes. Course materials will include fiction, film, readings in the theory of horror, architecture, visual arts, and electronic media. 3 hrs. lect./disc. 3 hrs lect. AMR, HIS, NOR (M. Newbury)
Cross-listed as: AMST 0225 *

FMMC 0227 Black American Cinema (Spring 2025)

In this course we will examine various representations of Blackness in American Cinema, from Oscar Micheaux’s early silent films to Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther. While we will primarily focus on films written and/or directed by Black Americans, we will also study the social, cultural, and political impact of Hollywood ideas and images of Black people and how they changed over time. Through a framework of both film theory and critical race theory, students will analyze how Black creative expression has manifested itself through film, influencing both form and content. 3 hours lect./3 hours screen AMR, ART, HIS
Cross-listed as: BLST 0227

FMMC 0253 Hong Kong Cinema (Spring 2025)

In this course we will survey Hong Kong films from the post-war period to the present. We explore the themes, styles, genres, directors, the star system, and audiences and discuss how Hong Kong cinema, as one of the largest and most dynamic motion picture industries in the world, expresses the region’s complex, hybrid, and fluid cultural identity in the context of coloniality and transnationalism. ART, NOA
Cross-listed as: CHNS 0253

FMMC 0256 British Crime Drama (Fall 2024)

British Crime Drama centers on a quintessential television genre, which has comfortably crossed national and cultural borders. We will explore the transformations that occur when crime fiction moves from the television industry to a streaming apparatus. The course explores the enduring appeal of this genre, how the whodunnit narrative is different in a British setting and identify the aesthetic devices unique to British shows. Simultaneously, we will explore how individual narratives engage with questions of gender, race, class and national identity. ART, EUR, SOC (S. Moorti)
Cross-listed as: GSFS 0256 *

FMMC 0334 Videographic Film and Media Studies (Fall 2024)

Digital video technologies now enable film and media critics to “write” with the same materials that constitute their object of study: moving images and sounds. The rise of video essays means rethinking the rhetorical modes traditionally used in critical writing, and incorporating more aesthetic, poetic, and experimental elements alongside explanation and analysis. In this hands-on course (with no previous video editing experience required), we will both study and produce video essays, exploring how such work can produce new knowledge, create an aesthetic impact, and disseminate film & media criticism to a broader audience. (FMMC 0101 or FMMC 0104 or by approval) 3 hrs. sem. (J. Mittell)

FMMC 0335 Advanced Filmmaking (Spring 2025)

In this course students will work in teams to produce several short films, having the opportunity to take turns at fulfilling all the essential crew positions: director, producer, cinematographer, production sound mixer, editor, and sound designer. We will emphasize thorough pre-production planning, scene design, cinematography, working with actors, and post production —including color correction and sound mixing. The critical dialogue established in FMMC 0105 Sight and Sound I will be extended and augmented with readings and screenings of outstanding independently produced work. (FMMC 0105) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab. ART

FMMC 0341 Advanced Screenwriting (Spring 2025)

Building on the skills acquired in Writing for the Screen I, students will complete the first drafts of their feature-length screenplay, or TV pilot and Bible. Class discussion will focus on feature screenplay structure and theme development using feature films and screenplays. Each participant in the class will practice pitching, writing coverage, and outlining, culminating in a draft of a feature length script or TV pilot and Bible. (FMMC 0106) 3 hrs. sem/3 hrs. screen. ART
Cross-listed as: CRWR 0341

FMMC 0350 Documentary Film in Contemporary China (Spring 2025)


In China since the 1980s, new political and socio-economic realities, along with new technologies, created conditions for the emergence of the New Documentary Movement, the collective achievement of a group of artists with new ideas about what the form and function of nonfiction film should be. We will screen and discuss select contemporary Chinese documentary films, place these films in the context of global documentary film history, and learn methods for the analysis of nonfiction film. We will "read" each film closely, and also study secondary sources to learn about the Chinese realities that each film documents. 3 hrs. lect./screening
ART, NOA
Cross-listed as: CHNS 0350 *

FMMC 0354 Film Theory (Spring 2025)

This course surveys the issues that have sparked the greatest curiosity among film scholars throughout cinema's first century, such as: What is the specificity of the film image? What constitutes cinema as an art? How is authorship in the cinema to be accounted for? Is the cinema a language, or does it depart significantly from linguistic coordinates? How does one begin to construct a history of the cinema? What constitutes valid or useful film research? Readings will include Epstein, Eisenstein, Bazin, Truffaut, Wollen, Mulvey, Benjamin, Kracauer, and others. (Formerly FMMC 0344) (FMMC 0101 or FMMC 0102 or instructor approval) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. screen. ART, CW

FMMC 0358 Theories of Spectatorship, Audience, and Fandom (Fall 2024)

In this course we explore the transcultural dynamics of spectatorship, audience engagement, and fan communities, from Hitchcock to anime, from The Beatles to BLACKPINK, from Star Trek to The Untamed. How do we engage with media texts in local and global contexts? Is our experience of media today radically different from the early years of cinema? What does it mean to be a fan? Have our notions of fandom changed over time? How do race, gender, class, national, and cultural context inform media engagement? We will consider key theoretical approaches and interrogate our own position as spectators, consumers, and fans in media culture. 3 hrs. lect./disc./3 hrs. screen. ART, CMP, CW, SOC (L. Stein)
Cross-listed as: GSFS 0358

FMMC 0507 Advanced Independent work in Film and Media Culture (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Consult with a Film and Media Culture faculty member for guidelines. (I. Uricaru, N. Dobreva, D. Miranda Hardy, L. Stein, C. Keathley, J. Mittell, N. Ngaiza)

FMMC 0700 Senior Tutorial (Fall 2024)

All FMMC majors must complete this course in their senior year, during which they undertake the process of devising, researching, and developing the early drafts and materials for an independent project in Film and Media in their choice of medium and format. Students will be poised to produce and complete these projects during Winter Term, via an optional but recommended independent study. Prerequisites for projects in specific formats are outlined on the departmental website.
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Food Studies Minor

Middlebury students can minor in Food Studies, or submit an Independent Scholar proposal if they want to go more deeply into Food Studies than the minor or another department’s major will allow. For the Independent Scholar process, please check the Degree Program and Projects section of the Middlebury Handbook and talk with the Food Studies Program Director.

Minor Requirements

The minor requires completion of 5 courses, distributed as indicated below, and an immersive learning experience.

1)  Two introductory courses, selected from the following (noting that some courses have prerequisites):

  • ENVS 0112 Natural Science & the Environment
  • FOOD 0280  Middlebury’s Foodprint: Introduction to Food Systems Issues
  • FOOD 0281 Food Power & Justice
  • ANTH 0211 Environmental Anthropology
  • SOCI 0236 Sociology of Food (not taught at present, but still listed)
  • ANTH 0345 Anthropology of Food (NB: Although not an introductory course for an ANTH student, this course would introduce students to anthropological perspectives on Food Studies and typically has no prerequisites.)
  • GEOG 0208 Land & Livelihoods

2)  Two elective courses related to food, from any department:

Examples:

  • BIOL 140 Ecology and Evolution
  • BIOL 203 Biology of Plants
  • BIOL 323 Plant Community Ecology
  • BIOL 0392 Conservation Biology
  • CHEM 270 Environmental Chemistry
  • ECON 0228 Economics of Agricultural Transitions
  • ENVS 0215 Contested Grounds
  • ENVS 0245 Human Environment: Middle East
  • ENVS 0385 Global Political Ecology
  • FOOD 0310 Agroecology
  • FOOD 0380 Hunger, Food Security & Food Sovereignty
  • GSFS 0430 Queering Food
  • GEOG 0216 Rural Geography
  • GEOG 208 Land and Livelihoods
  • GEOG 0225 Environmental Change in Latin America
  • GHLT 0267 Global Health
  • GEOL 0255 Surface & Ground Water
  • GEOL 0257 Soils, Geology & Environment
  • HIST 0352 Food in the Middle East: History, Culture, and Identity
  • CMLT/ITAL 0299 Literary Feasts: Representations of Food in Modern Narrative
  • ITAL 0356 A Culinary History of Italy
  • PGSE 0321 With Flavor: Food and Brazilian Culture

3)   One upper-level seminar or course (i.e., 300 or 400 level) focused on Food Studies, selected from the following (noting that some courses have prerequisites):

  • INTD 0426 Health, Food, and Poverty: Critical Frameworks for Social Change. (Note: This course was developed by faculty from Global Health, Food Studies and Privilege & Poverty, as a capstone for students from our programs. Each student will design and plan their own social change project.  This is the preferred option for an upper-level seminar.)
  • FOOD 310 Agroecology 
  • FOOD 312 Food Policy
  • FOOD 380 Hunger, Food Security & Food Sovereignty
  • ANTH/IGST 0460 Global Consumptions: Food, Eating, and Power in Comparative Perspective

OR an Independent Study (500- or 700-level) on a topic selected by the student and supervised by a Food Studies affiliated faculty member, integrating issues relevant to Food Studies

NB: Depending on the courses available in the student’s final year, other upper-level seminars or courses may be substituted for the ones listed above with approval of the Food Studies Director.

4)  Immersive learning experience. This may be an internship (through the FoodWorks or Shepherd Fellowship Program, one of the Food Tracks offered through Study Abroad, or independent); service-learning associated with a course; or an independent study connected with a community-based organization. When declaring the minor, the student should explain the immersive learning experience s/he intends to do.

Independent Research

If courses allow students to do independent research, students are expected to use the opportunity to explore food or agricultural issues. Students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of international study, and to take courses relevant to the Food Studies minor while abroad. Note that Middlebury has Food Studies tracks in Italy, Spain and Chile.

Course Substitutions

Courses may be substituted for the introductory or elective courses with the approval of the program director. Approval requires submission of a petition form. Approval of a course for minor credit requires the student to show that they made connections between the course material and their study of Food Studies, for example by writing a final paper on a food systems or agricultural topic. Students must turn in this paper or other approved course material for review for credit.

Declaring a Minor

To declare the minor, submit the following to the Program Director: (1) a minor declaration form and (2) a 500-750 word statement explaining how the classes you chose fit together and further your educational goals within Food Studies, and how your immersive learning experience contributes. To declare the minor, these materials must be submitted at least two weeks before the end of the add period of your seventh semester at Middlebury.

FOOD 0280 Middlebury's Foodprint: Introduction to Food Systems Issues (Fall 2024)

Food systems encompass all activities, people and institutions determining movement of food from input supply and production (on land and water) through waste management. The dominant U.S. food system is responsible at least in part for some of the nation’s most troubling environmental and health challenges. What do we eat at Middlebury? What difference does it make? How do we know? We will examine impacts of how Middlebury sources and consumes its food, and disposes of food waste, as a lens to understand sustainable food systems and how they can be achieved. (formerly INTD 0280) 3 hrs. lect. SOC (M. Anderson)

FOOD 0299 Literary Feasts: Representations of Food in Modern Narrative (in English) (Spring 2025)

This course will consider food and eating practices within specific cultural and historical contexts. We will analyze realistic, symbolic, religious, erotic, and political functions surrounding the preparation and consumption of food. Readings will be drawn from several national traditions, with a focus on Europe. Authors will include, among others, I. Dinesen, L. Esquivel, J. Harris, E. Hemingway, T. Lampedusa, P. Levi, C. Petrini, M. Pollan, E. Vittorini, and B. Yoshimoto. Viewing of several films where food and eating play an important role will supplement class discussion.
Cross-listed as: ITAL 0299 *

FOOD 0310 Agroecology (Fall 2024)

In this course students will learn about agroecology as a set of practices, a philosophy, and a social movement. Agroecology takes advantage of natural processes to the greatest extent possible, using biological inputs rather than purchased pesticides and fertilizers. In addition to having major benefits for poor farmers in developing countries, it is attracting increased attention as an alternative to industrialized agriculture in wealthy countries. The course will include field trips to farms, films, and discussion of readings. We will leave between noon and 12:30 for some of the field trips, so don’t register for a class immediately before. 3 hrs. lect./disc. (M. Anderson)

FOOD 0500 Independent Study (Fall 2024)

Approval Required
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Lois ’51 and J. Harvey Watson Department of French and Francophone Studies

Required for the Major

Total of no fewer than 10 courses. All courses for the major must be taught in French.

I. Two introductory-level courses in reading and culture: FREN 0209, FREN 0210, FREN 0220-0229, or specified courses in France (Paris, Poitiers, Bordeaux), or Cameroon; or equivalent in the Middlebury summer French School when offered.

II. One course in contemporary French or Francophone studies: FREN 0230-0239, courses on contemporary France, or specified French or Francophone studies in France (Paris, Poitiers, Bordeaux), or Cameroon; or equivalent in the Middlebury summer French School when offered.

III. One course on the history of France or a Francophone region or country.

IV. Three advanced courses in French or Francophone studies (FREN 0300 level).

V.  One unit of senior work, usually a senior seminar (FREN 0400 level. Honors candidates may fulfill the senior work requirement by writing an Honors essay (FREN 0700) or Honors thesis (FREN 0701).

During their senior year, majors must take at least one advanced course (Category IV) in French at Middlebury in addition to the senior seminar.

Other courses counting for the major include:

(1) At the Vermont campus: FREN 0205, FREN 0255, among others; certain advanced courses offered during the winter term (with permission of the chair); certain summer courses at the 0300 (intermediate) or 0400 (advanced) level; and,

(2) In France and Cameroon: language and linguistics courses; comparative literature (with a major French or Francophone component); French or Francophone arts, theatre, cinema, television, or politics.

All majors study abroad for a semester or a year in a French-speaking country. The year program carries nine units of credit; the semester program carries four or five units of credit. In order to ensure that students are exposed to a variety of disciplines, no more than five units (full-year program) or three units (semester program) may be counted toward the French and Francophone Studies major. Most courses in France will be at the advanced level.

The French and Francophone Studies Department does not offer a joint major.

Required for a Minor

Minimum of five courses, FREN 0205 and above, including at least two introductory courses (FREN 0209, FREN 0210, FREN 0220-0239) and at least one course at the advanced level (Category IV) to be taken during the student’s final two semesters. The minor may include courses taken at the Middlebury School in France or the School in Cameroon (maximum of two from the semester program, three from the full-year program).  Students electing the French minor are encouraged to consult with faculty members in the French Department about course planning.

Students with a College Board AP score of 4 or 5 will receive one unit of credit toward graduation if the first course successfully completed at Middlebury is FREN 0209 or above in accordance with placement and departmental advising. AP credits may not be counted toward the major or minor.

Senior Work

Upon completing at least two 0300-level courses in French or Francophone studies, majors are required to complete senior work consisting of a significant research paper in the context of a senior seminar (0400-level).

Honors

Exceptional students with a grade point average in French and Francophone Studies of 3.8 or higher may petition the department to pursue an independent project for honors in French and Francophone Studies. Candidates for honors may propose a one-semester senior honors essay (FREN 0700) or a senior honors thesis (FREN 0701, one semester and winter term). Eligible students should consult the departmental guidelines and present their proposals well in advance of registration for the term in which the work is to be started. The department will determine whether to award honors, high honors, or highest honors on the basis of a student’s work in the department and performance on the senior honors project.

International and Global Studies Major with French Language

Along with other required courses and senior work as described in the International and Global Studies Major section, completion of the French language component requires: (1) proficiency in French (a minimum of two of (FREN 0209, FREN 0210, FREN 0220-0239) or work in the French summer school at the 0300 level or above); (2) at least one semester, and preferably a year, at the Middlebury College School in France, or in Cameroon, or in another French-speaking country; and (3) one or more courses at the 0300 or 0400-level upon return from abroad.

International and Global Studies Major, European Studies Track

For Classes of 2015.5 and 2016 only. New rules, available in the International and Global Studies section, apply to the Class of 2017

(1) Language proficiency: see above; (2) regional specialization: choose from FREN 0230 and courses at the 0300-level, or others (Vermont campus), in consultation with the track director; courses in French or Francophone studies at Middlebury in France or in another French-speaking country; (3) disciplinary specialization: two courses from (FREN 0209, FREN 0210, FREN 0220-0239); three advanced French or Francophone studies courses at Middlebury or one of the Middlebury Schools in France; (4) at least one semester, and preferably a year, at the Middlebury College School in France or in another French-speaking country; and (5) one or more courses at the 0300 or 0400 level, or senior independent work in French, upon return from abroad.

Study Abroad in France and in Cameroon

Middlebury offers both year and semester abroad programs in France (Paris, Poitiers and Bordeaux) and in Cameroon.  Students planning to study in France or Cameroon must have completed two full years of college credit by the time they undertake their study abroad; they must have successfully completed at least one course beyond FREN 0209 (previously FREN 0210)  by the time they arrive abroad; and they must have an average in French of at least B. We expect all applicants to demonstrate their commitment to French and maintain their fluency by continuous study of French from the time of their enrollment at Middlebury and to maintain their academic level if they are accepted to study abroad.  They are required to take a French course in the semester before study abroad. Students may count three courses from the semester program, five from the full year program toward a major in French; two courses from the semester program and three from the full year program toward a minor in French.

It should be noted that while students wishing to attend one of our programs in France or in Cameroon must demonstrate a level of proficiency in the language that will allow them to function successfully in the French or Cameroonian university setting, they need not be French majors: the C.V. Starr-Middlebury School in France (Paris, Poitiers, and Bordeaux) offers students the opportunity to take courses in history, history of art, economics, cinema, political science, psychology, sociology, studio art, the natural sciences, and the environment, among other disciplines, in addition to courses in languages and literature. Students interested in studying abroad should speak to someone in the Office of International Programs & Off-Campus Study, Sunderland Language Center, well in advance of applying. They will need to seek prior approval of School in France and School in Cameroon courses from the appropriate department chairs if they wish course work to count toward a specific minor or major. The Office of Off-Campus Study will provide information about the program and application forms.

FREN 0101 Intensive Beginning French (Fall 2024)

For students who have not previously studied French, an introduction to listening, speaking, reading, and writing in French, providing the syntactic and semantic foundation of the French language in a concentrated program of grammar presentation, drills, laboratory work, and discussion. Primary emphasis will be placed on the student's active use of the language, and weekly attendance at the French language table will be required. This course does not fulfill the foreign language distribution requirement. Students are expected to continue with FREN 0102 in the winter term after successfully completing FREN 0101, and with FREN 0201in the spring. 6 hrs. lect./disc. (T. Banks)

FREN 0105 Accelerated Beginning French (Spring 2025)

This intensive course is a condensation of FREN 0101 and 0102 for students who have never before studied French. We will focus on the development of all four communicative skills in an immersion-style environment. Primary emphasis will be placed on increased oral proficiency through audiovisual, conversational, and drill methods. Upon successful completion of this course students will be prepared for second-year French in the fall. Weekly attendance at the French language table will be required. 6 hrs. lect./disc./1 hr. drill

FREN 0201 Intermediate French I (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Emphasis on increased control and proficiency in the language through audiovisual, conversational, and drill methods. Readings and film enlarge the student's view of French life and culture. (FREN 0102 or by placement) 5 hrs. lect./disc. LNG (Fall 2024: A. Crouzieres-Ingenthron)

FREN 0205 Toward Liberated Expression (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

A course designed to increase and perfect the ability to express oneself in spoken and written French. Emphasis on precision, variety, and vocabulary acquisition. Sections limited to 15 students. (FREN 0201, 0203 or placement) This requirement for the major and the minor may be satisfied by placement at a higher level. 3 hrs. lect./disc. LNG (Fall 2024: J. Weber)

FREN 0209 Self and Society: Effective Writing in French (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

In this course, students will deepen their knowledge of the French language and French-speaking cultures while developing their reading and writing skills through examination of a variety of texts and media. This course facilitates the transition from language-oriented courses (FREN 0205) to content-oriented courses (such as FREN 0220 and FREN 0230) by introducing students to strategies for interpretation and discussion, with a focus on effective writing. Course materials may include essays/articles, theater, fiction, poetry, videos, and films. (FREN 0205 or by placement) 3 hrs. lect./disc. EUR, LNG (Fall 2024: P. Tarjanyi)

FREN 0224 Travelers and Migrants in French and Francophone Literature (Fall 2024)

Multiple forms of traveling emerged with the expansion of the French empire, from colonial ventures to forced migration. In this course we will study how writers represent such experiences. We will discuss fictions that focus on mobility, passages, and border-crossing, and question what these fictions reveal about the cultures in contact. How do travel and migration narratives reconfigure the relation between here and there, self and other, the individual and the community? Studying literary texts in their historical contexts will allow us to discuss varied topics, such as nationhood, slavery, exoticism, identity, and difference, as well as to explore several artistic movements that have shaped French and Francophone culture. Writers will include Montesquieu, Balzac, Baudelaire, Madame de Staël, Gide, Césaire, Glissant, and Sinha. (FREN 0209, 0210 or placement) 3 hrs. sem. CMP, CW (5 seats), EUR, LIT (J. Weber)

FREN 0226 Dystopian Visions in French and Francophone Culture (Spring 2025)

Contemporary popular culture is captivated by dystopian imagery. From post-apocalyptic worlds and environmental disaster to totalitarian regimes and the rise of malevolent artificial intelligence, dystopian tropes are ubiquitous in many forms of media. In this course, we will explore representations of dystopia in French and Francophone cultures through the study of a diverse archive of film, fiction, video games and visual art. After a brief overview of utopian thought originating in the Renaissance and the Enlightenment period, students will learn about the historical and sociopolitical context of dystopian representation in French from the end of the nineteenth century to the present. In addition, the course will emphasize the development of written and oral expression in French to facilitate the transition between introductory and advanced-level classes. CMP, CW, EUR, LIT, LNG

FREN 0227 Violence, Tolerance, Resistance: French Literature Around the Age of Enlightenment (Fall 2024)

In this course we will explore how different genres of French & Francophone literature from the 16th-19th centuries debate the sociopolitical contexts of their times: the status of women, religious coexistence, the transatlantic slave trade, the French Revolution, and the French Empire. Through texts like the first French novel, Honoré d’Urfé’s L’Astrée and Haitian General Toussaint L’Ouverture’s Mémoires, we will learn to analyze literary representations of violence, tolerance, and resistance, and to channel our analysis into academic writing. By the end of this course, we will know how to analyze a variety of literary genres, write advanced academic essays in French, and consider different historical approaches to conflict. CW (5 seats), EUR, LIT, LNG (T. Banks)

FREN 0230 Introduction to Contemporary France (Spring 2025)

In this interdisciplinary course we will examine the evolving social and political landscape of France in the 21st century. How is French society reconciling contemporary challenges with deeply entrenched institutions and values? How does everyday life reflect the evolution of long-term trends? How are immigration, growing inequalities, and membership in the European Union challenging French identity and the notion of “Frenchness”? We will focus our attention on demography and the family, the educational system, politics, and the French social model or welfare state. Emphasis will be on oral expression and the acquisition of specialized vocabulary. Sources will include articles from the French and American press, documents, and film. This course is recommended for all students planning to study in France. (FREN 0209, 0210 or placement); open to first-semester first-year students with permission.) CW, EUR, LNG, SOC

FREN 0302 Gender & Sexuality in Medieval French Literature (Spring 2025)

How did medieval French literature debate issues of gender and sexuality? How do cultural artifacts like books and illuminations shape ideas about “normative” or “non-normative” gender expression and sexual behavior? We will read chivalric romances, songs, and letters that introduce us to the history of gender and sexuality. Seminar discussions will focus on themes like femininity and masculinity; reproduction, same-sex relationships, and marriage; non-binary gender. We will read and respond to modern scholarship on medieval French literature to bring our own voices into past and present conversations. We will be introduced to medieval French literature, learn how to engage with academic scholarship, and frame research questions and projects in French. No prior knowledge of medieval French necessary. EUR, LIT, LNG
Cross-listed as: GSFS 0302

FREN 0310 Rebirth and Renaissance: Narrating the Past, Present, and Future in 16th- and 17th -Century France (Spring 2025)

What is the French Renaissance? If naissance means “birth,” what (or who) is being (re)born in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century France? Who are its parents or ancestors? Who or what has passed away to make space for this “birth”? In this course we will introduce ourselves to, and critically question, the possible “births” of the French Renaissance through three modules: the rebirth of the classical and medieval pasts; the birth of “the New World” as a European conception of already existing homelands of Indigenous peoples; the birth of France as a (pre)modern nation-state. We will analyze a wide variety of Francophone materials, including poetry, prose, paintings and prints. EUR, LIT, LNG

FREN 0318 French Ecofictions (Spring 2025)

The climate crisis challenges us to rethink our relation to the environment beyond extractive goals. How can literary arts help us reflect upon traditional perceptions of nature and enable new ways of relating to nonhuman beings? In this course we will study the role of the environment in French-language fictions from the start of the industrial revolution to the present. We will explore how writers from a variety of geographical and cultural backgrounds (France, the Caribbean, Québec) make us attentive to the multiple ways in which humanity interconnects with the nonhuman world. Different strategies of representation will be discussed from wilderness narratives to activist prose and post-apocalyptic fiction. Writers include: Rousseau, Lamartine, Giono, Saucier, Volodine, Roumain, Chawaf, and Damasio. (FREN 0220-0232 or by waiver) 3 hrs. sem. CMP, EUR, LIT, LNG

FREN 0355 Francophone Cinema Across the Mediterranean (Fall 2024)

In this course, we will study Francophone film and media in a trans-Mediterranean context from the late colonial period to the postcolonial present. After an overview of key works from canonical Maghrebi Francophone directors hailing from Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria, we will turn our attention to Maghrebi-French diasporic filmmaking, as well as beur and banlieue cinema in an increasingly diverse and multiethnic France. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the aesthetic and political dimensions of Francophone media by examining issues pertaining to colonialism, migration and immigration, exile, multiculturalism, urban space, gender and sexual politics, and the family. Beyond film and television, we will also explore these topics through digital and social media platforms. ART, LNG, MDE (P. Tarjanyi)

FREN 0394 New French Identities: Black and Beur Expression (Fall 2024)

This course will focus on second-generation children of immigrants from the Caribbean, North and Sub-Saharan Africa, and will examine the problems of the (re)construction of the self, gender identity, relationship to family and country of origin, the role of the French educational system, and the challenges of social adaptation, stereotypes, and cultural ghettoes. We will analyze the historical, social, and political events that have shaped the identities of this young generation in France, as reflected in literature and film. Readings and films may include works by Allouache, Begag, Beyala, Diome, Dridi, Mabanckou, Pineau, and Sebbar. 3 hrs lect./disc. (FREN 0220, 0221 or by waiver) AAL, CMP, LIT, LNG (A. Crouzieres-Ingenthron)

FREN 0500 Independent Project (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Qualified students may be permitted to undertake a special project in reading and research under the direction of a member of the department. Students should seek an advisor and submit a proposal to the department well in advance of registration for the term in which the work is to be undertaken. (Approval required)

FREN 0700 Senior Honors Essay (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

For this one-term course, qualified senior majors who wish to be considered for Honors in French must submit a proposal well in advance of registration for the term in which the work is to be undertaken. (Approval required; see requirements.)

FREN 0701 Senior Honors Thesis (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Qualified senior majors who wish to be considered for Honors in French must submit a proposal well in advance of registration for the term in which the work is to be undertaken. (Approval required; see requirements above.)
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Program in Gender, Sexuality and Feminist Studies

Requirements for the Major

For students who matriculate in Fall of 2022 or later

The major requires a minimum of ten courses as outlined below.

Major requirements (10 courses total)

1. Core (5 courses):
    GSFS/SOCI 0191  
    GSFS 0200 
    GSFS 0289 
    GSFS 0320 
    GSFS 0435  

2. Distribution Requirements  (2 courses, one in each):

  A.  Feminist Approaches to Science Technology, Health, and Medicine (FemSthm)
       GSFS/BLST 0414 Black Listed
       ENVS/GSFS 0209 Gender, Health & Environment
       GSFS 0329 Politics of Reproduction
       HIST/GSFS 0311 Gender, Sexuality & Psychiatry
       GSFS/ENGL 0242 Critical Conditions

  B. Global and Decolonial Feminisms (GloDeFem)
      GSFS 0262 Mobile Women
      GSFS 0310 Beyond#MeToo
      GSFS/FMMC 0264 Indian Cinema
      GSFS/SOCI 0313 White People
      GSFS/SPAN 0389 Decolonizing Porn
      GSFS/ANTH 0337 Love, Sex & Marriage
      GSFS 0318 Third World Feminism
      GSFS/SPAN 0487 Witches in Global Visual Culture
      SPAN/GSFS 0492 Patriarchy’s Toxic Imagination

3. Electives (3 courses bearing the GSFS prefix)
Senior work + two electives (2 courses with GSFS prefix)
or
Three electives (3 courses with GSFS prefix)  
Senior Work: Senior work is optional and by application only. To be eligible to conduct senior work, students must first complete Feminist Engaged Research. During Feminist Engaged Research, students will receive information regarding how to apply to continue their research or projects. If students are granted approval, they will then enroll in GSFS 0700 for a one semester essay or project. If students want to complete a two-semester thesis or project following the completion of Feminist Engaged Research, they will register for GSFS 0700 as well as GSFS 0710. 

Joint Major: The joint major requires a minimum of seven (7) courses each in the two departments/programs. For GSFS, the requirement includes:

GSFS 0191
GSFS 0200
GSFS 0289
GSFS 0320
GSFS 0435

Distribution (2 courses, one in each)

  a. Feminist Approaches to Science, Technology, Health, and Medicine (FemSTHM)
  b. Global and Decolonial Feminisms (GloDeFem)

Minor Requirements: The minor requires a minimum of five courses including: 

Two of the following courses: GSFS 0191, GSFS 0200, GSFS0289, GSFS 0320 or GSFS 0435

Any three electives with the GSFS prefix.

GSFS 0105 Victoria’s Secrets (Spring 2025)

Known as the great age of the realist novel and the epitome of staid decorum, the nineteenth century also had its guilty pleasures--mysteries, ghost stories, science fiction, adventure tales, and more--which exposed a radical underside to the Victorian imagination where norms of gendered, racial, and ethnic identity were called into question. In this course we will read both canonical realist novels and their non-traditional counterparts in an attempt to understand the productive interplay between these two seemingly disparate literary traditions. Authors may include: Austen, Dickens, Eliot, Hardy, the Brontës, Wilkie Collins, R.L. Stevenson, Arthur Conan Doyle, H.G. Wells, Bram Stoker, Mary Elizabeth Braddon, and others. EUR, LIT
Cross-listed as: ENGL 0105 *

GSFS 0114 Reading Women's Writing: Living a Feminist Life from Mary Wollstonecraft to Sara Ahmed (Spring 2025)

In this course we will investigate the tradition of women's writing in English from the sixteenth century to the present day, focusing on the complex relationships among writing, sexuality, race, and gender. We will consider the ways in which writers identifying as female respond to--and often subvert--traditional literary themes and conventions, looking critically as we do so at our own interpretive assumptions as readers. An organizing focus of our reading will be the articulation and/or suppression of female anger and other related emotions in a variety of repressive contexts. Though our focus will be primarily on the interpretation of literary works, we will also develop an awareness of relevant debates in feminist theory, from Mary Wollstonecraft’s revolutionary contribution to notions of female education to Sara Ahmed’s concept of the feminist “killjoy.” Other texts may include: Jane Austen, Mansfield Park; Virginia Woolf, Mrs Dalloway; Toni Morrison, Sula; Tsitsi Dangarembga, Nervous Conditions; Brittney Cooper, Eloquent Rage; Carmen Maria Machado, Her Body and Other Parties; Kristen Roupenian, You Know You Want This, Rebecca Traister, Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women’s Anger. 3 hrs. sem. LIT

GSFS 0172 Writing Gender and Sexuality (Spring 2025)

In this course we will read, discuss, and write creative works that explore issues of gender and sexuality. Readings will include stories, poems, and essays by James Baldwin, Ana Castillo, Peggy Munson, Eli Claire, Alice Walker, Michelle Tea, Alison Bechdel, and others. The course will include writing workshops with peers and individual meetings with the instructor. Every student will revise a range of pieces across genres and produce a final portfolio. We will do some contemplative work and will engage with choreographer to explore movement in conversation with writing, gender, and sex. 3 hrs. lect. ART
Cross-listed as: WRPR 0172

GSFS 0191 Gender and the Body (Fall 2024)

What is your gender and how do you know? In order to answer this question, we need to consider how gender is known through biology, psychology, consumer capitalism, and our everyday embodiment. We will also look at how the meaning and performance of gender have changed over time from Classical Greece to Victorian England to the contemporary U.S. Throughout, we will consider how gender does not operate along, but is always entangled with, race, class, sexuality, nationality, and ability. 3 hrs. lect. CMP, SOC (L. Essig)
Cross-listed as: SOCI 0191

GSFS 0200 Feminist Foundations (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

This course provides an introduction to the interdisciplinary field of gender, sexuality, and feminist studies. Focusing on the histories of feminism in the U.S., from the nineteenth century to the present, the course reveals the importance of gender and sexuality as analytical categories to understand social reality and to comprehend important areas of culture. Examining gender and sexuality always in conjunction with the categories of race and class, the course foregrounds how inequalities are perpetuated in different fields of human activity and the creative ways in which feminist movements have resisted these processes. 3 hrs. lect. CMP (Fall 2024), SOC (Fall 2024)

GSFS 0206 Contemporary Women Playwrights (Spring 2025)

In this course we will read and discuss the work of the most influential and interesting American and European playwrights from the 1980s to the present. Authors will include: Maria Irene Fomes, Caryl Churchill, Suzan-Lori Parks, Adrienne Kennedy, Ntozake Shange, Judith Thompson, and Naomi Wallace. Issues of race, class, and gender will be closely examined. Readings will include selections from performance and feminist theory. 3 hrs. lect. ART, LIT

GSFS 0207 Economics and Gender (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Economics and Gender is an introduction to using the tools of economics to understand gender-related issues. In the first part of the course we will review economic models of the household, fertility, and labor supply and discuss how they help us interpret long-term trends in marriage and divorce, fertility, and women’s labor-force participation. In the second part of the course we will study economic models of wage determination and focus on explanations of, and policy remedies for, earnings differentials by gender. The final part of the course will focus on new research in economics on gender-related topics. (ECON 0155) 3hrs. lect. CW, SOC (Fall 2024) (Fall 2024: T. Byker)
Cross-listed as: ECON 0207 *

GSFS 0210 History of Sexuality in the United States (Spring 2025)

In this course we will explore sexuality in relation to race, class, gender, and religion in US history using primary and secondary sources. We will study indigenous sexualities and the impact of settler colonialism, sex work during the American Revolution, sexuality under slavery, the medicalization and criminalization of homosexuality, urban gay subcultures, Cold War sexuality, the politics of birth control, sex during the AIDS epidemic, and sexuality from transgender and non-binary perspectives. Beyond learning historiography, we will examine methodological issues with writing histories of sexuality. When relevant, we will study examples from Europe and Canada. 3 hrs. lect. AMR, HIS, SOC
Cross-listed as: HIST 0210 *

GSFS 0214 Modern and Contemporary Japanese Women Writers (Spring 2025)

A thousand years ago, women writers dominated the Japanese literary world. Then, for centuries, their skill was discounted, their works overlooked, and their voices silenced. Starting with the nineteenth century, however, Japanese women writers started to reclaim their grandmothers’ heritage. They took the male-dominated literary world by assault, pushing boundaries, drawing on their literary legacy and reinventing it, resisting the label of “women’s literature” so often pejoratively attached to their works. In this course we will explore these figures of resistance and their multilayered works in the context of the changing socio-political conditions that shaped women’s positions in Japanese society.3 hrs. lect. AAL, LIT, NOA
Cross-listed as: JAPN 0214 *

GSFS 0218 Gender and Public Policy in the U.S. (Fall 2024)

How does public policy help shape our lived experiences of gender in the U.S.? How does the gender identity of policymakers impact political systems and decision-making? How might analyzing policy through a gendered lens lead to more equitable and effective outcomes? In this course we will explore these questions through a series of case studies, historical and current examples, guest speakers from many public policy roles, and a collaborative policymaking project. Taught by a Vermont state senator, the course will give students insight into how they can engage in the processes of making public policy both as citizens and in their future careers, as well as calling attention to how gendered norms and practices are interwoven with American laws and institutions. 3 hrs. lect. AMR, SOC (R. Hardy)

GSFS 0238 Queerness and Collectivity in German Cinema (Fall 2024)

How has cinema engaged critically with sexuality across German history? Through the analysis of German queer film, students will develop skills in close reading and critical thinking and gain a grounding in the German queer movement. We will watch works by von Praunheim, Fassbinder, Carow, Petzold, read queer theory, and learn about the history of the various queer movements in East, West and Unified Germany. These films interrogate how power operates in society, both through sexuality’s regulation and through normative, oppressive attitudes towards sexuality. To develop our skills in analysis, we will read scholarly works from classical film theory, and film theory drawing from queer and affect studies.(taught in English) ART, EUR, LIT (T. Preston)
Cross-listed as: GRMN 0238 *

GSFS 0242 Critical Conditions: Gender, Literature, and Illness (Pre-1800) (Fall 2024)

In this course we will explore the literary representation of illness and pain in a range of texts from the classical period to the present day, focusing in particular on the intersection of illness with questions of gender, race, and sexuality. Beginning with Sophocles’s tragedy Women of Trachis, we will explore the classical representation of acute pain in the context of early Greek medicine, before examining medieval and early modern literary works inspired by the Black Death, including selections from Boccaccio’s Decameron. The second half of the class will focus on modernist and contemporary accounts of illness, including Virginia Woolf’s treatment of both the 1918 influenza epidemic and so-called “shell-shock” in her novel Mrs Dalloway. We will intersperse our literary readings with theoretical explorations of cure, disability, and ableism by writers such as Eli Clare, as well as work from the emerging field of narrative medicine. 3 hrs. lect. EUR, LIT (M. Wells)
Cross-listed as: ENGL 0242 *

GSFS 0256 British Crime Drama (Fall 2024)

British Crime Drama centers on a quintessential television genre, which has comfortably crossed national and cultural borders. We will explore the transformations that occur when crime fiction moves from the television industry to a streaming apparatus. The course explores the enduring appeal of this genre, how the whodunnit narrative is different in a British setting and identify the aesthetic devices unique to British shows. Simultaneously, we will explore how individual narratives engage with questions of gender, race, class and national identity. ART, EUR, SOC (S. Moorti)
Cross-listed as: FMMC 0256 *

GSFS 0262 Mobile Women: Transnational Work Patterns (Fall 2024)

This course provides an introduction to the interdisciplinary field of gender, sexuality, and feminist studies. Focusing on the histories of feminism in the US, from the nineteenth century to the present, the course reveals the importance of gender and sexuality as analytical categories to understand social reality and to comprehend important areas of culture. Examining gender and sexuality always in conjunction with the categories of race and class, the course foregrounds how inequalities are perpetuated in different fields of human activity and the creative ways in which feminist movements have resisted these processes. 3 hrs. lect. (GloDeFem) CMP, SOC (S. Moorti)

GSFS 0289 Introduction to Queer Critique (Spring 2025)

In this course we will examine what is meant by queer critique through exploring the concepts, issues, and debates central to queer theory and activism both in the U.S. and around the world. We will work to understand how queerness overlaps with and is distinct from other articulations of marginalized sexual subjectivity. We will consider how desires, identities, bodies, and experiences are constructed and represented, assessing the ways in which queer theory allows us to examine sexuality and its raced, classed, gendered, geographic, and (dis)abled dimensions. Through engaged projects, we will practice how to translate and produce queer critique. 3 hrs. lect./disc. AMR, CMP, CW, SOC

GSFS 0291 Feminist Joy (Spring 2025)

In this course we will examine a range of discourses about pleasure, happiness, and joy as well as explore these topics more experientially. How have feminists interrupted gendered, raced, and ableist notions of happiness? As Sara Ahmed asks, can there be joy in being the “killjoy”? What is the role of laughter and joy in survival, anti-oppression work, and healing from trauma? We will trace the "pleasurable feminisms" of leading Black feminists and sex positive feminists such as Audre Lorde, adrienne maree brown, Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Gayle Rubin, Betty Dodson, as well as investigate our own inherited and intentional perceptions of pleasure. Assignments will include research, writing and workshops. 3 hrs. lect. SOC

GSFS 0302 Gender & Sexuality in Medieval French Literature (Spring 2025)

How did medieval French literature debate issues of gender and sexuality? How do cultural artifacts like books and illuminations shape ideas about “normative” or “non-normative” gender expression and sexual behavior? We will read chivalric romances, songs, and letters that introduce us to the history of gender and sexuality. Seminar discussions will focus on themes like femininity and masculinity; reproduction, same-sex relationships, and marriage; non-binary gender. We will read and respond to modern scholarship on medieval French literature to bring our own voices into past and present conversations. We will be introduced to medieval French literature, learn how to engage with academic scholarship, and frame research questions and projects in French. No prior knowledge of medieval French necessary. EUR, LIT, LNG
Cross-listed as: FREN 0302

GSFS 0311 Gender, Sexuality, and Psychiatry in US History (Fall 2024)

In this seminar we will examine how gender and sexuality have intersected with the psychiatric profession since the nineteenth century, focusing mostly on women, and to a lesser extent gender-nonconforming people and men. Course material will be rooted in the U.S. but will occasionally also cover Europe and Latin America. Topics will include racialized notions of madness and hysteria, depression, psychoanalysis, “deviant” genders and sexualities, the rise of psychotropic prescription drugs, addiction, PTSD, eating disorders, and the medicalization of heterosexual women’s desire. Students will explore relevant historiography and will conduct oral histories of a related topic. 3 hrs. lect. AMR, CMP, HIS, NOR, SOC (L. Povitz)
Cross-listed as: HIST 0311 *

GSFS 0314 Sociology of Heterosexuality (Spring 2025)

Most people believe that heterosexuality is natural or rooted in biology and so never look very closely at it as a product of culture. In this course we will examine the artifacts, institutions, rituals, and ideologies that construct heterosexuality and the heterosexual person in American culture. We will also pay close attention to how heterosexuality works alongside other forms of social power, especially gender, race, and class. 3 hrs. lect. AMR, NOR, SOC

GSFS 0318 Third World Feminism (Fall 2024)

In this course we will approach Third World Feminism from two perspectives. First, we will examine the relationship of gender to Third Worldism, the political theory and practice which emerged in the decolonizing post-WWII world. Secondly, we will explore U.S. Third World feminism, which reinterpreted Third Worldist principles for women of color in the United States. Students will learn to approach the goals of Third Worldist projects - self-determination, anti-imperialism, development, liberation - from a gendered perspective. Students will also track how the meaning of "Third World" in the term Third World Feminism shifted over the course of the 20th century. In addition to secondary literature, we will examine primary sources (newspapers, films, interviews) from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the United States. (GloDeFem) AMR, CMP, HIS, SOC

GSFS 0320 Feminist Theory (Fall 2024)

The course offers an overview of key feminist texts and theories that have shaped the analysis of gender and sexuality. We will examine foundational theoretical texts that have animated the field of gender, sexuality, and feminist studies. Working within a transnational perspective, the course encompasses texts which fall under the categories of critical race and critical sexuality studies. (GSFS 0200 or GSFS 0191 or GSFS 0289) 3 hr. lect. CMP, SOC (L. Essig)

GSFS 0334 Feminist Epistemologies: Knowledge, Ignorance and Social Power (Fall 2024)

As a philosophical field, epistemology investigates questions of what constitutes knowledge and understanding and how we acquire such goods. Feminist epistemologies seek to answer these questions while giving special attention to how social relations of power shape our practices and possibilities of knowledge and ignorance. In this seminar we will trace the vast development of feminist epistemologies from the 1980s to the present. We will explore both how these feminist approaches have contributed to a shift in the landscape of epistemology generally, and how they have offered crucial tools for feminist and critical race theorists seeking to understand the reality of and experiences of oppression. Topics will include situated knowing, objectivity, trust (and distrust) in testimony, and epistemic injustices due to bias. 3 hrs, sem. CMP, CW, PHL (H. Grasswick)
Cross-listed as: PHIL 0334 *

GSFS 0338 Gender and the Making of Space (Spring 2025)

In this course we will investigate the complex relationship between gender and architecture, examining how the design of the built environment (buildings, urban spaces, etc.) can reinforce or undermine ideas about the respective roles of women and men in society, from the creation of masculine and feminine spaces to the gendered nature of the architectural profession. By looking at both visual evidence and textual sources we will also uncover how the social construction of gender roles and gendered spaces are, and continue to be, inflected by race, class, and sexuality. Not open to students who have taken FYSE 1407. 3 hrs. sem. ART, CMP, HIS
Cross-listed as: HARC 0338 *

GSFS 0358 Theories of Spectatorship, Audience, and Fandom (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

In this course we will explore the dynamics of spectatorship, audience engagement, and fan communities, from Hitchcock to anime, from The Beatles to BLACKPINK, from Star Trek to The Untamed. How do we engage with media texts? Is our experience of media today radically different from the early years of cinema? What does it mean to be a fan? Have our notions of fandom changed over time? How do race, gender, class, and cultural context inform media engagement? We will consider key theoretical approaches and interrogate our own position as spectators, consumers, and fans in media culture. (FMMC 0101 or FMMC 0102 or FMMC 0104 or FMMC 0276) 3 hrs. lect./disc./3 hrs. screen. AMR, ART (Fall 2024), CW (Fall 2024), SOC (Fall 2024) (Fall 2024: L. Stein)
Cross-listed as: FMMC 0358 *

GSFS 0366 Life of the Party: Queer of Color Nightlife (Spring 2025)

For many, nightlife spaces offer an alternative to the racial, gender, and sexual norms which we are socialized into and expected to follow in the light of day. From bars/clubs to pop-up parties to ballroom, nightlife scenes have been integral to exploration, discovery, and gratification in the lives of queer and trans Black people and other people of color. Through Black Studies approaches to race, gender, sexuality, and performance, we will examine how nightlife functions as pleasure, experimentation, artistry, and, crucially, work for many queers of color. We may read from texts such as Kemi Adeyemi’s Feels Right: Black Queer Women and the Politics of Partying in Chicago and Kareem Khubchandani’s Ishtyle: Accenting Gay Indian Nightlife. (BLST 101 or 201 or GSFS 289) 3 hrs. seminar ART, SOC
Cross-listed as: BLST 0366

GSFS 0372 Gender and International Relations (Spring 2025)

Many issues facing international society affect, and are affected by, gender. Global poverty, for example, is gendered, since 70% of the world's population living below $1.25 per day is female. Women are far more vulnerable to rape in war and water scarcity, and they are moreover globally politically underrepresented. In this course we will use theories of international relations, including realism, neoliberalism, and feminism, to study how international society addresses (or fails to address) these challenges through bodies such as the UN and treaties such as the Elimination of Violence Against Women. 3 hrs. lect./disc. (International Relations and Foreign Policy)/ CMP, SOC

GSFS 0374 Women in the Black Freedom Struggle (Fall 2024)

The Civil Rights and Black Power Movements have become iconic examples of Black activism in the US. However, female activists are often ignored in historical accounts of these movements. In this course, we will examine the contributions of Black female activists to the Black Freedom Struggle. We will discuss women in the Civil Rights Movement both in the South and the North, the role of women in the Black Panther Party, but also the active involvement of women in white supremacist campaigns in the South. We will pay special attention to the diversity of Black women’s perspectives and highlight how Black women’s experiences differed from both white female and Black male activists. (BLST 0101 or BLST 0201, or by instructor approval) 3 hrs. sem. AMR, HIS, SOC (V. Huang)
Cross-listed as: BLST 0374 *

GSFS 0414 Black, Listed: Surveillance, Race, and Gender (Spring 2025)

The fields of Black studies, feminist geographies, and surveillance studies are brought together in this course to examine transformations in geographic and social control in U.S. and transnational contexts. The ways in which racialized and gendered populations have experienced and continue to experience geopolitical domination and surveillance constitutes the central theme of the course. Students will develop collaborative and independent research skills. Topics of inquiry include: the trans-Atlantic slave trade; prisons and policing; education; (anti-)surveillance technologies; airports and borders. We may draw substantially from texts such as Simone Browne’s Dark Matters: On the Surveillance of Blackness and Toby Beauchamp’s Going Stealth: Transgender Politics and U.S. Surveillance Practices. (Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors) 3 hrs. sem. AMR, CMP, HIS, SOC
Cross-listed as: BLST 0414 *

GSFS 0435 Feminist Engaged Research (Fall 2024)

What makes research feminist? How does one conduct feminist research? How has feminist research been useful to social movements and how have movements informed feminist research? What happens to feminist research when it moves to the public sphere? In this class students learn how to produce original feminist research—how to craft research questions, write a literature review, choose relevant methodologies, and collect and analyze qualitative data. In addition to writing a research paper, students will translate their research findings into an alternative (non-academic paper) format and for an audience beyond our classroom. (Minimum of 3 GSFS classes. Class intended for GSFS majors and minors and students in the IGS Gender Track.) 3 hrs. Sem. AMR, CW, SOC (L. Essig)

GSFS 0462 Literature of Displacement: Forced Migration, Diaspora, Exile (Spring 2025)

We will study contemporary postcolonial literature and theory about migration, displacement, exile, and diaspora. Spurred variously by force, necessity and desire, migrants leave their homes and homelands with regret and with hope. Writers address the historical forces that shape these migrations: decolonization and neo-colonialism, globalization, warfare, dispossession, political violence, religious conflict, and environmental catastrophe. These writers experiment with narrative form and poetic language to explore the experiences of undocumented immigrant workers, exiles, refugees and well-to-do migrants. We will examine constructions of identity, history, community and place in texts by Anzaldua, Ali, Darwish, Diome, Patel, Gomez Pena, Said, Rushdie, Spivak, and others. (Diversity) (Rec) AAL, CMP, LIT, SOA, SOC
Cross-listed as: ENGL 0268

GSFS 0487 Witches in Global Visual Culture (Fall 2024)

In this course we will study the global visual representation of witches. During the 15th-18th century witch trials were responsible for the killing of between 40,000-50,000 women. In the 21st century, women are still being accused of witchcraft, and are murdered because women are believed to bring good or bad luck. Studying the construction of the witch narratives throughout history could alleviate this perception and reduce violence against women. We will examine passages from The Hammer of Witches and witches’ trials, as well as study the intersections between witchcraft, capitalism, and psychoanalysis. We will also focus on the role eugenics and artificial intelligence have played in modifying the depictions of witches. We will consider the way feminism has re-semanticized witches in the fight against patriarchy through political movements, theory (e.g. Silvia Federici) and visual culture by viewing art, graphic novels, TV series, and films from countries throughout the world. AMR, ART, CMP, LNG (P. Saldarriaga)
Cross-listed as: SPAN 0487 *

GSFS 0500 Independent Study (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval required)

GSFS 0700 Senior Essay (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval required)

GSFS 0710 Senior Thesis (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval required)
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Department of Geography

Required for the Major in Geography

Ten (10) Courses:

  • GEOG 0100 (Intro Course/ Place and Society)
  • GEOG 0151 (The Global Environment) OR ESCS 0112 (Environmental Geology)
  • Two (2) of the following methods courses:

      GEOG 0251 (Mapping Global Environmental Change)

      GEOG 0261 (Human Geography with GIS)

      GEOG 0271 (Cartography)

      GEOG 0281 (Place Based Data and Analysis)

  • Five (5) Geography electives, at least one must be numbered below 0250.

At least three of the electives must be semester-long courses, completed on the Middlebury Campus.

  • One (1) 0400- level geography seminar OR a 0700-level senior independent project

*Pre-req for 0400 is at least one elective numbered over 0250.

*Pre-req for 0700 is at least one elective at the 0300 level

Students wishing to pursue independent 0700-level senior work must have a proposal approved by a primary advisor and second reader prior to registering for the 0700-level credit.

Required for a Joint Major in Geography

Seven (7) Courses:

  • GEOG 0100 (Intro Course/ Place and Society) OR GEOG 0151 (The Global Environment)
  • One (1) GEOG Course numbered between 0250 and 0300
  • Four (4) GEOG electives, numbered below 400, (at least one of which must be numbered below 0250)

At least two of the electives must be semester-long courses completed on the Middlebury Campus.

  • One (1)  0400- level geography seminar OR a 0700-level senior independent project

                   *Pre-req for 0400 is at least one elective numbered over 0250

                   *Pre-req for 0700 is at least one elective at the 0300 level.

Students wishing to pursue independent 0700-level senior work must have a proposal approved by a primary advisor and second reader prior to registering for the 0700-level credit.

Required for a Minor in Geography

The Geography minor consists of 5 courses: one course at the 100-level; one course numbered between 0250 and 0300; three additional geography courses numbered below 0400.

Advanced Placement

One course credit will be awarded for an advanced placement (AP) score of 5 in human geography. Geography majors who receive a 5 on the AP exam may count this course credit as one 0200-level equivalent toward their major requirements, but are still required to complete GEOG 0100. The AP credit may not be used to satisfy joint major or minor requirements.

Departmental Honors

Students who seek to earn honors are required to write a two-credit honors thesis. They must have at least a 3.3 GPA in the major when they propose the thesis and must have a 3.5 GPA in the major, not including the thesis grade, to be considered for honors upon graduation. In order to complete a senior thesis, students must have a proposal approved by a primary thesis advisor and a secondary reader prior to registering for the first 0701 credit. Upon completion of the thesis, thesis students will present their work in a public lecture and defend the thesis in front of the departmental faculty. Thesis presentations and defenses will typically take place during the final week of classes or the examination period. Upon completion of the presentation and defense, the primary advisor and secondary reader will be responsible for evaluating and grading the thesis. It is strongly encouraged that students considering a thesis discuss their ideas with an advisor during the semester prior to registering for formal thesis credits. Honors will be conferred or denied on the basis of an evaluation of the thesis by the faculty and the student’s GPA in the major, as explained above.

GEOG 0100 Place and Society: Local to Global (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

This course is an introduction to how geographers view the world and contribute to our understanding of it. Where do the phenomena of human experience occur? Why are they there? What is the significance? These questions are fundamental for explaining the world at different scales from the global to the local. Throughout, we will focus on the spatial basis of society, its continual reorganization through time, and how various human and environmental problems can be usefully analyzed from a geographic perspective. (Open only to first-year students and sophomores) 3 hrs. lect./1.5 hr. lab DED, SOC (Fall 2024: P. Nelson)

GEOG 0151 The Global Environment (Spring 2025)

The Global Environment (formerly GEOG 0206)
This course will provide an introduction to the study of the physical environment, with an emphasis on how environmental systems interact. The first half of the course will focus on Earth’s climate, specifically, Earth’s energy budget, the greenhouse effect, global wind and weather patterns, and global ocean circulation patterns. The second half of the course will focus on patterns and processes of the Earth’s surface by examining global patterns of vegetation and the creation of landforms by fluvial, glacial, and aeolian processes. We will use this foundation to understand how our rapidly changing climate will alter each of these systems. 3 hrs. lect.
DED, SCI

GEOG 0202 Border Geographies (Spring 2025)

We live in an age of intense globalization with near instantaneous transfers of information and unprecedented movements of goods and people across the world. At the same time, there are more walls constructed between countries today than ever before. How do we explain this paradox of increasingly restrictive borders in an age of globalizing flows? In this course we will trace the history of political borders, critically evaluate theories in the scholarly literature about borders and flows, and investigate strategies, experiences, and imaginaries that produce different border-scapes and representations. Students will be actively engaged in unraveling the paradox of walls and flows through group research projects on specific border regimes around the world. 3 hrs. lect. CMP, HIS, SOC

GEOG 0208 Land and Livelihoods - From Local to Global (Spring 2025)

How do flows of money, people, materials, and ideas connect local livelihoods to distant sites and global processes? How do geographers study patterns of poverty and inequality at different scales? How do we define human development and wellbeing, how do we determine who participates, and why does it matter? In this course we will draw from perspectives in fields ranging from development geography and political ecology to post-colonial studies to examine livelihood dynamics in the Global South. We will use texts, interviews, writing assignments, problem sets, and mapping exercises to explore relationships between economy, identity, and place in an increasingly connected world. 3 hrs. lect. CMP, SOC

GEOG 0209 Human Geography of Hazards (Fall 2024)

Why do storms, earthquakes, and other hazards result in disastrous loss of life in some places, and only minor losses in others? In this course we will study human geographies of population, economic development, politics, and culture to explain the diverse outcomes from biophysical hazards. We will compare hazard geographies at the global, regional, and local scales using diverse approaches, including quantitative analysis, geographic information systems (GIS), and comparative case studies. We will examine how geographic analysis and technologies are used in disaster planning and response. We will practice applying human geography theory and methods to hazards research through practical exercises, exams, and research projects. 3 hrs. lect./lab CMP, SOC (J. Holler)

GEOG 0212 Urban Geography (Spring 2025)

Urban landscapes are the expression of economic, political, and socio-cultural processes layered on top of each other in particular time-space contexts. In this course, students will theoretically and empirically examine the complex and dynamic urban landscape. Students will gain a theoretical understanding of the location of cities within a larger global economic system of cities, along with the internal organization of economic, cultural, and social functions within cities. We will also examine the processes behind contemporary urban issues such as homelessness, boosterism, urban renewal, gentrification, poverty, and crime. 3 hrs. lect. AMR, SOC

GEOG 0213 Population Geography (Spring 2025)

Through a combination of lectures, readings, and exercises, this course provides background and analytical experience in the spatial dimensions of population dynamics. Students will theoretically and empirically examine geographic variations in natural increase, domestic and international migration, infant mortality, disease, and hunger. Topics will include the intersection of settlement-environment-disease, circular migration systems, cultural influences on demographic processes, and linkages between international and domestic migration flows. We will also assess various policy options and their effectiveness in addressing important demographic issues. The exercises will expose students to the vast amount of population data publicly available and introduce them to techniques used to examine and assess population related issues. AMR, DED, NOR, SOC

GEOG 0225 Environmental Change in Latin America (Fall 2024)

This course examines Latin America from a geographical perspective with emphasis on the social, political and ecological underpinnings of change in the region. Building upon the theme of global environmental change in the context of human-environment geography, we will explore urgent challenges linked to the agricultural and extractive industries, urban expansion, land grabs, land reform, indigenous rights, and rural and urban poverty. 3 hrs. lect. AMR, SOC (J. L'Roe)

GEOG 0232 A Black Sense of Place: Black Geographies (Fall 2024)

Black feminist geographer, Katherine McKittrick, defines Black geographies as “subaltern or alternative geographic patterns that work alongside and beyond traditional geographies and a site or terrain of struggle” (2006, 7).
This Black studies approach structures analyses of geographies across the Black diaspora in this course. Students will explore the relationships between race, racisms, space, and place through an interdisciplinary examination of the intimate, the material, the political, the body, and the collective as “sites of struggle.” We will read from texts such as Clyde Woods’ Development Drowned and Reborn: The Blues and Bourbon Restorations in Post-Katrina New Orleans and Erica Lorraine Williams’ Sex Tourism in Bahia: Ambiguous Entanglements.
CMP, HIS, SOC (K. Davis)
Cross-listed as: BLST 0232 *

GEOG 0251 Mapping Global Envrn Change (Fall 2024)

Mapping Global Environmental Change (formerly GEOG 0150)
How do geographers use geospatial technologies to observe the Earth’s surface? How do geographers use this information to interpret changes in the global environment across space and time? In this course we will learn how to work with large geographic datasets to explore patterns and changes to the Earth’s surface at local to global scales. Case studies will use remotely-sensed images to study land cover, climate, weather, wildfire, and other topics. Students will learn concepts, methods, and ethics for using a cloud-based geospatial analysis platform to process data, critically interpret workflows and results, and communicate findings with web maps and graphics. 4 hrs. lect./1.5 hrs. lab.
DED (J. Howarth)
Cross-listed as: ENVS 0251

GEOG 0261 Human Geography with GIS (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Human Geography with GIS (formerly GEOG 0120)
How do geographers study spatial interactions between people and the environment? How does socio-economic status relate to spatial patterns of settlement, social organization, access to resources, and exposure to risks? How can geographic information systems (GIS) help geographers explain these spatial patterns and processes? In this course we will apply GIS to a wide range of topics in human geography including urban, environmental, political, hazards, and health. We will learn how to gather, create, analyze, visualize, and critically interpret geographic data through tutorials, collaborative labs, and independent work that culminate in cartographic layouts of our results. 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab.
DED, SOC (J. Holler)
Cross-listed as: ENVS 0261

GEOG 0271 Cartography (Spring 2025)

Cartography (formerly GEOG 0231)
What are the timeless elements of maps that make them useful, informative, and beautiful? In this course we will explore how purpose, scale, culture, technology, geography, and other factors interact to influence the look of maps, and we will learn how to incorporate good examples of map-making into our own creative work. We will compare different ways to read and evaluate maps and discuss concepts, principles, and theories that help explain reasons for good map design. Through a series of practical exercises, we will apply methods with computer software and create a final original project with a public critique. 3 hrs. lect./1.5 hrs. lab.
SOC
Cross-listed as: ENVS 0271

GEOG 0281 Placebased Data Analysis (Spring 2025)

Placebased Data Analysis (formerly GEOG 0139)
Who migrates from urban areas during a pandemic? How are livelihoods distributed around protected areas in Central Africa? How much does location influence the price of a house? In this course students will discover ways to answer questions like these by introducing fundamentals for generating and analyzing data about people and the places they are connected to. Students will practice constructing datasets, visualizing relationships, formulating and testing hypotheses, modeling outcomes, and conveying results. We will cover descriptive and inferential statistics, focusing on geographic applications and the unique complexities of spatial data. Through cases and problem sets, students will explore complementarities between quantitative and qualitative analysis, emphasizing critical and reflexive approaches. Labs will build proficiency with software packages like R and GeoDa. The course aims to make students more savvy consumers of published work, to produce careful analysts, and to foster a deeper appreciation for the research process. No prior experience with Statistics or Geography is required; the course is designed to introduce students to approaches broadly relevant in Geography and allied social sciences. (DED) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab
CW, DED

GEOG 0361 Open GIScience (Spring 2025)

Open Geographic Information Science (formerly GEOG 0323)
In this course we will study geographic information science (GIS) with open-source software and critical GIS scholarship. In labs, we will practice techniques to include: data acquisition and preparation for analysis, spatial SQL database queries, automating analysis, spatial interpolation, testing sensitivity to error and uncertainty, and data visualization. We will read and apply critical research of GIS as a subject and with GIS as a methodology. Spatial data sources for labs and independent research projects may include remote sensing, micro-data, smart cities and open government data, and volunteered geographic information (e.g. OpenStreetMap and social media). (GEOG 0120 or GEOG 0150 or GEOG 1230) 3 hrs. lect./disc./3 hrs. lab
DED

GEOG 0381 Fieldwork in Geography (Fall 2024)

Fieldwork in Geography: Constructing Place-based Data (formerly GEOG 0339)
From the presence of wildlife to the preferences of community members, we often want to understand more than we can see using satellite imagery, census tables, and existing data products alone. In this course, we will practice constructing primary data. Exploring a range of approaches from interviews to transects, we will pay attention to sources of bias, our own positionality, and the kinds of decisions one confronts when generating data. This course will provide foundational skills for students interested in conducting their own research and useful insight for interpreting data collected by others. Be prepared to spend several labs outdoors and off-campus in ‘the field’. Prerequisites: GEOG 281 or another GEOG class numbered 250-299. 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab
DED (J. L'Roe)

GEOG 0413 Seminar in Population Geography: Migration in the Twenty-first Century (Fall 2024)

On average, 20 percent of the U.S. population changes residence in any given year, yet the scale, geography, motivations, and impacts of these movements are highly variable, making migration an incredibly pervasive and complex phenomenon. Furthermore, international immigration continues to attract considerable academic, political, and media attention. This course will explore contemporary approaches to migration studies emphasizing the important insights and contributions of geographers. How have geographers examined migration, and how have geographical approaches changed over time? In what ways has technology influenced the motivations, frequency, and implications of migration behavior? What are the different impacts of migration on individuals, households, and communities? And, what are the new innovations in scholarly approaches to migration? Through a combination of readings from contemporary migration literature, discussions, and analyses, students in this seminar will gain an appreciation for and understanding of this incredibly rich and complex phenomena of migration. (Open to second semester juniors and seniors only; others by waiver) 3 hrs. sem. (P. Nelson)

GEOG 0500 Independent Study (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

A one-credit intensive research project developed under the direction of a faculty member. Junior majors only. (Approval Required)

GEOG 0700 Senior Research (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

A one-credit intensive research project developed under the direction of a faculty member. Senior majors only. (Approval Required)

GEOG 0701 Senior Thesis (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Students with a departmental GPA of 3.3 or higher are eligible to complete a two-credit senior thesis. In order to complete a senior thesis, students must have a proposal approved by a primary thesis advisor and a secondary departmental reader prior to registering for the first 0701 credit. Upon completion of the thesis, thesis students will present their work in a public seminar and defend the thesis in front of the departmental faculty. Thesis presentations and defenses will typically take place during the final week of classes or the examination period. Upon completion of the presentation and defense, the primary advisor and secondary departmental reader will be responsible for evaluating and grading the thesis. It is strongly encouraged that students considering a thesis discuss their ideas with an advisor during the semester prior to registering for formal thesis credits. (Approval only)
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Department of German

Requirements for the Major

Students are normally required to complete eight courses in German, above GRMN 0299, including at least one advanced level seminar (above GRMN 0399) or a 0700 level honors thesis during the senior year. Where appropriate, one course may be taken in English. At the beginning of each term a placement test is administered for incoming students to determine which course would be most suitable for their level of competence. The department expects that majors will spend at least one semester of study in a German-speaking country before graduating. Normally, they will spend one or two semesters at the Freie Universität in Berlin, the Universität Potsdam and/or the Johannes Gutenberg-Universität in Mainz.

Students majoring in German will need to enroll in at least one course above 0299 before going abroad. This course can be taken in the Middlebury German Department or during the German School in the summer. They will also need to enroll in two courses on campus after their return from Study Abroad. As a fulfillment of their degree requirements, German majors may count not more than 5 courses taken outside of the German Department at Middlebury College.

Honors

To be a candidate for honors, students must have an average of at least B+ in German. Honors work (a senior thesis or project) is normally done during a student’s last year at Middlebury.

Minor in German

The German minor consists of a sequence of five courses, taught in German, starting at or above the 0200-level. At least three of those courses must be at the 0300-level or higher and at least three of the five required courses have to be taken during the regular academic year at Middlebury College. First-year students who place above the 0200-level in the placement test must take at least one 0400-level course as part of their minor. One course may be satisfied through advanced placement (AP) credit in combination with a departmental placement test.

Credit for Advanced Placement 

Credit for Advanced Placement is given for scores of 4 or 5, a high score on the departmental placement test, and a placement conference with the student. In addition, the student must successfully complete at least one course above the 0200-level in the department, taught in German, to qualify for AP credit.

Study in Germany

The Middlebury School in Germany has sites located in Berlin, Potsdam and Mainz.

GRMN 0101 Beginning German (Fall 2024)

Geared toward quick and early proficiency in comprehension and free expression. Grammatical structures are practiced through group activities and situational exercises (e.g., role-playing games and partner interviews). Active class participation by students is required and will be counted toward the final grade. Since this is an integrated approach, there will be laboratory assignments but no special drill sections. Classes meet five times a week. Students take GRMN 0102 as their winter term course. 6 hrs. sem. LNG (F. Feiereisen, N. Eppelsheimer)

GRMN 0103 Beginning German Continued (Spring 2025)

This course is a continuation of GRMN 0101. Increased emphasis on communicative competence through short oral presentations and the use of authentic German language materials. Introduction to short prose writings and other documents relating to contemporary German culture. Five class meetings per week. (GRMN 0102, or equivalent) 5 hrs. lect. LNG

GRMN 0111 Accelerated Beginning German (Spring 2025)

This class is aimed at students who wish to begin the study of German on the fast lane. In one semester, we will cover a year's material, the equivalent of GRMN 0101, 0102, and 0103. We will develop all four skills in an intensive, immersion-style environment, allowing students to continue German in the regular second-year classes in the fall. Classes meet five times per week, including two 75-minute meetings on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and an additional drill session. Students are expected to fully participate in all departmental activities. No prerequisites. 6 hr lect./disc./1 hr. drill LNG

GRMN 0201 Intermediate German (Fall 2024)

GRMN 0201/0202 is a culture-based intermediate language sequence that focuses students' attention on intercultural aspects of language acquisition, vocabulary expansion, reading and writing strategies, and a review of grammar. It moves from a focus on issues of individual identity and personal experiences to a discussion of Germany today (GRMN 0201), explores national identity in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, and supplies an overview of cultural history, literary achievements, and philosophical traditions in the German-speaking world (GRMN 0103 or equivalent, or GRMN 0111) 5 hrs. sem. EUR, LNG (B. Matthias, T. Preston)

GRMN 0202 Intermediate German Continued (Spring 2025)

GRMN 0201/0202 is a culture-based intermediate language sequence that focuses students' attention on intercultural aspects of language acquisition, vocabulary expansion, reading and writing strategies, and a review of grammar. It moves from a focus on issues of individual identity and personal experiences to a discussion of Germany today (GRMN 0201), explores national identity in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, and supplies an overview of cultural history, literary achievements, and philosophical traditions in the German-speaking world (GRMN 0201) 5 hrs. sem. EUR, LNG

GRMN 0238 Queerness and Collectivity in German Cinema (Fall 2024)

How has cinema engaged critically with sexuality across German history? Through the analysis of German queer film, students will develop skills in close reading and critical thinking and gain a grounding in the German queer movement. We will watch works by von Praunheim, Fassbinder, Carow, Petzold, read queer theory, and learn about the history of the various queer movements in East, West and Unified Germany. These films interrogate how power operates in society, both through sexuality’s regulation and through normative, oppressive attitudes towards sexuality. To develop our skills in analysis, we will read scholarly works from classical film theory, and film theory drawing from queer and affect studies. (taught in English) ART, EUR, LIT (T. Preston)
Cross-listed as: GSFS 0238

GRMN 0350 Advanced Writing Workshop (Fall 2024)

The goal of this course is to train students to present their thoughts, ideas, and arguments in correct, coherent, and effective writing. Students will practice writing several text forms that are required in higher education and, during study abroad. Students will also learn about format requirements for writing a longer term paper in German. Some class time will be used for creative, structured, or contemplative writing practice. Students will expand their active vocabulary and aim for a consistently high level of grammatical accuracy. Grammar topics will be covered within the context of writing, through targeted teaching of linguistic structures and peer-editing/peer-teaching sessions. (Formerly GRMN 0304) 3 hrs. sem. CW (12 seats), LNG (N. Eppelsheimer)

GRMN 0370 German Linguistics (in German) (Fall 2024)

This course simultaneously presents an overview of the major subfields of linguistics as they apply to the German language and a discussion of how today's Standard German evolved. We will pay attention to important concepts in phonetics/phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. In addition to these theoretical and descriptive aspects, we will discuss sociolinguistic issues such as language and gender and regional variations within Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Luxemburg. Lectures and discussions will be conducted in German. (Formerly GRMN 0340) 3 hrs. sem. EUR, LNG (F. Feiereisen)
Cross-listed as: LNGT 0370

GRMN 0381 Dramatic Changes and Challenges (Spring 2025)

In this course we will analyze and discuss major changes and challenges to German Drama since the 17th century. Shifting social and political world views in Europe continuously challenge artistic expression and demand new approaches to the production of plays. With Aristotle’s Poetics as a backdrop, students will familiarize themselves with important German plays that altered traditional views on drama and staging. Examining works by Hans Sachs, Lessing, Lenz, Goethe, Schiller, Hauptmann, Wedekind, Brecht, Dürrenmatt, Löhle, and Jelinek, we will follow major shifts in dramatic theory and practice throughout the centuries. 3 hr sem. EUR, LIT, LNG

GRMN 0480 The Berlin Wall: Then and Now (Fall 2024)

From 1961 to 1989 the Berlin Wall was a physical reminder of the ideological divide separating East and West Germany. We will examine the wall's inception, its history, and the role it played in the political, cultural, and literary landscapes of divided Germany. We will also investigate the evidence of a persistent "inner wall" that continues to separate East and West Germans after political reunification. Our texts will interrogate the perspectives of both East and West and will include journalistic accounts, speeches, films and documentaries, and fiction from writers such as Christa Wolf and Peter Schneider. (Formerly GRMN 0412) 3 hrs. sem. EUR, LNG, SOC (B. Matthias)

GRMN 0499 Open Topics Research Seminar (Spring 2025)

In this seminar students will develop and pursue a research project on a topic of their choice. After reading and discussing research methodology and building research strategies, students will formally present a research proposal to their peers and the department’s professors. The seminar will culminate in each student completing a research paper, translation, or creative project with theoretical underpinnings. Class discussions, presentations, and research papers will be in German. (One course above GRMN300 or by waiver) LNG, WTR

GRMN 0500 Independent Study (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval only)

GRMN 0700 Honors Project (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval only)
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Global Health Minor

The minor in Global Health is more flexible than many other majors and minors on campus. Students design a course of study within the minor that fits their own educational goals. Choosing courses therefore requires substantial thought and planning on the part of the student.

The minor in Global Health is available to students who complete the courses listed below. No course for the minor may also count towards a student’s major. No more than two courses taken from the same department may count towards the minor.

Courses

All students must take a total of five courses for the minor:

(1) the core course:

GHLT 0257 Global Health

(2) One of the following methods courses (if the methods requirement is met through coursework for a major, students may substitute an additional elective in place of a methods class):

  • ANTH 0302 The Research Process: Ethnography and Qualitative Methods
  • BIOL 0211 Experimental Design and Statistical Analysis
  • ECON 0111 Economic Statistics 
  • GEOG 0251 Mapping Global Environmental Change
  • GEOG 0261 Human Geography with GIS
  • GEOG 0281 Place Based Data and Analysis
  • GHLT 0232 Principles of Epidemiology
  • PSCI 1130 Statistics for Social Sciences
  • PSYC 0201 Psychological Statistics
  • SOCI 0385 Social Statistics
  • STAT 0116 Introduction to Statistical Science
  • STAT 0201 Adv Intro to Stat and Data Science
  • AP credit for Statistics

(3) Three elective courses; no more than one course may be a 0100-level course. Classes that count as electives are listed on the “Courses” tab. Please note, different requirements apply to students matriculating in the fall of 2024 or later.

Petition for Course Credit

Many other appropriate courses exist on campus, depending on the educational goals of a particular student. Courses may be substituted for the methods or elective courses with the approval of the program director. Approval requires submission of a petition for course credit form. Approval of a course for minor credit requires the student to show that they made connections between the course material and their study of Global Health, for example by writing a final paper on a public health topic. Students must turn in this paper or other approved course material for review for credit.

Declaring the Minor

To declare the minor, submit the following to the Program Director: (1) a minor declaration form and (2) a 200-500 word statement explaining how the classes you chose fit together and further your educational goals within the field of Global Health. To declare the minor, these materials must be submitted at least one week before the end of the add period of your seventh semester at Middlebury.

In addition, students minoring in Global Health are strongly encouraged to take advantage of Middlebury’s resources by studying abroad, preferably in a program with health-related courses, and by becoming proficient in a foreign language.

GHLT 0211 Public Health of Disasters (Spring 2025)

Both natural and man-made disasters, including the release of weapons of mass destruction, reveal a community’s preexisting vulnerabilities. The emergency response, and the nature of the disaster itself, combine to affect the short- and long-term health of the disaster-struck community. We will examine public health components of disasters, including emergency preparedness and response, relief efforts, health surveillance, and the ethical considerations of these activities. With case studies and readings, we will employ a public health perspective to understand the community impact of natural and man-made disasters in both developed and developing countries. (not open to students who have taken INTD 0211) 3 hrs. lect. SOC

GHLT 0232 Principles of Epidemiology (Spring 2025)

This course will introduce students to the theory and practice of epidemiology. Students will learn major concepts including study design, measures of effect, and causal inference. We will explore the causes of modern diseases with a focus on how epidemiology can be used to understand causation of disease. We will also explore the historical and current contributions of epidemiology within the field of public health. The course will introduce areas of specialization including infectious and non-infectious diseases, environmental epidemiology, and social and community epidemiology. Students will learn data analysis skills applicable to research in public health and other quantitative sciences. Students will utilize skills from class to investigate an epidemiological issue using real world data. Students will also lead discussions on how epidemiology is used to investigate the determinants of disease. Students will leave the course with understanding of key epidemiological concepts, and the ability to convey those ideas to a lay audience in written and oral formats. 3 hrs. lect. DED

GHLT 0235 Social Entrepreneurship and Global Health (Fall 2024)

Social and structural determinants of health create barriers to availability, accessibility and uptake of health services in many countries. We will take a case study approach to examining how social entrepreneurs develop and scale up responses to help clients overcome these barriers. We will explore factors including: human rights, poverty, disenfranchisement of women, government health care systems and infrastructure, human resources for health, task shifting, the politics of sexual/reproductive health, and infectious diseases. We will draw on articles and online materials. This course mixes theory and case study, and will count as an elective towards the Global Health minor. (not open to students who have taken INTD 1213 or INTD 0235) 3 hrs. lect. CMP, SAF (D. Torres)

GHLT 0257 Global Health (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

This course provides an introductory survey of the basic issues and initiatives in contemporary global public health, demonstrating the inextricability of public health problems from the social, cultural, economic, political, and environmental issues that exist in an era of globalization. Examining these connections will enable us to critically evaluate the goals and strategies of public health interventions, and discuss factors impacting their success or failure. To do this, we must also examine the lens through which the West views public health problems as they relate to our cultural beliefs, biomedical views of health, sense of justice, and strategic interests. (Not open to students who have taken INTD 0257 or SOAN 0267) (GHLT minors, others by waiver.) 3 hrs. lect./disc. CMP, CW (Spring 2025: 6 seats), SOC (Fall 2024: P. Berenbaum)

GHLT 0258 Healthcare in the U.S. (Fall 2024)

At a time when achieving consensus on anything is close to impossible, nearly everyone agrees that our current health care system is broken. In this course we will explore the impediments to reforming health care in the United States, which by a variety of measures wastes approximately 25% of the country’s 3.8 trillion dollars spent annually. The goal in this course is not to argue a certain perspective. Rather, through readings and discussion of original sources, we will explore the complexities of our health care system, evaluate its attributes and failings, compare it with other systems around the world, and wrestle with questions posed by our current trajectory. We will explore how powerful interests—Big Pharma, insurance companies, hospital lobbyists, and physician guilds-- array to maintain the status quo despite clear evidence of alternative paths that would serve the greater good. AMR, SOC (R. Finkelstein)
Cross-listed as: INTD 0258 *

GHLT 0310 Planetary Health (Fall 2024)

Human health depends on planetary conditions and resources, as well as functioning ecosystems. Climate change, biodiversity loss, scarcity of land and freshwater, pollution and other threats are degrading these systems with profound implications for human health and wellbeing. Using an interdisciplinary approach, we will investigate the driving forces of human health and wellness in the Anthropocene with an eye on the role of ecology, evolution, planetary change, and the interconnected systems of our planet. Beyond assessing the fundamental biophysical forces acting on human health, we will additionally consider the societal values and ethical frameworks that are inherent to these issues. (BIO 0140 or ENVS 0112 or instructor approval.) (S. Byrne)

GHLT 0500 Independent Study (Spring 2025)

(Approval Required)
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Modern Hebrew and Israeli Society

The minor consists of five courses, some of which can be taken in the summer at the Middlebury School of Hebrew or abroad. Courses taken elsewhere may be granted credit with the permission of the director of the Studies in Modern Hebrew and Israeli Society. Students should plan the minor knowing that beginning Modern Hebrew is only offered in the fall term.

Requirements

Students have two options: Either take two semesters of Modern Hebrew starting at the level of HEBM 0102 or higher and three content courses about Israeli society or take three semesters of Modern Hebrew, starting at the level of HEBM102, and two content courses about Israeli society. The content courses must be at HEBM 200 level or higher and may be in English. When appropriate, students may substitute independent study (HEBM 0500) for one of the courses required for the minor.

Classical Hebrew

Students interested in studying Classical Hebrew should contact Professor Robert Schine at schine@middlebury.edu.

HEBM 0101 Introductory Modern Hebrew I (Fall 2024)

In this course students will become acquainted with the basic grammatical and formal concepts necessary for the comprehension of the Modern Hebrew language. We will focus on the fundamentals of reading, writing, listening, and speaking, with a particular emphasis placed on the acquisition of conversational ability. We will also make use of audiovisual, situational, and cultural exercises, and give attention to the elements of Classical form and style that provided a foundation for Modern Hebrew, which was revived as a vernacular in the late 19th century. No previous knowledge of Hebrew is required. 6 hrs. LNG (M. Strier)

HEBM 0103 Introductory Modern Hebrew III (Spring 2025)

This course is a continuation of Modern Hebrew 0102 which will be offered during winter term. Students will further develop their skills in written and oral communication, and will expand their knowledge of the cultures of modern Israel through both audio and visual media. (HEBM 0102 or equivalent) 5 hrs. lect. LNG

HEBM 0201 Intermediate Modern Hebrew I (Fall 2024)

This course is a continuation of HEBM 0103. By engaging with topics about Israeli society and culture and by using authentic materials and different media, students will strengthen their intermediate level of communicative competence – reading, writing, listening, and speaking – and gain a deeper understanding of Israeli popular culture and politics. Topics will vary depending on students’ interest. (HEBM 0103 or placement test) 5 hrs. lect/disc LNG (M. Strier)

HEBM 0231 Zionism and the "Roads Not Taken" (1880-1948) (Spring 2025)

An Arab-Jewish binational state in Palestine was only one of the possible paths that the Zionist movement considered before taking the road that led to Israel’s 1948 establishment. Using various primary and secondary sources, we will critically engage with alternatives to the nation-state within the Zionist movement, unfolding key debates in its history. In the introductory units, we will position Zionism alongside other forms of Jewish nationalism, such as Simon Dubnow’s Diaspora Nationalism. We will then zoom in on post-World War I Zionism, discussing Imperial, anti-Imperial, pan-Asian, and binationalist-federalist alternatives to the Jewish nation-state program. In the concluding units, we will examine the processes by which these possibilities became marginalized, and the vision of a Jewish nation-state prevailed. CMP, EUR, HIS
Cross-listed as: JWST 0231

HEBM 0237 The Origins of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (Fall 2024)

When did the Jewish-Arab conflict begin? This survey course considers several different moments of its birth, such as the 1880s first wave of Zionist immigrants to Palestine, the 1917 Balfour Declaration, the 1948 and 1967 war and the 1964 establishment of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and other landmark moments. Based on secondary literature and primary textual and visual materials, we will engage with these competing periodizations and analyze various Israeli and Palestinian historical narratives they embody, considering broader themes such as the relations between the historian’s identity and the production of historical narratives, and the dynamic between facts, narratives and ideologies. 3 hrs. lect. CMP, MDE, SOC (A. Livny)
Cross-listed as: IGST 0237

HEBM 0500 Independent Project (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required)
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Department of History

  • All students declaring a History major or joint major will adopt the requirements detailed below. 
  • Students choosing a History major or a joint major with a track in History of Science Medicine and Technology (HSMT) will adopt the requirements specific to HSMT detailed below.

Required for the Major in History

The History Major with a specific geographical focus within the history department provides a broad understanding of the development of human societies and cultures throughout history and around the world. Students will have an opportunity to examine how governments, societies, and individuals have shaped and have been shaped in specific geographical regions of interest to them. 

Students must take 11 history credits before graduation including: (1) at least one but no more than three 0100-level credits; (2) three credits, 0200-level or above, in three of the following seven areas: North America; Europe; Latin America and the Caribbean; the Middle East and North Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa; South and Southeast Asia, including the Pacific; North Asia including China, Korea, Japan, and the Asian Steppes; (3) two 0400-level reading seminars in two different geographical regions, one of which may be trans-regional for those not writing a thesis OR one 0400-level reading seminar for those writing a thesis; (4) HIST 0600.

Of the eleven credits required for this track, one must be comparative and two must deal primarily with the period before 1800. Courses which qualify as comparative or for the pre-1800 requirement are identified in the course descriptions. Students planning to spend all or part of the junior year abroad should consult with the department before the second semester of their sophomore year. Students planning to go abroad or away for a full year may request to have a maximum of three courses count towards the major. Students planning to go abroad for one semester may request to have a maximum of two courses count towards the major. Upon their return to Middlebury, students must fill out the transfer of credit form from the Registrar’s office and have it signed by the chair as soon as possible. Students may take a maximum of two cross-listed HIST/CLAS courses to fulfill History requirements. HIST 0400 and 0600 seminars must be taken in the history department at Middlebury. Cognates or other departmental seminars will not be accepted.

Honors Thesis

Students who have earned a minimum 3.5 GPA in at least 5 history department courses (including up to two courses taken abroad) and at least a B+ in HIST 0600, are eligible to write a two-term honors thesis (HIST 0700). See information below.

Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate

Up to two IB credits or AP history courses, with a grade of 4 or 5, can count toward the major requirement of 11 history credits, but cannot be used to fulfill any specific requirements listed above. Students counting AP European History may not count HIST 0103 or 0104 toward the major, and those counting AP U.S. History may not count HIST 0203 or 0204 toward the major.

Joint Major Requirements

Students must take at least eight credits in history, chosen in consultation with a faculty advisor. Cognates are not allowed. A student must take: (1) at least one course in two of the following seven areas: North America; Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe; Middle East and North Africa; Sub-Saharan Africa; South, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific; North Asia including China, Korea, Japan, and the Asian Steppes and one course that is trans-regional or comparative. The choice of courses should depend upon the need to achieve an intellectual coherence and integrity in the student’s program; (2) two 0400-level reading seminars, one of which must be taken in the senior year and enable students to combine work from both disciplines, or one 0400-level reading seminar for those writing a thesis.  (3) HIST 0600. HIST 0400 and 0600 seminars must be taken in the history department at Middlebury. Cognates or other departmental seminars will not be accepted. No more than two courses may be taken abroad or at another undergraduate institution. 

Joint Major Honors Thesis

Students who have earned a minimum 3.5 GPA in at least 5 History department courses (including up to two courses taken abroad) and at least a B+ in HIST 0600 may choose to write a two-term honors thesis (HIST 0700).  Joint majors choosing to write a thesis must combine the skills of both major disciplines in their thesis.

Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate

AP and IB credit cannot be counted towards a joint major in history.

Minor Requirements

Students must take at least five credits, including one 0100-level course, one 0200-level course and one 0400-level course. Students are strongly encouraged to take HIST 0600 as one of the elective courses. HIST 0400 and 0600 seminars must be taken in the history department at Middlebury. No more than two courses may be taken abroad or at another undergraduate institution. Cognate courses cannot be counted towards the minor. AP and IB credit cannot be counted towards a minor in history.

Track in History of Science, Medicine, and Technology

The History of Science, Medicine, and Technology Track (HSMT) within the history department provides a broad understanding of the development of science and its contested role in society throughout history and around the world. Through this track, students will have an opportunity to examine how governments, societies, and individuals have shaped and been shaped by science, medicine, and technology. 

Students must take 11 history credits before graduation including: (1) at least one but no more than three 0100-level courses; (2) five courses that focus on HSMT.  At least 4 of these courses must be HSMT-designated courses within the history department.  In consultation with and at the discretion of the history department Chair, 1 course may be a cognate from another department, from another college or university, or from study abroad; (3) two 0400-level reading seminars for those not writing a thesis OR one 0400-level reading seminar for those writing a thesis. When possible 400-level seminars should be in HSMT; (4) HIST 0600. A senior thesis will count as 1 HSMT course if on a relevant HSMT topic.

Of the eleven credits required for this track, one must be comparative and two must deal primarily with the period before 1800. Courses which qualify as comparative or for the pre-1800 requirement are identified in the course descriptions. Students planning to spend all or part of the junior year abroad should consult with the department before the second semester of their sophomore year. Students planning to go abroad or away for a full year may request to have a maximum of three courses count towards the major. Students planning to go abroad for one semester may request to have a maximum of two courses count towards the major. Upon their return to Middlebury, students must fill out the transfer of credit form from the Registrar’s office and have it signed by the chair as soon as possible. Students may take a maximum of two cross-listed HIST/CLAS courses to fulfill History requirements. HIST 0400 and 0600 seminars must be taken in the history department at Middlebury. Cognates or other departmental seminars will not be accepted.

Honors Thesis

Students who have earned a minimum 3.5 GPA in at least 5 history department courses (including up to two courses taken abroad) and at least a B+ in HIST 0600, are eligible to write a two-term honors thesis (HIST 0700).

Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate

Up to two IB credits or AP history courses, with a grade of 4 or 5, can count toward the major requirement of 11 history courses, but cannot be used to fulfill any specific requirements listed above. Students counting AP European History may not count HIST 0103 or 0104 toward the major, and those counting AP U.S. History may not count HIST 0203 or 0204 toward the major.

Joint Major Requirements in HSMT Track

Students must fulfill the following requirements: (1) 8 credits in history, as specified under “Joint Major Requirements”; (2) of the 8 credits, 5 must focus on HSMT, and one must be a 400-level seminar taken in the history department or a senior thesis, which may count as 1 HSMT course; (3) in consultation with and at the discretion of the history department Chair, 1 course may be taken abroad. Cognates or other departmental seminars will not be accepted. AP and IB credit cannot be counted towards a joint major in HSMT track.

Joint Major Honors Thesis

Students who have earned a minimum 3.5 GPA in at least 5 History department courses (including up to two courses taken abroad) and at least a B+ in HIST 0600 may choose to write a two-term honors thesis (HIST 0700).  Joint majors choosing to write a thesis must combine the skills of both major disciplines in their thesis.

The department does not offer a minor in HSMT.

Courses in the History Department

As a rule, the History Department has no pre-requisites except for in designated 400-level courses. Courses are not arranged hierarchically; they are arranged thematically and chronologically, with the 100-level courses being the broadest and the 300 and 400-level courses being the most specific in subject matter.

HIST 0100-Level Courses

These courses deal with events and processes that affect human societies over long periods of time and across broad geographical areas not confined to national boundaries. Courses include components that act as introductions to the field of history.

HIST 0200-Level Courses

These are lecture courses that deal with a single cultural or national entity, or a clearly related group of such entities, over a substantial period of time (usually a century or more).

HIST 0300-Level Courses

These courses, for the most part, are topically focused courses. Many of them are lecture courses and some are taught in a seminar format. These are not, however, seminars that fulfill the reading seminar requirement.

HIST 0400–Level Reading Seminars

These topically based seminars, which usually meet once a week involve reading and analyzing texts, discussions, student presentations, historiography and writing or producing a final project. The history department offers many types of seminars: seminars on a topic within a given country or region; transnational or global seminars, digital humanities seminars and public history seminars.  Seminars are open to all students except those designated for seniors and juniors. See course description for requirements. A list of seminars is available from the department.

HIST 0600: Writing History

In this course students discuss historical methods and writing strategies to create convincing historical narratives.  With the approval and guidance of the professor, students complete a 20-25-page research paper based on primary and secondary sources. Students take this course in the fall of their junior year or with permission in the spring. If students are away for the entire junior year, they can take the course in the fall of their senior year.

HIST 0700 & 0701 Senior Honors Thesis

If students have earned a minimum 3.5 GPA in at least 5 History department courses (including up to two courses taken abroad) and at least a B+ in HIST 0600, they may choose to write a two-term honors thesis (HIST 0700). Writing a thesis is a prerequisite for departmental honors. Students must submit a thesis proposal to the department chair and coordinator one week prior to course registration for the term in which the thesis is to be started. Students opting to write a thesis must also take at least one 0400-level reading seminar prior to graduation, but preferably before their last semester at Middlebury. Students may not write a thesis in the same semester that they are taking HIST 0600. If students submit a request to write a senior thesis in the semester in which they are taking HIST 0600, they may receive conditional approval pending the completion and grade in HIST 0600.

Approved students will write a two-term thesis under an advisor in the area of their choosing. The department strongly encourages students to write their theses during the fall and winter terms. Winter/Spring theses are also acceptable with the permission of the chair and the theses advisor. On rare occasions and for compelling reasons, a student may initiate a thesis in the spring of an academic year and finish in the fall of the following year with the approval of the department. All students beginning their thesis in a given academic year must attend the Thesis Writers’ Workshops held in the fall and winter of that year. Further information about the thesis is available from the department.

Overall History Honors

To receive departmental honors, high honors*, or highest honors** students must have completed an honors thesis (HIST0700) with a grade of B+, A-*, or A** and must have achieved an overall average of at least 3.5, 3.67*, or 3.75** in all departmental courses.

HIST 0100-Level Courses

The 0100-level courses (0100-0199) deal with events and processes that affect human societies over long periods of time and across broad geographical areas not confined to national boundaries. These courses include components that act as introductions to the field of history.

HIST 0200-Level Courses

These are lecture courses that deal with a single cultural or national entity, or a clearly related group of such entities, over a substantial period of time (usually a century or more).

HIST 0300-Level Courses

These courses, for the most part, are topically focused courses. Many of them are lecture courses and some are taught in a seminar format. These are not, however, seminars that fulfill the reading seminar requirement.

HIST 0400-Level Reading Seminars

Unlike the courses below the 0400 level, which are primarily lecture courses, these courses are reading seminars on particular periods or topics. They are open to all students, although in cases of overcrowding, history majors will be given priority. First-year students are admitted only by waiver.

HIST 0600 Research Seminar

All history majors are required to take HIST 0600 their junior fall or, if abroad at that time, their junior spring or senior fall semester. In this course students will conceive, research, and write a work of history based on primary source material. After reading and discussion on historical methods and research strategies, students will pursue a paper topic as approved by the course professors.

HIST 0700 and 701 Senior Independent Study I & II

All senior history majors who wish to receive honors will write a two-term thesis under an advisor in the area of their choosing. The department encourages students to do their theses during the fall (700) and winter terms (701). Fall/spring theses are also acceptable and, with permission of the chair, winter/spring. On rare occasions, with departmental approval given for compelling reasons, a thesis may be initiated in the spring of an academic year and finished in the fall of the following year. All students beginning their thesis in a given academic year must attend the Thesis Writers’ Workshops held in the fall and winter of that year. Further information about the thesis is available from the department.

HIST 0108 The Early History of Islam and the Middle East (Fall 2024)

This course is an introduction to the history of Islamic civilizations from the advent of Islam around 610 C.E. to the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453. The principal geographic areas covered are the Middle East and North Africa. Since "Islam" encompasses not simply a religion but an entire cultural complex, this course will trace the development of religious, political, economic, and social institutions in this region. Topics covered include the early Islamic conquests, the rise of religious sectarianism, gender relations, and the expansion of Islamic empires. Pre-1800. 2 hrs lect./1 hr. disc. AAL, HIS, MDE, SOC (F. Armanios)

HIST 0112 Modern East Asia (Spring 2025)

In this course we will examine East Asian history from 1800 to the present. We will study the “Chinese World Order,” the patterns of European imperialism that led to this order’s demise, the rise of Japan as an imperialist power, and 20th century wars and revolutions. We will concentrate on the emergence of Japan, China, and Korea as distinct national entities and on the socio-historical forces that have bound them together and pried them apart. We will seek a broader understanding of imperialism, patterns of nationalism and revolution, and Cold War configurations of power in East Asia. 2 hrs. lect./1 hr. disc. CMP, HIS, NOA, SOC

HIST 0115 Genocides Throughout History (Spring 2025)

With the devastation of the Holocaust and other more recent events, the study of genocide has mainly focused on the modern period. Yet, mass killings and other atrocities abound in earlier centuries as well. In this course we will focus on examples across time and space to gain a more comprehensive understanding of such phenomena. We will consider the very meaning of “genocide” as well as the suitability of other terms. We will also discuss different explanations of everything from perpetrators’ motivations to victims’ responses. Finally, we will examine the possibility of preventing genocides. 3 hrs. lect./disc. CMP, HIS, SOC

HIST 0131 Archaic and Classical Greece (Fall 2024)

A survey of Greek history from Homer to the Hellenistic period, based primarily on a close reading of ancient sources in translation. The course covers the emergence of the polis in the Dark Age, colonization and tyranny, the birth of democracy, the Persian Wars, the interdependence of democracy and Athenian imperialism, the Peloponnesian War, and the rise of Macedon. Authors read include Herodotus, Thucydides, Aristophanes, Plutarch, Xenophon, and the Greek orators. 2 hrs. lect., 1 hr. disc. EUR, HIS, LIT (J. Chaplin)
Cross-listed as: CLAS 0131 *

HIST 0201 Modern American Jewish History (Fall 2024)

What characterizes the modern American Jewish experience? Is it the effort to assimilate into the American mainstream? Is it about the struggle to preserve Jewish distinctiveness? Drawing on historical scholarship and primary sources (films, art, cartoons, newspapers, literature), we will consider the many meanings of American Jewish identity, particularly its religious, racial, ethnic, and national connotations. We will begin in the 1880s, during the largest wave of Jewish immigration to the U.S. Topics will include “Americanization,” labor, political activism, religious reform, World War II and the Holocaust, “Jewish continuity,” gender roles, race relations, urbanization, suburbanization, and the relationship of Jews to white flight, Zionism, anti-Semitism, and philanthropy. 3 hrs. lect. AMR, HIS, NOR (L. Povitz)
Cross-listed as: JWST 0201

HIST 0210 History of Sexuality in the United States (Spring 2025)

In this course we will explore sexuality in relation to race, class, gender, and religion in US history using primary and secondary sources. We will study indigenous sexualities and the impact of settler colonialism, sex work during the American Revolution, sexuality under slavery, the medicalization and criminalization of homosexuality, urban gay subcultures, Cold War sexuality, the politics of birth control, sex during the AIDS epidemic, and sexuality from transgender and non-binary perspectives. Beyond learning historiography, we will examine methodological issues with writing histories of sexuality. When relevant, we will study examples from Europe and Canada. 3 hrs. lect. AMR, HIS, SOC
Cross-listed as: GSFS 0210

HIST 0212 Civil War and Reconstruction: 1845-1890 (Spring 2025)

This course explores the era of the American Civil War with an emphasis on the period 1861-1865. It combines lectures, readings, class discussion, and film to address such questions as why the war came, why the Confederacy lost, and how the war affected various elements of society. We will also explore what was left unresolved at the end of the war, how Americans responded to Reconstruction, and how subsequent generations have understood the meaning of the conflict and its legacy. We will make a special effort to tie military and political events to life on the home front. (formerly HIST 0364) 2 hrs. lect./1 hr. disc. AMR, HIS

HIST 0215 Cold War America (Fall 2024)

This course examines the history of the United States during the Cold War (1945-1991). From the immediate post-WWII period through the Reagan era, we will investigate widely varied manifestations of anti-communism, paying special attention to how international affairs shaped Americans’ engagement with domestic developments, and vice versa. Topics include the social welfare state, Eisenhower’s New Look and Kennedy’s New Frontier, suburbanization, the Vietnam War, civil rights activism, the conservative movement, feminism, and the politics of globalization. Our goal is to reconsider these transformative changes in context with the Cold War’s geopolitical and ideological conflict. We will use many tools to do so: primary sources like state documents, essays, visual texts, and political tracts, as well scholarly monographs, documentaries, and discussion. (formerly HIST 0368) 2 hrs. lect., 1 hr. disc. AMR, HIS, NOR (J. Mao)

HIST 0216 History of the American West (Fall 2024)

This is a survey of the history of the trans-Mississippi West from colonial contact through the 1980s. It explores how that region became known and understood as the West, and its role and meaning in United States history as a whole. The central themes of this course are conquest and its legacy, especially with regard to the role of the U.S. federal government in the West; human interactions with and perceptions of landscape and environment; social contests among different groups for a right to western resources and over the meanings of western identity; and the role of the West in American popular culture. (formerly HIST/AMST 0374) 2 hrs. lect., 1 hr. disc. AMR, HIS, SOC (K. Morse)
Cross-listed as: AMST 0216

HIST 0217 The History of Urban America (Spring 2025)

"The magnification of all the dimensions of life," writes Lewis Mumford, " . . . has been the supreme office of the city in history." Mumford's appraisal of the mission of the city can be debated, but the importance of the city to human development cannot be denied. In this course we will cover the rise of the city in America from the colonial era to the present. We will explore why Americans have huddled in concentrated settlements and the consequences of that clustering. Special attention will be given to the growth of the industrial city of the late 19th century and the modern metropolis of the 20th century. AMR, HIS

HIST 0218 Slavery and Freedom in the American North (Spring 2025)

In this course we will study how the “American North,” constituted by New England, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, became a place of enslavement. Although often treated as a cradle of freedom, we will explore how the region’s colonists imported African slaves and enslaved and exported Native Americans. Through lecture, discussion, and primary sources, we will examine the transatlantic slave trade of Africans and Native Americans, the communities built by enslaved and free people, the impact of the American Revolution, the creation of gradual abolition statues, and the perpetuation of enslavement until the Civil War. We will also grapple with the role of memory in history, as the region’s slaveholding past is often ignored by its inhabitants. Pre-1800. 2 hrs lect./1 hr. disc. AMR, CMP, HIS, SOC
Cross-listed as: BLST 0218

HIST 0222 United States Environmental History: Nature and Inequality (Spring 2025)

In this course we will study the interactions between diverse groups and their physical environments to understand how humans have shaped and in turn been shaped by the material world. Topics include: ecological change with European conquest; industrialization and race and class differences in labor, leisure, and ideas of “nature”; African American environments South and North; the capitalist transformation of the American West, rural and urban; Progressive conservation and its displacement of Native Americans and other rural groups; chemical- and petroleum-based technologies and their unexpected consequences; and the rise of environmentalism and its transformation by issues of inequality and justice. 3 hrs. lect./disc. AMR, HIS, NOR

HIST 0231 Imperial China (Fall 2024)

China’s is the world’s oldest continuous civilization, and we will survey the history of the Chinese empire from its cultural beginnings until the conflicts with the West in the 1840s and the internal unrest of the 1850s and 1860s. Our study of China’s political progression through successive dynasties will reveal archetypal patterns of historical disruption amidst continuity. We will also examine those perennial social, institutional, and intellectual forces — such as the stratification of the classes, the absolutist tendencies of monarchy, and the civilly-focused yet competitive atmosphere fostered by a state-sponsored examination culture — that proved determinative in shaping China’s traditional development. Pre-1800 3 hrs. lect. HIS, NOA, SOC (D. Wyatt)

HIST 0236 History of Modern Japan, 1850-1945 (Spring 2025)

This course reviews the major events and enduring questions of modern Japanese history beginning with the Meiji Restoration (1868) up to Japan’s defeat in World War II (1945). Through a variety of materials, including novels, philosophy, historical essays, and films, we will explore the formation of the modern Japanese nation-state, the “invention of tradition” in constructing a modern national identity, Japan’s colonial incursions into East Asia, 1920s mass culture, the consolidation of fascism in the 1930s, and the transwar legacies of early postwar Japan. We will pay particular attention to the relationship between transformations within Japan and larger global trends. HIS, NOA, SOC

HIST 0237 Chinese Philosophy (Fall 2024)

A survey of the dominant philosophies of China, beginning with the establishment of the earliest intellectual orientations, moving to the emergence of the competing schools of the fifth century B.C., and concluding with the modern adoption and adaptation of Marxist thought. Early native alternatives to Confucian philosophy (such as Mohism, Daoism, and Legalism) and later foreign ones (such as Buddhism and Marxism) will be stressed. We will scrutinize individual thinkers with reference to their philosophical contributions and assess the implications of their ideas with reference to their historical contexts and comparative significance. Pre-1800. 3 hrs. lect./disc. AAL, HIS, NOA, PHL (D. Wyatt)
Cross-listed as: PHIL 0237

HIST 0239 History of Postwar Japan, 1945-2000 (Fall 2024)

In this course we will study the important developments in the postwar history of Japan, including: the Allied Occupation, Japan’s place in the Cold War order, high economic growth, radical politics in the 1960s, the 1980s “bubble economy” and the “lost decade” of the 1990s. As we study these different periods, we will also reflect on the contested meaning of “postwar” (sengo) as it transformed over time. Historiographical texts and lectures will highlight the organizing themes for each week, while primary and cultural sources will provide topics for weekly discussion and paper assignments. Lecture, 2.5 hours HIS, NOA (M. Ward)
Cross-listed as: JAPN 0239

HIST 0246 History of Modern Europe: 1900-1989 (Fall 2024)

Revolution in Eastern Europe and unification in Western Europe have reshaped the contours of the 20th century. This course will move from turn-of-the-century developments in mass culture and politics through World War I and II, the rise and fall of fascism, and on into the postwar era. This century has seen a series of radically new ideas, catastrophes, and then renewed searches for stability. But we will also investigate century-long movements, including de-colonization, the creation of sophisticated consumer cultures, and the battles among ideas of nationalism, ethnicity, and international interdependency. 2 hrs. lect. 1 hr. disc. EUR, HIS, SOC (R. Bennette)

HIST 0247 Russia: Tsars, Tsarinas, and Terrorists (Spring 2025)

In this course we will follow Russia’s development, expansion and transformation from its earliest beginnings to the revolutionary cataclysms of the early 20th century. How and why did Russia come to dominate a vast Eurasian space? How did Russia’s Tsars and Tsarinas exert control over diverse cultures, languages, religions and peoples? What impact did this have on the lives of their subjects? How was Russian identity defined within the context of a multi-ethnic, multi-confessional empire? Central themes will include political governance, imperial expansion, ethnic relations, religious identity, social upheaval, and the emergence of the radical intelligentsia. Pre-1800 3 hrs lect./disc. AAL, CMP, HIS

HIST 0266 Egypt, Iran, and Turkey: Alternative Modernizations (Fall 2024)

The Middle East's struggles with modernization are encapsulated in the history of its three most populous nation-states: Egypt, Iran, and Turkey. The rise of nationalism, European incursions in the Middle East, and internal strife contributed to the gradual fall of the Ottoman and Qajar Empires in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. From the rubble emerged distinct social, political, economic, and religious responses to modernization, ranging from the establishment of a secular, ultra-nationalist state in Turkey, Arab nationalism in Egypt, monarchism and Islamism in Iran. We will explore and compare these three experiences using an array of sources including primary documents, works of fiction, and film. 3 hrs. lect./disc. AAL, CMP, HIS, MDE, SOC (F. Armanios)

HIST 0276 Struggles for Change in Southern Africa (Spring 2025)

In this course we will examine the tumultuous period of social struggle in southern Africa in the decades following World War II. Major topics to be covered include: the rise of apartheid and the mobilization of anti-apartheid resistance in South Africa; the liberation struggle against white settler rule and its legacies in post-colonial Zimbabwe; the fight for freedom from Portuguese colonialism in Mozambique; and Mozambique’s protracted civil war following independence. A central purpose of the course is to explore how these different arenas of struggle transformed individual lives and social relations in complex and diverse ways, generating enduring impacts and challenges within the region. (formerly HIST/BLST 0375) (Students who have already completed HIST/BLST 0375 are ineligible to take this course.) CMP, HIS, SAF, SOC
Cross-listed as: BLST 0276

HIST 0303 Oil, Opium, and Oligarchs: Modern Asian Empires (Spring 2025)

In this course we will examine dynamics and legacies of imperialism in East and Southeast Asia from the nineteenth century through the present. We will consider the role of opium in securing British influence, the rise of Japan as an imperialist power, struggles to control regional markets and natural resources, and China’s expansionist efforts past and present. By engaging with novels, films, treaties, and historical scholarship, class participants will gain a broad understanding of empires and imperialism, and how this heritage continues to inform Pacific-regional relations. Not open to students who have taken IGST/HIST 0475. (Counts for HSMT credit) 3 hrs. lect./disc. AAL, HIS, NOA

HIST 0305 Confucius and Confucianism (Spring 2025)

Perhaps no individual has left his mark more completely and enduringly upon an entire civilization than Confucius (551-479 B.C.) has upon that of China. Moreover, the influence of Confucius has spread well beyond China to become entrenched in the cultural traditions of neighboring Japan and Korea and elsewhere. This course examines who Confucius was, what he originally intended, and how the more important of his disciples have continued to reinterpret his original vision and direct it toward different ends. Pre-1800. (formerly HIST/PHIL 0273) 3 hrs. lect./disc. CW (5 seats), HIS, NOA, PHL
Cross-listed as: PHIL 0305

HIST 0311 Gender, Sexuality, and Psychiatry in US History (Fall 2024)

In this seminar we will examine how gender and sexuality have intersected with the psychiatric profession since the nineteenth century, focusing mostly on women, and to a lesser extent gender-nonconforming people and men. Course material will be rooted in the U.S. but will occasionally also cover Europe and Latin America. Topics will include racialized notions of madness and hysteria, depression, psychoanalysis, “deviant” genders and sexualities, the rise of psychotropic prescription drugs, addiction, PTSD, eating disorders, and the medicalization of heterosexual women’s desire. Students will explore relevant historiography and will conduct oral histories of a related topic. (Counts for HSMT credit) 3 hrs. lect. AMR, CMP, HIS, NOR, SOC (L. Povitz)
Cross-listed as: GSFS 0311

HIST 0315 Health and Healing in African History (Spring 2025)

In this course we will complicate our contemporary perspectives on health and healing in Africa by exploring diverse historical examples from the continent's deep past. Our readings, discussions, and papers will cover a range of historical contexts and topics, such as the politics of rituals and public healing ceremonies in pre-colonial contexts, state and popular responses to shifting disease landscapes in the colonial era, long-term cultural and economic changes in healer-patient dynamics, the problematic legacies of environmental health hazards in the post-colonial period, and Africans' engagement with global health interventions in recent decades. (Counts for HSMT credit) 3 hrs. sem. HIS, SAF, SOC
Cross-listed as: BLST 0315

HIST 0319 Readings in the Philosophy of History (Spring 2025)

Even before the appearance of Georg W. F. Hegel's classic study The Philosophy of History, a heated debate was being waged concerning the nature and substance of history. Is history, like science, expressible in predictable patterns or subject to irrevocable laws? What factors distinguish true history from the mere random succession of events? What should we assume to be the fundamental nature of historical truth, and are we to determine it objectively or subjectively? Is it possible to be human and yet be somehow "outside of" history? These are among the questions we will examine as we read and deliberate on a variety of philosophies of history, while concentrating on the most influential versions developed by Hegel and Karl Marx. 3 hrs. sem. EUR, HIS, PHL
Cross-listed as: PHIL 0319

HIST 0324 Race, Medicine, and Health in U.S. History (Fall 2024)

In this course we will explore the historical relationships between race, medicine, and public health in the United States from colonial times to the present. Through a series of case studies that include epidemics such as smallpox, yellow fever, and COVID-19, we will trace the origins of racial classification and its impact on medical care. Our topics include the management of illness in colonial times, the relationship between medical schools and slavery, the eugenics movement, immigration restrictions, the use of minorities as experimentation subjects, the fight against medical discrimination, and the current struggles for health care access. We will approach these subjects through sources such as scholarly publications, diaries, documentaries, medical journals, oral histories, and print media. 2 hrs lect./1 hr. disc. (Counts for HSMT credit) AMR, CMP, HIS, SOC (E. Mendoza)
Cross-listed as: BLST 0324

HIST 0331 Sparta and Athens (Spring 2025)

For over 200 years, Athens and Sparta were recognized as the most powerful Greek city-states, and yet one was a democracy (Athens), the other an oligarchy (Sparta). One promoted the free and open exchange of ideas (Athens); one tried to remain closed to outside influence (Sparta). This course studies the two city-states from the myths of their origins through their respective periods of hegemony to their decline as imperial powers. The goal is to understand the interaction between political success and intellectual and cultural development in ancient Greece. 2 hrs. lect., 1 hr. disc. CMP, EUR, HIS, LIT
Cross-listed as: CLAS 0331 *

HIST 0334 Contested Kyiv: Ukranian-Russian Relations in Historical Context (Spring 2025)

Kyiv: capital of the Ukrainian nation? Or Kiev: cradle of Russian civilization? Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 2021 claim that “Russians and Ukrainians were one people – a single whole” was a geopolitical maneuver; nonetheless, it highlighted a deeply intertwined and contested history. In this course we will explore the multifaceted history of Kyiv from its founding to the present day in order to better understand the entangled histories of the contemporary Ukrainian and Russian states. Central to our discussions will be primary and secondary sources that offer conflicting dynastic, religious and national histories which have sought to claim Kyiv as their own. We will also probe Kyiv’s Jewish past to better understand the region’s complex multi-confessional and multi-ethnic past. 3 hrs sem. EUR, HIS

HIST 0339 Christians in the Modern Middle East (Spring 2025)

In the Middle East, Christians have faced fast-paced political, economic, and religious transformations. Focusing on indigenous communities such as Copts, Greek Orthodox, Armenians, Assyrians, and Maronites, we will explore Christianity’s place in the region, from the nineteenth century up to the present. Against the backdrop of a waning Ottoman Empire, mounting European colonialism, and the rise of nationalism and Islamism, we will investigate Christians’ status as minorities, who have at times been privileged and at other times been marginalized, exiled, and shunned. We will also pay attention to the ways in which Western governments and Christian missionaries have transformed the lives of Middle Eastern Christians in their quest for evangelism, apocalypticism, and regional domination. Class sources will include memoirs, novels, and films. 3 hrs. lect./disc. AAL, HIS, MDE, SOC

HIST 0345 Clinics and Cures (Fall 2024)

In this course we will study the global circulation of psychiatric ideas and practices in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. In the first part of the course, we will study the rise of psychiatry and psychoanalysis in the context of European colonial expansion. In the second, we will trace how these ideas and practices intersected with prevailing conceptions of health, disease, mind, and body in East Asia. We will learn about the transformative effects of Euro-American and Japanese imperialisms and the new roles of political organizing and state welfare systems in shaping approaches to treatment and care. Topics include individual versus social cures and challenges of translating mental health discourses across socio-cultural contexts. (Counts for HSMT credit.) CMP, HIS, NOA (M. Clinton)

HIST 0347 Everyday Life in South Africa, Apartheid and Beyond (Fall 2024)

In this course we will explore some of the social worlds of South Africans amid the country’s recent decades of turbulent and dramatic change. We will look at how different groups within the nation’s diverse population have understood and experienced the rise of the apartheid system, its demise, and its legacies in their “everyday” lives and interactions. The course will draw from various sources – non-fiction, fiction, film, and other forms of popular culture -- to interpret these social dynamics and their ongoing significance in a post-apartheid society. HIS, SAF, SOC (J. Tropp)
Cross-listed as: BLST 0347

HIST 0352 Food in the Middle East: History, Culture, and Identity (Spring 2025)

In this course we will examine the rich culinary history of the Middle East from the time of major Islamic Empires, such as the Abbasids and Ottomans, until the modern period. Using an array of primary and secondary sources, we will explore the social, religious, literary, and economic place of food in the region. We will study the consumption of and attitudes toward specific foodstuffs, gauging the relevance of items like spices and coffee in the pre-modern period and of various dishes within modern nationalist constructions. We will also investigate how Middle Eastern peoples from different ethnic, geographic, and religious backgrounds have historically used food to express their distinct cultural, national, and gendered identities.(Counts for HSMT credit) 3 hrs. lect./disc. AAL, CMP, HIS, MDE, SOC

HIST 0361 Police Power: Theory and History (Spring 2025)

As Egon Bittner once stated, the police are “at once the best known and the least understood” of the institutions of modern government. In this seminar students begin by reading introductions to theories of modern state power, and then turn to exploring how the police manifest this power at the local level. In the second half of the semester, we will read histories of police forces with special emphasis on the formation of the police in East Asia. We conclude by reviewing recent theories of the police for the twenty-first century. 3 hrs. sem. EUR, HIS, SOC

HIST 0377 Colonial Commodities & Slavery in the Americas (Spring 2025)

In this course, we will examine the development of extractive economies and the relationship between colonialism, consumption, and forced labor in colonial north and South America. Using a comparative approach, we will survey how commodities such as cacao, cotton, coffee, gold, silver, sugar, and tobacco shaped African and Native slavery across the continent. Our topics will include the development of price systems for enslaved people and goods in the world economy, the emergence of ideas regarding racial differences and their relationship with forced labor, how enslaved people resisted their enslavement, and the abolition of slavery across the Americas.
Students will examine primary sources such as financial records, slave narratives, historical price indexes, and scholarly monographs. Pre-1800. 3 hr sem.
AMR, CMP, HIS, SOC
Cross-listed as: BLST 0377

HIST 0435 American Conservatism after 1932: Ideology, Politics, History (Fall 2024)

“Let’s grow up, conservatives!” was Sen. Barry Goldwater’s dictum at the 1960 Republican convention. Once dismissed as practically extinct, American conservatism became the most enduring political movement of the 20th century. In this seminar we will trace conservative thought and politics from the New Deal era through the contemporary moment, highlighting both domestic and international developments that shaped the modern American right. Students will closely engage with recent scholarly works as well as primary sources such as speeches, magazines, campaign texts, and visual media to effectively understand conservatism’s historical evolution. 3 hrs. sem AMR, HIS (J. Mao)

HIST 0440 South Asian Migrations (Spring 2025)

In this course we will learn about the history of migration from, within, and to South Asia. Topics to be discussed include colonial-era migrations of indentured laborers, traders, and soldiers; the refugee crisis at the partitioning of India in 1947; the return of Indians from Burma; the flight of Indians from Uganda; and the large-scale migrations of South Asians to Britain, the Gulf states, and the US. In addition to reading compelling histories, novels, and memoirs, students will write essays, deliver a presentation, learn digital humanities skills, and complete a public-facing research project. CMP, HIS, SOA

HIST 0441 African Environmental Histories (Fall 2024)

In this seminar we will explore the complex histories of human-environmental interaction on the African continent. Through a variety of interdisciplinary readings – incorporating anthropology, geography, ecology, and cultural and literary studies – we will grapple with the diverse interpretive and methodological challenges of interpreting Africans’ linked social and environmental histories. We will start with a look at how scholars have begun to unravel dominant historical understandings of African pre-colonial ecologies, economies, and cultures. We will then explore how colonial relations shaped conflicts over environmental control and rural ecological change in the 19th and 20th centuries and the legacies of such dynamics in the post-colonial era. Additional readings will touch on such topics as gender relations, rural social networks, landscape memories, and the contested histories of conservation and development interventions. (Counts for HSMT credit) 3 hrs. sem. AAL, HIS, SAF, SOC (J. Tropp)
Cross-listed as: BLST 0441

HIST 0445 Vermont Life’s Vermont: A Collaborative Web Project (Spring 2025)

Students in this course will work collaboratively to build an online history project aimed at a wide audience. Since 1946, Vermont Life magazine has created particular images of the landscape, culture, and recreational possibilities in the state. Our goal will be to construct a website that examines the evolution of these images and the meaning of the state over time, paying particular attention to consumerism, the environment, tourism, urban-rural contrasts, local food movements, and the ways that race, class, and gender influence all of these. The course is open to all students and requires collaborative work but not any pre-existing technological expertise. 3 hrs. sem. AMR, HIS, NOR
Cross-listed as: AMST 0445

HIST 0447 Calderwood Seminar in Public Writing: Reporting Genocide (Fall 2024)

While reports of atrocities and genocides have appeared frequently in the news, little has helped to effectively stop these acts. Even the basic facts are often poorly understood by the wider public. We will focus on a variety of atrocities and genocides, considering them from multiple angles and with a particular emphasis on prevention and resolution. Using our knowledge, we will craft short pieces of public writing, such as op-eds, reviews, and briefings intended to inform and/or influence a general audience. (open to juniors and seniors) 3 hrs. sem. CMP, HIS (R. Bennette)

HIST 0448 Black and Jewish Feminist Perspectives (Spring 2025)

Feminism has a rich history in the United States. In this course we will study feminism from the perspectives of two distinct, sometimes intersecting groups: Black Americans and Jewish Americans. We will explore major feminist texts, writers, and collectives, from Angela Davis, bell hooks, Audre Lorde, and the Combahee River Collective to Shulamith Firestone, Judith Plaskow, B’Not Esh, and Di Vilde Chayes. Through their work and activism, we will study in this reading-intensive course how race, class, spirituality, and sexuality have shaped and reshaped feminist concerns. 3 hrs. sem. AMR, HIS, NOR, SOC
Cross-listed as: JWST 0448

HIST 0500 Special Research Projects (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Special research projects may only be taken during the Junior or Senior year, preferable after taking HIST 0600. Approval of department chair and project advisor is required.

HIST 0600 Writing History (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

In this course students discuss historical methods and writing strategies to create convincing historical narratives. With the approval and guidance of the professor, students complete a 20-25-page research paper based on primary and secondary sources. Students take this course in the fall of their junior year or with permission in the spring. If students are away for the entire junior year, they can take the course in the fall of their senior year. 3 hr. sem. CW (Spring 2025: M. Clinton)

HIST 0700 Senior Independent Study I (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

The optional History Senior Thesis is written over two terms, with the final grade applying to both terms. Approval is required. Students submit thesis proposals in the spring before the year that they choose to write their thesis. Students generally begin their thesis in the fall and complete it during winter or spring. Approval is required to begin the thesis in winter or spring. All students must attend the Thesis Writer's Workshops in fall and winter semesters and work with a faculty advisor to complete a 55-70 page paper. Please see detailed guidelines under history requirements.

HIST 0701 Senior Independent Study II (Spring 2025)

With departmental approval, senior history majors may write a two-term thesis under an advisor in the area of their choosing. The final grade is applied to both terms. Students must submit thesis proposals in the spring before the academic year that they choose to write their thesis. They must attend the Thesis Writers' Workshops held in the fall and winter of the academic year in which they begin the thesis. The department encourages students to write theses during the fall (0700) and winter terms (0701), but with the permission of the chair, fall/spring and winter/spring theses are also acceptable. Under exceptional circumstances, the department may approve a thesis initiated in the spring of an academic year and finished in the fall of the following year. Further information about the thesis is available from the department.
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Department of History of Art and Architectural Studies

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Architectural Studies Track

Required for the Major

Ten (10) Courses:

  • HARC 0130 (Introduction to Architectural Design)
  • HARC 0230 (Modern Architecture)
  • HARC 0259 (Global History of Pre-Modern Architecture)
  • HARC 0330 (Intermediate Architectural Design), or a pre-approved substitute.
  • A pre-approved art-practice studio course in Studio Art, theatre set or lighting design, Film and Media Culture, or dance.
  • Three additional courses that (a) deal with architectural history, theory or practice, urbanism, or modern/contemporary visual culture, and (b) range from the 0100- to the 0500-level; all selected in close consultation with the academic advisor
  • HARC 0731 (Thesis in Architectural Studies: Research) and HARC 0732 (Thesis in Architectural Studies: Design), open only to Architectural Studies majors and joint majors, to be taken sequentially.

Required for the Joint Major

A joint major consists of seven (7) courses:

A proposed program of study, including educational rationale and specific courses to be taken, must be submitted to the Architectural Studies director for approval before registering as a joint major.

  • HARC 0130 (Introduction to Architectural Design)
  • HARC 0230 (Modern Architecture)
  • HARC 0259 (Global History of Pre-Modern Architecture)
  • HARC 0330 (Intermediate Architectural Design), or a pre-approved substitute
  • One course that (a) deals with architectural history, theory or practice, urbanism, or modern/contemporary visual culture; (b) is at the 0100 to 0500 level; selected in close consultation with the academic advisor
  • HARC 0731 (Thesis in Architectural Studies: Research) and HARC 0732 (Thesis in Architectural Studies: Design), open only to Architectural Studies majors and joint majors, to be taken sequentially.

Required for Architecture and the Environment Joint Major

The Architecture and the Environment joint major consists of fourteen courses:

For Architectural Studies (seven courses):

  • HARC 0130 (Introduction to Architectural Design)
  • HARC 0230 (Modern Architecture)
  • HARC 0259 (Global History of Pre-Modern Architecture)
  • HARC 0330 (Intermediate Architectural Design), or a pre-approved substitute
  • HARC 0231 (Architecture and the Environment; joint major capstone)
  • HARC 0731 (Thesis in Architectural Studies: Research) and HARC 0732 (Thesis in Architectural Studies: Design), open only to Architectural Studies majors and joint majors, to be taken sequentially

For Environmental Studies (seven courses):

  • ENVS 0112, ENVS 0211, ENVS 0215, and GEOG 0120, all to be taken before the end of junior year
  • Two ES Cognate Courses (one science course with a lab, and one course in social science, humanities, or team-taught from the approved Environmental Science cognate list)
  • ENVS 0401

Required for the Minor

The minor consists of five courses:

  • HARC 0130 (Introduction to Architectural Design)
  • HARC 0230 (Modern Architecture)
  • HARC 0259 (Global History of Pre-Modern Architecture)
  • HARC 0330 (Intermediate Architectural Design), or a pre-approved substitute. 
  • One course that (a) deals with architectural history, theory or practice, urbanism, or modern/contemporary visual culture and (b) is at the 0100 to 0500 level, selected in close consultation with the academic advisor

Honors

The Architectural Studies GPA is calculated based on those courses that satisfy the requirements for the major and joint majors. Only courses taken at the Middlebury College campus and applied towards Architectural Studies will be used in the calculation of GPA for purposes of determining honors. Honors are awarded to students with a GPA of 3.5 and a thesis grade of B+ or higher; high honors to students with a GPA of 3.7 and a thesis grade of A- or A; and highest honors to students with a GPA of 3.8 and a thesis grade of A.

Advisory

The major, joint majors and minor in Architectural Studies do not result in a professional degree in architecture. Many graduate architecture schools expect applicants to have taken college-level courses in calculus and physics. Please consult with your advisor if you are considering a career in design. Students may acquire hands-on experience by participating in the Architectural Studies/Habitat for Humanity of Addison County projects, the summer design+build program, several other co-curricular initiatives, as well as architectural internships.

Please Note: Courses taken outside of the department may, by prior approval, be used to satisfy major, joint major, and minor requirements.

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Art History and Museum Studies Track

Required for the Major

The major consists of ten courses encompassing multiple geographical regions and cultural traditions:

  • HARC 0100 (An Introduction to Global Visual Culture)
  • Two courses that focus on arts and cultures pre-1750
  • Two courses that focus on arts and cultures post-1750
  • One 300-level CW Seminar in Art History
  • Two additional courses one of which may focus on art production (Studio Art, Architectural Studies, theatre set or lighting design, Film and Media Culture, or Dance)
  • Senior thesis consisting of HARC 0710 and HARC 0711, the research and writing sequence, to be taken in senior fall and winter terms

Required for the Joint Major

The joint major consists of seven courses encompassing multiple geographical regions and cultural traditions:

A proposed program of study, including educational rationale and specific courses to be taken, must be submitted to the History of Art/Museum Studies chair for approval before registering as a joint major.

  • HARC 0100 (An Introduction to Global Visual Culture)
  • Four Additional Courses, which must include:
    • One course on arts and cultures pre-1750
    • One course on arts and cultures post-1750
    • One 300-level CW Seminar in Art History
  • Senior thesis consisting of HARC 0710 and HARC 0711, the research and writing sequence, to be taken in senior fall and winter terms

Required for the Minor

The minor consists of five courses encompassing multiple geographical regions and cultural traditions:

  • HARC 0100 (An Introduction to Global Visual Culture)
  • Four Additional Courses, which must include:
    • One course on arts and cultures pre-1750
    • One course on arts and cultures post-1750
    • One course at the 300-level or above

Advisory

Most graduate programs in art history and classical archaeology require students to pass reading examinations in at least two foreign languages. For this reason, students interested in graduate study should pursue at least one foreign language during their time at Middlebury. 

Students interested in working in the art world (museums, auction houses, galleries, etc.) may acquire practical experience via internships at the Middlebury College Museum of Art and other museums, as well as by participating in the Museum Assistants Program (MAP) and, during the summer, MuseumWorks at the Middlebury College Museum of Art and the Middlebury Museum Studies program in Oxford, UK.

Please note: Courses taken outside of the department may, by prior approval, be used to satisfy major, joint major, and minor requirements.

Honors

The History of Art and Museum Studies GPA is calculated based on those courses that satisfy the requirements for the major and joint major. Only courses taken at the Middlebury College campus and applied towards History of Art/Museum Studies will be used in the calculation of GPA for purposes of determining honors. Honors are awarded to students with a GPA of 3.5 and a thesis grade of B+ or higher; high honors to students with a GPA of 3.7 and a thesis grade of A- or A; and highest honors to students with a GPA of 3.8 and a thesis grade of A.

HARC 0100 An Introduction to Global Visual Culture (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

This course is an introduction to the visual cultures of the world, with an emphasis on how images, objects, and monuments are made, experienced, exchanged, and used by groups of people with diverse religious, socio-economic, and cultural backgrounds. We will focus on themes that have been taken up by different cultures and adapted over time, such as monumentality, the sacred, embodiment, science, and technology. Through a close study of these themes, we will consider how materials, cultures, and histories are transformed and negotiated through making and viewing works of art. In the process, we will challenge the art historical canon by shedding light on marginalized periods, regions, and artworks. 2 hrs. lect./1 hr. disc. ART, CMP (Fall 2024: E. Vazquez)

HARC 0130 Introduction to Architectural Design (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Are you fascinated by buildings and interested in trying your hand at architectural design? This course will introduce you to principles of architecture and teach you the skills architects use to explore and communicate design ideas. We will consider urban and rural settings, sustainability, energy efficiency, functionality, comfort, and the role architecture plays in shaping community. Classroom instruction by a practicing architect will provide hands-on drawing, model-making, and materials research. Students will work to analyze existing buildings and design their own. Students seeking to improve their understanding of the built environment as well to develop their design-mind to reconcile social-ecological challenges are encouraged to take this course. No prior experience is needed. ART (Fall 2024: B. Allred)

HARC 0201 Italian Renaissance Art: 1350-1550 (Spring 2025)

This course will focus on the art produced in Italy during the late fourteenth through the early sixteenth centuries. In addition to studying the chronological development of painting, sculpture, and architecture, we will consider such issues as artistic training, patronage, domestic life, and the literary achievements of this period of "rebirth." Focusing on urban environments such as Florence, Siena, Padua, Venice, Rome, and Urbino, we will give special attention to the manner in which artistic production was shaped by place. 3 hrs. lect. ART, EUR, HIS

HARC 0204 Approaches to Islamic Art (Fall 2024)

A survey of major expressions of Islamic art from the inception of Islam to the present, from all parts of the Islamic world. This is not a traditional survey; rather, it focuses on key monuments and important examples of portable and decorative arts: mosques, tombs, palaces, manuscript illumination, calligraphy, metalwork, textiles, ceramics, etc. We will consider their meanings and functions in their respective socio-historical contexts, and we will also analyze the impact of patronage and region. We will try to understand what general principles unify the richness and diversity of Islamic art: what is Islamic about Islamic art? Finally, we will address the issue of contemporary Islamic art. (No prerequisites). 3 hrs. lect. AAL, ART, MDE (C. Packert)

HARC 0209 Venice in Renaissance (Fall 2024)

Venetian art was long shaped by its unique setting, distinctive political structure, and a collective identity enforced by its patrician leaders. In this course, we will engage in a close consideration of the socio-political conditions that both reinforced tradition and ultimately made way for a "golden age" in Venetian painting, sculpture, and architecture. Topics will include individual artists, such as Bellini, Giorgione, Titian, and Palladio, as well as artistic training and workshop practice, patronage, and the rise of Venetian humanism. 3 hrs. lect. ART, EUR, HIS (K. Smith Abbott)

HARC 0216 Introduction to Industrial Design (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

3D Printing, CNC machining, and robotic automation have transformed how objects are designed, prototyped, and manufactured. In this course we will learn fundamental 3D solid modeling techniques, iterative design strategies and fundamental additive and subtractive manufacturing techniques. Every class will be hands-on and fully immersed in the high-tech tools of the industrial design process. Students will leave with a strong conceptual understanding of 3D solid modeling, printing, and machining, and an independent final project. 3 hrs. lect/lab. ART (Fall 2024: D. Houghton)

HARC 0219 Understanding Early Medieval and Romanesque Art: Seeing Ste. Foy (Fall 2024)

This course is an introduction to key artworks and architectural monuments made and built in Europe during the eighth through twelfth centuries. We will study such structures as Charlemagne's Palace Chapel and the reliquary statue of Ste. Foy at Conques to explore how these monuments were products of independent cultures that valued the creation of a visual fusion between the Judeo-Christian God and humankind. Likely lines of inquiry include: the persistence of a Classical ideal and its myriad adaptations; the coordination of art objects to specific locations; and, not least, the self-conscious staging of political and ecclesiastical power. 3 hrs lect. ART, EUR, HIS (E. Garrison)

HARC 0230 Modern Architecture (Spring 2025)

Rotating skyscrapers, green roofs, and avant-garde museums: how did we arrive in the architectural world of the early 21st century? In this course we will survey the major stylistic developments, new building types, and new technologies that have shaped European and American architecture since the late 18th century. Students will learn about the work of major architects as well as key architectural theories and debates. Special emphasis will be placed on the cultural and political contexts in which buildings are designed. 2 hrs. Lect./1 hr. disc. ART, HIS

HARC 0231 Architecture and the Environment (Spring 2025)

Architecture has a dynamic relationship with the natural and cultural environments in which it operates. As a cultural phenomenon it impacts the physical landscape and uses natural resources while it also frames human interaction, harbors community, and organizes much of public life. We will investigate those relationships and explore strategies to optimize them, in order to seek out environmentally responsive architectural solutions. Topics to be covered include: analysis of a building's site as both natural and cultural contexts, passive and active energy systems, principles of sustainable construction, and environmental impact. Our lab will allow us to study on site, "off-the-grid" dwellings, hay-bale houses, passive solar constructions and alternative communities, meet with "green" designers, architects, and builders, and do hands-on projects. 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab. ART

HARC 0243 Art and Protest (Spring 2025)

Can art serve as a means for resistance and political change? Can art only call attention to social inequalities or can it initiate systemic change? What is the difference between propaganda and activism? In this course, we will examine these questions through close analysis of works dating from the French Revolution to the contemporary moment. We will consider a range of strategies across diverse geographies. We will also examine curatorial strategies to critique the cultural assumptions of museums and recent efforts to boycott museums’ financial ties and political complicities. This course is held in conjunction with the Middlebury College Museum of Art and students will have the opportunity to work closely with the current exhibition. 3 hrs. lect. ART

HARC 0247 Realism, Impressionism, and Post-Impressionism (1850-1905) (Fall 2024)

In this course, we will examine three prominent artistic movements that evolved in France during the second half of the 19th century. This historical moment witnessed the emergence of a bourgeois industrial society and the rise of Parisian modernity. Looking at artists such as Courbet, Manet, Monet, Cassatt, Cezanne, Van Gogh and Gauguin, we consider how these figures artistically engaged with the rapidly changing urban landscape, new scientific theories of color and optics, and France’s growing colonial empire. In doing so, we will explore the ways in which the race, gender, and class inform social concepts of the time around the artist and the model, labor and leisure, and modernity and primitivism. 3 hrs. lect. ART, EUR, HIS (S. Rogers)

HARC 0251 Court, Castle, and Cathedral: The Gothic World (Spring 2025)

This survey course will consider closely the major architectural monuments of the Gothic period in Western Europe, using them as a point of departure in a larger consideration of the artistic culture of this time. In looking at Gothic art and architecture, the class will ask some of the following questions: How were buildings embedded in the promotion of distinct political programs? How do liturgical considerations determine the shapes of buildings and sites? How can we track the emergence of a non-Christian "other" in art of all media? How can we characterize the visual and intellectual culture of "courtly love"? 3 hrs. lect. ART, EUR, HIS

HARC 0256 Photography in the Middle East (Spring 2025)

In this course we will survey 19th and 20th century photographs of the Middle East. We will consider indigenous studios as well as European and U.S. photographers and artists who traveled to the region and circulated their photographs as visual knowledge of distant cultures, peoples, monuments, landscapes, and experiences. Looking at a range of genres, we will examine how photographs visually construct notions of race, gender, class, religion, and cultural otherness. Students will work with original photographs in the collection at the Middlebury College Museum of Art. 3 hrs. lect. ART, HIS, MDE

HARC 0259 A Global History of Pre-Modern Architecture (Fall 2024)

Since time immemorial, humans have created structures large and small, not only to provide shelter and protection but also to express identity, status, and ideology. In this course we will chronicle the major developments of architecture as a cultural endeavor from its beginnings in the Neolithic in the Near East to the Industrial Revolution in Europe, considered within a global perspective. Attention will be given to formal and structural innovations, often borrowed across cultures and periods. Introductory in nature, the course combines lectures, discussions, and workshops, and is open to all curious students. 3 hrs. lect./disc. ART, HIS (P. Broucke)

HARC 0260 Contemporary Art (1960-Present) (Spring 2025)

In what ways can artworks help us see our world and ourselves anew? How does the art of our time open the present for us to explore and critique, just as it offers glimmers of possible futures? In attempting to answer these questions, in this course we will survey major developments in international art practice from 1960 to the present. Throughout we will consider the diverse formal strategies of contemporary art alongside the radical upheavals of the recent past and present, from the world-wide protests of the 1960s to the global crisis of climate change and the connectivity (and isolation) of the digital world. ART, CMP, HIS

HARC 0268 Arts of Asia (Spring 2025)

This course considers South and East Asian art history from its most ancient origins in India, China, and Japan to the present. This is not a comprehensive survey; rather, it focuses on cross-cultural connections through selected art works, considered individually and in broader contexts. We will chronicle the evolutions of painting, sculpture, architecture, and other media of Asia, focusing especially on painting, sculpture, architecture, and decorative arts. We will pay particular attention to the impact of religious and royal patronage, Buddhism and Hinduism, the Silk Road, Asian aesthetics, and specialized techniques such as ink painting and woodblock printing. Works of art will be studied in terms of style, religious meaning, and social and historical contexts. 3 hrs. lect. AAL, ART, CMP, HIS, NOA

HARC 0269 Introduction to African Art and Architecture (Fall 2024)

In this course, we will explore the rich history of Africa’s art and architecture. Through lectures, readings, videos, museum visits, and discussions, we will examine sites, ritual arts, artistic genres, and contemporary art made for global audiences. Examples include prehistoric Saharan and Kalahari rock paintings; ancient Egyptian, Nubian, Zimbabwean, and Ethiopian architecture; Sahelian mosques; Kongo ritual art; body arts; and El Anatsui’s dazzling bottlecap sculptures. When possible, we will highlight intersections between Africa and Euro-America, proposing that present framings of this history are as much a legacy of the latter as the cultures from whom the art originates. In so doing, we will gain an appreciation for the heritage of African art and its significance to Africa and the world. ART, HIS, SAF (M. Lenius)

HARC 0275 Architectural Design Analysis: Observe, Distill, Create (Spring 2025)

Architectural analysis and precedent studies offer powerful ways of engaging with the built environment and can serve as tools for enhancing or redefining a creative process. Learning to see the world through a “prepared eye” engenders a framework for conceptualizing new architectural forms and expressions. In this hands-on studio, students will learn the fundamentals of formal precedent analysis, deepening their understanding of design principles and strategies, while also exploring more abstract modes of investigation. We will experiment with methods of visualizing information that challenge traditional means of representation and examine how these, in turn, can be used as unique, form-making architectural tools. (HARC 0130 or approval by instructor) 3 hrs. lect. ART

HARC 0276 Introduction to Sustainable Landscape Design (Fall 2024)

What are our outdoor experiences like? How can we design and interact with the world in a safe, inviting, and inclusive way? Sustainable landscapes use an ecosystem approach to design, strengthening the connections between us, our physical place, and the living systems surrounding us. Using our campus landscape as our laboratory, in this studio course we will engage in outdoor explorations, discussions, and readings. We will also conduct projects that explore concepts in landscape design, including site analysis, resource inputs, functional considerations, and design principles for creating sustainable landscapes. Sources to include Planting in a Post Wild World by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West, Landscape Graphics by Grant Reid, and Integrated Landscaping-Following Nature’s Lead by Lauren Chase-Rowell et. al. ART (T. Parsons)

HARC 0301 Ways of Seeing (Fall 2024)

In this course we will focus on the various methods and theories that can enrich and deepen our understanding of art, architecture, and visual culture. Students will hone their analytical skills, both verbal and written, often with recourse to objects from the College Museum and the campus at large. In general, this seminar will develop students’ awareness of objects of culture broadly construed, and sharpen their understanding of the scope and intellectual history of the field. To be taken during the sophomore or junior year as a prerequisite for HARC 0710 and HARC 0711. 3 hrs. sem. ART, CW (E. Vazquez)

HARC 0306 Materiality and Meaning in Medieval Manuscripts (Spring 2025)

Before the invention of the printing press in the middle of the fifteenth century, all books were written by hand, a manual process that informed the term “manuscript.” The most luxurious of medieval manuscripts were illuminated with all manner of images, and these, along with the books themselves, were often understood as embodiments of divine wisdom. In this seminar we will consider medieval manuscripts as artworks and study the history of medieval manuscript illumination. Along the way, we will analyze the functions of various types of texts, learn about the rich relationships between text and image, consider the emergence of silent reading, and study the diverse audiences for medieval books. Over the course of the roughly one thousand years that we will cover in this course, we will see the book change from a mysterious receptacle of sacred wisdom to a commodity created for a mass market. 3 hrs. sem. ART, EUR

HARC 0318 Imperial Splendor: the Art and Architecture of India's Mughal Empire (Spring 2025)

The Mughal empire, founded by a new dynasty of Muslim rulers, claimed control over much of north India in the 16th century. Under their dominance, new forms of art and architecture flourished. In this seminar we will critically explore such topics as: the style and symbolism of Mughal art and architecture; the influence of Persian and Indian Rajput visual forms; the biographies and ambitions of the Mughal rulers; the role of women in the Mughal court; and the interactions between Muslim and Hindu visual cultures, as well as the important contributions made by European art. We will pay special attention to how art and architecture played a central role in imperial self-definition and the construction of a specialized Mughal history, placing those works in their political, social, and cultural contexts. 3 hrs. lect. AAL, ART, HIS, SOA

HARC 0330 Intermediate Architectural Design (Fall 2024)

This studio course emphasizes the thought and method of architectural design. Members of this studio will be involved in developing their insights towards cultural value systems and their expression in the environments they create. Participants work primarily in the studio space and rely heavily on individual instruction and group review of their work. The course provides a foundation for more advanced study in the areas of architecture, landscape architecture, and other fields related to the design of the built environment, and an opportunity to work with the Cameron Visiting Architect. (HARC 0130) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab ART (J. McLeod)

HARC 0338 Gender and the Making of Space (Spring 2025)

In this course we will investigate the complex relationship between gender and architecture, examining how the design of the built environment (buildings, urban spaces, etc.) can reinforce or undermine ideas about the respective roles of women and men in society, from the creation of masculine and feminine spaces to the gendered nature of the architectural profession. By looking at both visual evidence and textual sources we will also uncover how the social construction of gender roles and gendered spaces are, and continue to be, inflected by race, class, and sexuality. Not open to students who have taken FYSE 1407. 3 hrs. sem. ART, CMP, HIS
Cross-listed as: GSFS 0338

HARC 0339 Home: The Why Behind the Way We Live (Fall 2024)

In this course we will examine the development of numerous housing types in America (with references to Europe). The prevalence of the single-family home today and its importance as the symbol of the “American dream” was never a forgone conclusion. In fact, the American home has been the focus of and battleground for cooperative movements, feminism, municipal socialism, benevolent capitalism, and government interventions on a national scale. 3 hrs. sem. AMR, ART, HIS, NOR (E. Sassin)

HARC 0352 The Good, Bad, and Ugly: Gods, Goddesses, and Demons in Indian Art (Fall 2024)

Indian mythology and epic literature abounds with stories of conflicts between the forces of good and evil. There are multiple forms of Hindu gods and goddesses who battle an array of evil and colorful demonic foes, and each cosmic battle embodies a profound philosophical lesson about relative values and complex moral choices. We will explore the meanings and myriad creative expressions of this rich terrain through a lively variety of artistic depictions—in mythological literature, painting, sculpture, drama, dance, television, film, graphic novels, and contemporary arts. (Not open to students who have taken FYSE 1023.) 3 hrs. sem. AAL, ART, SOA (C. Packert)

HARC 0354 The Rhetoric of Public Memory (Spring 2025)

This course focuses on public memory and the various statues, memorials, sites, and spaces that construct public memory in contemporary U.S. society. In this course, we will study local Middlebury and Vermont public memories, Civil War and Confederate memories, and spaces of contention and controversy, while visiting nearby memorials and museums. Students in this class will compose analyses on these public memories and create arguments on the viability of memories in different shapes and forms. Overall, students will leave this class with a stronger understanding of not only public memory rhetoric but the various components that keep these memories alive. 3 hrs. lect. AMR, CW, HIS, SOC
Cross-listed as: WRPR 0354 *

HARC 0356 Awe (Fall 2024)

What is the place of awe in contemporary experience? In our fractious and turbo-charged world, what are the objects and experiences that still have the power to bring us up short, leaving us slack-jawed and spellbound? This seminar will engage these questions in conjunction with the opening of the exhibit, "An Invitation to Awe", at the Middlebury College Museum of Art . Grounding our conversation in early literary and artistic explorations of the sublime, we will also consider awe through the lenses of religion, scientific discovery, creativity, and the natural world. Definitions of awe almost invariably include references to fear, dread, even terror, so readings and class discussions will move well beyond the celebratory and reverential. There are no prerequisites for this course, and students from a wide range of majors and fields of interest are encouraged to enroll. 3 hrs. sem. ART (K. Smith Abbott)

HARC 0357 Orientalism and the Visual Arts (Fall 2024)

In this course we will consider the relationship between visual culture and the politics of knowledge. Comparatively examining a series of cross-cultural encounters in modern and contemporary art, we will ask how knowledge is visually codified, labeled, and displayed. The course will begin with a reading of Edward Said’s Orientalism. We will then examine a series of case studies in order to identify and compare strategies of both “representing the other” and “speaking back.” We will address notions of exoticism, cultural difference, authenticity, and native authority with a particular focus on the ways in which the visual arts construct notions of race and gender and difference in representations of the Middle East, and more specifically, the Arab world. Case studies, drawn from the late eighteenth century until today, will be focused in the discipline of art history and the geographical regions of primarily the Middle East and Africa, as well as Europe and the U.S. 3 hrs sem. ART, CMP, HIS, MDE (S. Rogers)

HARC 0359 Artemisia Gentileschi (Spring 2025)

Who was Artemisia Gentileschi, and why do her personal history and her art continue to provoke such a wide range of scholarly and artistic responses? In this course we will investigate the culture of early seventeenth-century Rome, as well as the artistic training that shaped Artemisia’s style and approach. At the same time, we will vigorously examine the ways in which gender and sexuality conditioned the reception—and distortion—of Artemisia from the start. A consideration of recent scholarship, literature, film, and painting will invite us to critically examine the construction of this singular artist’s identity. 3 hrs. sem. ART, EUR

HARC 0368 The Rise and Fall of Detroit: Urban Histories and Architectural Fragments (Spring 2025)

In this class, we will investigate the rich and complicated built environment of Detroit. By looking at both visual evidence and textual sources we will uncover how the city was transformed from its roots as a trading outpost into an industrial powerhouse and “arsenal of democracy,” and then became synonymous with urban “blight,” racial animus, and ruin tourism. We will orient ourselves to the different neighborhoods of Metro Detroit, diving into the past as we examine the buildings, monuments, and landmarks—both existing and destroyed—that constitute the city. Together, we will create a map of the city, which we will add to and adulterate through the term. This shared work will help serve as the basis for informal discussions and presentations throughout the term. By the conclusion of this course, you will be comfortable “reading” buildings and spaces and will be able to navigate both the physical city of Detroit and the many layers of (contentious) history buried within. An interdisciplinary endeavor, this course draws on writings by architectural historians, landscape historians, art historians, anthropologists, geographers, urban historians, scholars from ethnic studies and cultural studies, among many others. AMR, ART, HIS

HARC 0369 Design, Ornament, and Adornment: Self-Expression and Dissent (Fall 2024)

Considering the 20th and 21st century disparagement of ornament and fetishization of minimalism by Western design practitioners and the art world, why, when, and by whom has ornament been celebrated? In this seminar course we will consider how makeup, clothing, and the curation of domestic space are related to social status, commodity culture, religious practices, and broader design cultures (product design, architecture) over a range of cultures and epochs. What constituted “power dressing” in fifteenth century Peru versus Spain? What does historical makeup application (including the use of poisonous Venetian ceruse!) tell us about social status and morality in Elizabethan England? We will read primary and secondary sources, examine material culture and physical spaces, blend pigments, design product components, and work with Special Collections to curate a physical and virtual exhibition. ART, CMP, HIS (E. Sassin)

HARC 0371 AS/Habitat for Humanity Housing Unit: Research, Planning, and Schematic Design (Fall 2024)

Architectural Studies at Middlebury partners with Habitat for Architectural Studies at Middlebury partners with Habitat for Humanity of Addison County for the design and realization of high-quality, energy-efficient, affordable housing. The objective of this studio is to research, plan, and begin the architectural design for a housing unit with a specific program and location. Students will work primarily in the studio space and rely heavily on internal and external review of their work. The course provides a foundation for more advanced study in architecture, landscape architecture, and other fields related to the design of the built environment, and provides opportunities to work with professionals and Cameron Visiting Architects. This studio will continue into HARC 0372. Students should expect a substantial amount of work outside of class time. (HARC 0130 or by permission) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab.
John McLeod is a current faculty member and a practicing architect./
ART, WTR (S. Ostrow)

HARC 0373 AS/Habitat for Humanity Housing Unit: Construction Documents (Spring 2025)

Architectural Studies at Middlebury partners with Habitat for Humanity of Addison County for the design and realization of high-quality, energy-efficient, and affordable housing. The objective of this interdisciplinary studio course is to finalize and generate the construction documentation for the housing unit design generated in HARC 0371 & HARC 0372. A schedule of deliverables with an accompanying set of deadlines will need to be met to allow for construction to start in spring 2021. The studio components include final architectural and constructional detailing; building code compliance; building permitting finalization; physical and CAD modeling; structural coordination; and construction specifications. Students should expect a substantial amount of work outside of class time. (Approval Required) (formerly INTD 0274)

HARC 0376 /Volver a los 17/: Resistance and Memory in Chilean Art and Literature since 1973 (Spring 2025)

In the climate of fear and violence that characterized Chilean society after the military coup of 1973, many artists continued their work of radical imagination and clear-eyed witness. In this course we will consider the ways that artists in Santiago and beyond responded to the brutality and limited freedoms of dictatorial rule. We will look to painting, performance, and video, as well as folk art, film, and literature in exploring the role of cultural production as both on-the-ground dissent and reparative memory work, taking Chile’s local politics and its grim realities during the 1970s and 80s as ground for a case study in the transformative role that art can play under extreme socio-political circumstances. AMR, ART, HIS

HARC 0377 Design Lab I (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

High quality design succeeds through problem solving and iteration. In this studio course, students first each identify a problem and devise a solution that that uses high-tech equipment like CNC fabrication, robotics, 3D printing, laser cutting, or 2D/3D graphics. They also build a production calendar with at least two design iterations toward a final deliverable. And then they head out on the adventure of project work where they discover the unforeseen surprises, knowledge and experience gaps, and calendar setbacks that define serious design work. The outcome is a final deliverable in metal, wood, plastic, or pixels. ART (Fall 2024) (Fall 2024: D. Houghton)

HARC 0378 Design Lab II (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

In this collaborative follow-up to Design Lab 1, students move beyond their independent practice and work with a project partner (a professor or instructor, a not-for-profit or business collaborator) to identify a real-world problem. Students conduct outreach, research, planning, execution, revision, and final delivery of a solution to the problem defined. Along the way, they practice effective communication with their partner toward the goal of building strong relationships with entities on- and off-campus. ART (Fall 2024) (Fall 2024: D. Houghton)

HARC 0510 Advanced Studies (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Supervised independent work in art history, museum studies, or architectural studies. (Approval Required) (Fall 2024: P. Broucke, S. Rogers, C. Packert, E. Vazquez; Spring 2025: P. Broucke, C. Anderson, S. Rogers, C. Packert, E. Vazquez)

HARC 0530 Independent Architect. Design (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Supervised independent work in architectural analysis and design. (Approval Required) (Fall 2024: S. Ostrow, P. Broucke, J. McLeod, M. Kaplan, B. Allred; Spring 2025: E. Sassin, P. Broucke)

HARC 0540 Supervised Independent Work in Museum Studies (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

This practicum builds upon the Museum Assistants Program (MAP), the hands-on museum education program at the Middlebury College Museum of Art. In MAP, the Curator of Education trains students to conduct tours of the Museum’s permanent collection and of special exhibitions for audiences of peers, school groups, and the general public. Combining service learning with the opportunity to both support and learn more about the arts, students gain expertise in public speaking, art history, and public programming. HARC 0540 should be taken concurrently with the second semester of MAP. The class will culminate with a public presentation on a museum-related topic evaluated by a faculty member of the Department of History of Art & Architecture. (Approval required) (Fall 2024: P. Broucke, C. Packert, E. Vazquez)

HARC 0710 Senior Thesis Research Seminar (Fall 2024)

In this course students will conceive, undertake research, and plan the organization of their senior thesis in art history or senior museum studies projects. Seminar discussions and workshops will focus on research strategies, conventions in art historical writing, project design, and public presentation skills. (HARC 0301; Approval Required) 3 hr. sem. (E. Garrison)

HARC 0731 Thesis in Architectural Studies: Research (Fall 2024)

This studio course constitutes the first part of the two-term senior design project in Architectural Studies. Pre-design research includes precedent study, programming, site analysis, and formulation of a thesis to be investigated through the design process. Preliminary design work begins with conceptual studies, and culminates in a coherent schematic design, to be developed further in Senior Architectural Design, Part II. Students present their work in graphic, oral, and written formats. (HARC 0330 or equivalent) 6 hrs. sem. (M. Kaplan, T. Sweeny)
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Independent Scholar Program

The Independent Scholar Program is designed to meet the needs of outstanding students who have clearly defined educational goals that cannot be fulfilled within the framework of a normal departmental or interdisciplinary major. Independent Scholars plan their own curricular programs with the assistance of a faculty adviser. Independent Scholars cannot propose two majors, but can pursue an independent scholar major and one minor. For the 2024-25 academic year, application materials are due to the Curriculum Committee by Monday, October 7, 2024, for fall review; and Monday, February 17, 2025, for spring review.

Eligibility: For an application to be considered, a student must be in the sophomore year and have a GPA of 3.5 or higher. If approved, students must fulfill all requirements for the degree using their approved Independent Scholar plan as their major course of study. Independent Scholar proposals will be evaluated in light of feasibility, academic disciplinary integrity, and demonstrated ability of the student. A successful proposal must articulate a fully developed program of study, must include a methods course, and must demonstrate compellingly that the student’s academic goals cannot be met through existing majors.

Application process: To be designated an Independent Scholar, a student must undergo a rigorous approval process overseen by the Curriculum Committee. The process begins with an interview with the dean of curriculum. The student must subsequently prepare and submit a well-defined program to the Curriculum Committee, covering a description of the aim of the program, the independent work, and the courses he or she proposes to comprise the major. The proposal must be accompanied by a written endorsement of a faculty member who is willing and qualified to supervise the student, as well as a statement of support from an alternate faculty member. The Curriculum Committee will review all submitted materials, and if warranted, convene a meeting with the candidate and advisers. Final approval rests with the Curriculum Committee. An applicant whose proposal is denied is entitled to meet with the dean of curriculum or the Curriculum Committee.

Oversight: The Curriculum Committee will solicit updates from each Independent Scholar twice a year. Changes to the program must also be submitted to the Curriculum Committee, and the faculty supervisor will cosign all registration materials. The Major Declaration Form and Degree Audit Forms will be signed by both the faculty adviser and dean of curriculum. Students who elect to withdraw from the Independent Scholar Program, or who have their independent scholar status withdrawn, may be allowed, at the discretion of the committee, to graduate in general studies, without a formal major in any department.

Senior work: The INDE 0800 is a culminating experience for this program of study. This project brings together the course work the student has completed and incorporates all aspects of the study into one final project. Students applying to be independent scholars are asked to provide an indication of possible INDE 0800 projects at the time that they submit their proposals. Students are able, however, to change the topic of their INDE 0800 project in order to respond to new interests and information acquired during the course of their study.

The INDE 0800 project is undertaken for one or two terms. Students who wish to be considered for honors must work with a thesis committee. Thesis work most typically follows the procedures for the department most closely related to the project. Others may choose to work with an individual faculty member, usually the student's adviser. The choice of senior project is flexible. For example, with permission from the adviser, a student in the performing arts might want to incorporate a dance performance, musical composition, or some other feature as part of his or her course of study.

Honors: In order to be considered for honors, independent scholars normally must meet two criteria: a minimum average of B+ in courses taken towards the major and a minimum grade of B+ on the senior work component. The Dean of Curriculum oversees the first requirement and will inform the adviser of the student's eligibility. The senior work component must be evaluated by a committee of three faculty members (one of whom, at the adviser's request, may be a faculty member on the Curriculum Committee). Minimum thesis grades for each level of honors are B+ (Honors), A- (High Honors), and A (Highest Honors), but the determination of the appropriate level will be made by the thesis committee.

For more information about this program, contact the Dean of Curriculum.
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Interdepartmental Courses

FOOD 0310 Agroecology (Fall 2024)

In this course students will learn about agroecology as a set of practices, a philosophy, and a social movement. Agroecology takes advantage of natural processes to the greatest extent possible, using biological inputs rather than purchased pesticides and fertilizers. In addition to having major benefits for poor farmers in developing countries, it is attracting increased attention as an alternative to industrialized agriculture in wealthy countries. The course will include field trips to farms, films, and discussion of readings. We will leave between noon and 12:30 for some of the field trips, so don’t register for a class immediately before. 3 hrs. lect./disc. (M. Anderson)

INTD 0103 Persuasive Storytelling: An Oratory Lab (Fall 2024)

Imagine a gymnasium designed to increase, not your physical health, but your fitness as a speaker. The Ancient Greeks called it “progymnasmata,” a progression of fourteen exercises that began with storytelling, advanced through reasoning and ceremonial speechmaking, and only then, in lesson 14, allowed students to argue a thesis. This classical approach aligns with modern brain science: the most essential tool of persuasion is story. Like the progymnasmata, each class session in Persuasive Storytelling will feature a new speaking exercise building on the previous one. We’ll practice the rhetorical arts of pitching, advocating, and interviewing, but our primary focus will be on delivery; how we use the voice and body to captivate an audience and move them to respond. PE (D. Yeaton)

INTD 0109 Posse Scholars Leadership Development (Fall 2024)

This course is designed to promote the intellectual, social, and civic development of first-year Posse scholars, both individually and as a group. Students will attend weekly workshops drawing from the Posse Foundation’s leadership curriculum. Workshops will also draw on the instructor’s areas of expertise and will focus on topics most pertinent to students’ goals and needs. Some workshops will include guest lectures, experiential learning, and student-facilitated discussion. Students will reflect on their learning in bi-weekly meetings with the instructor, as well as in writing. They will also identify initiatives or projects they wish to promote on campus or in the local community, applying what they have learned. (This course is only open to sophomores.) (This is a half credit course.) (A. Das, C. Han, C. Jones)

INTD 0116 Accounting, Budgeting, and the Liberal Arts (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Accounting is the lingua franca of commercial and financial activity, and applies equally to corporations, non-profits, and governments. In this course we will learn the basic concepts and standards underlying the accounting language including: revenue recognition, inventory, long-lived assets, present value, long-term liabilities, and financial statements. We then turn to the application and use of accounting information in forecasting, operating, and measuring an enterprise. These managerial accounting concepts are used to develop budgets and evaluate results. Our understanding of accounting and financial statements is needed to understand how business interrelates with society. The major course project will be developing an Excel financial model; no prior Excel experience required. 3 hrs. lect., 3 hr. lab (not open to students who have taken INTD 0316). (Fall 2024: A. Magri)

INTD 0120 Introduction to Business and Enterprise (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

This course provides students who have little to no background in business with a broad overview of business and enterprise in the economy. Students will learn about types of enterprises and a functional framework for understanding a business, including strategy, finance, production, and marketing. This framework will be used to analyze various businesses and non-profits, exploring the advantages and disadvantages of various structures. The course will give overviews of accounting and entrepreneurship, and explore policy and philosophical debates about the morality of for-profit business and the need for corporate responsibility. 3 hrs. lect. SOC (Fall 2024: A. Biswas)

INTD 0121 Community Connected Learning (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Community-connected learning supports civic knowledge cultivation, skill building, and identity development. In this course students will apply their relevant coursework to place-based contexts by collaborating with community partners independently or in groups to complete a community-connected learning project that will contribute to the public good. Center for Community Engagement (CCE) instructors will meet with students weekly in cohorts to explore the social and other issues raised in their experiences. Final projects may take a variety of forms, such as a portfolio, media production, or paper. Students should contact the course instructor to discuss, confirm and/or receive assistance in identifying a community partner and to begin to define their projects. 3 hrs. lect. (Fall 2024: K. Skor)

INTD 0130 Business Ethics (Spring 2025)

Capitalism and competitive markets are often considered the most efficient system of simultaneously maximizing private wealth and public good. In the real world, however, truly competitive markets do not exist. Imperfect markets have been made to work efficiently while protecting public good through systems of public intervention, i.e., laws and regulations, and voluntary self-restraint by business organizations in response to societal expectations. In this class we will consider the role of ethics in business, with students analyzing the process by which ethical norms and strongly held moral beliefs guide the conduct of economically driven business organizations. Students will reflect on business managers’ responsibility to their owners, i.e., shareholders, other stakeholders, and society-at-large. 3 hrs. lect./dsc

INTD 0140 Social Capital, Social Networks and Trust: In Israel and in the United States (Spring 2025)

This course will introduce students to Social Capital, and the components that go along with it: Social Networks, Trust, and Social Norms. Additionally, we will discuss the role of social capital in various substantive areas including Democracy, Civic Engagement, Community, Education, Economy. Based on academic literature, videos and lectures we will explore various perspectives, manifestations and effects of Social Capital, mainly in Israel and in the US. The ultimate aim is to enable students to understand the theoretical definitions, conceptualizations, and typologies of social capital and its components, and how to relate theory to the real world by learning to use the practical side of it and to develop and use it according to needs of individuals, communities, and organizations. CMP, SOC

INTD 0204 Community Connected Experiential Learning Capstone (Fall 2024)

In this course students who have completed Middlebury-sponsored experiential learning opportunities will reflect on their experiences, identify key learning outcomes, and integrate that learning into their ongoing academic inquiry. They will identify the civic competencies developed through their experience, as well as the ways in which they have strengthened civic identity, cultivated their civic knowledge, and built their civic skills. In a project-based cohort, students will complete a summative public product that illustrates their evidence of learning. (This is a half credit course.) (J. Davis)

INTD 0205 Marketing: Formulation, Methods, and Research (Fall 2024)

Marketing is both a qualitative and a quantitative discipline. It is one of the rare business fields that actively draws upon and integrates the creative and analytical components of the liberal arts tradition. In this course students will be exposed to a broad overview of marketing principles, focusing on the application of marketing theory to for-profit, not-for-profit, and the public sectors. Cause marketing and social marketing techniques will also be discussed to determine their utility in combating social ills and promoting favorable public health behaviors and outcomes. As the implementation of marketing programs is undergoing a massive transformation from conventional to digital media, students will be exposed to digital designing and marketing, which are driven by a sound understanding of consumer segmentation, brand positioning, distinct product benefits, and relevant in-market executions. (INTD 0120) Introductory statistics course recommended. 3 hrs. lect. (A. Biswas)

INTD 0208 Finance, Regulation, and Policy (Fall 2024)

With recent financial scandals and crises, an important question is whether the finance industry should be regulated and should undergo further policy reforms. Many scholars and policy experts contend that the current system is simply not designed to make policy choices on behalf of the public. In this course we will explore current financial innovations (e.g., mutual funds, hedge funds, securitizations, cryptocurrencies, just to name a few) and potential policy options in order to protect “Main Street” from “Wall Street”. Additionally, we will explore the manner in which modern finance has grown out of powerful theories, both mathematical and psychological. 3 hrs. lect. CMP, SOC (G. Nichols, C. Franklin)

INTD 0209 Big Business, Big Data, & Big Obligations (Fall 2024)

In this course we will examine the cultural, economic, ethical, and legal implications of, analytics, big data, and computation. Drawing on various disciplines in the humanities and the social sciences, students will read works relating to the science of data collection, aggregation, and analysis. Students will learn that with opportunities for both financial gain and social good (which big data brings) comes various perils, including privacy violations, disability/gender/racial discrimination, economic disruption, negative environmental spillovers, and political destabilization. AMR, DED, SOC (T. Nguyen)

INTD 0210 Sophomore Seminar in the Liberal Arts (Fall 2024)

The current pandemic, and all the questions it brings to the fore about what we value in a college experience, make this an ideal moment to consider the meaning and purpose of your liberal arts education. At the heart of this exploration will be a question posed by physicist Arthur Zajonc: “How do we find our own authentic way to an undivided life where meaning and purpose are tightly interwoven with intellect and action, where compassion and care are infused with insight and knowledge?” We will examine how, at this pivotal moment of decision making, you can understand your college career as an act of “cultivating humanity” and how you can meaningfully challenge yourself to take ownership of your intellectual and personal development. Through interdisciplinary and multicultural exploration, drawing from education studies and philosophical, religious, and literary texts, we will engage our course questions by way of student-led discussion, written reflection, and personal, experiential learning practices. In this way we will examine how a liberal arts education might foster the cultivation of an ‘undivided’ life, “the good life”, a life well-lived. (The course is open to sophomores and second semester first-year students. Juniors by permission only.) CMP, CW (D. Evans)
Cross-listed as: EDST 0210

INTD 0213 Nonprofit Management & Civil Society (Fall 2024)

Nonprofit and civil society organizations of all types play a crucial and growing role in the economy. According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics, there are more than 1.5 million nonprofit organizations in the United States today. According to the Global Journal, there are more than 10 million nongovernmental organizations worldwide. As the nonprofit sector has grown in scope and size, both domestically and internationally, the boundaries between for-profit, governmental, and charitable organizations have become intertwined. In this course we will learn about the economics, history, governance, law, and structure relating to the nonprofit sector (also known as the Third Sector). (Not open to students who have taken INTD 1233.) SOC (T. Nguyen)

INTD 0217 Introduction to Finance (Fall 2024)

In this introductory survey course we will cover the role of finance in society, the basic workings of the financial system, how funds are allocated within the economy, and how institutions raise money. We will cover a range of topics, including: interest rates and the time value of money; uncertainty and the trade-off between risk and return; security market efficiency; stocks, bonds and optimal capital structure; financing decisions and capital budgeting; sovereign risk; foreign currencies; derivatives markets; and concerns about the role of finance in society. The course will include discussions of current news events in global markets. (INTD 0116 or INTD 0120 or by Instructor approval) 3 hrs. lect., 3 hr. lab (M. Considine)

INTD 0221 Creating New Enterprises To Solve Significant Problems: For-Profit and Social Entrepreneurship (Spring 2025)

In this class students will explore how entrepreneurial innovators solve significant problems by creating new enterprises, and how these new organizations impact our society. In today’s society, entrepreneurship seems ubiquitous. At times, it appears that entrepreneurs can do no wrong. At other times, they are depicted as over-optimistic fools. Such polar characterizations may sell magazines, but they do not capture what entrepreneurship is, which involves a more complex and interesting story— in both for-profit and social entrepreneurship environments. Students will explore entrepreneurship in depth with the goal of penetrating the popular veneer and uncovering the essence of starting and growing new enterprises designed to solve significant societal problems.

INTD 0222 Sustainable Finance (Fall 2024)

In this course we will posit the rationale for Sustainable Finance, which aims to facilitate business propositions and accelerate capital allocation to initiatives that benefit society, the environment, employees, customers, and investors alike. The starting point will be the traditional building blocks of finance. From these foundations, we will assess the impact of Sustainable Finance decisions on different societal crisis points (climate change, health pandemic, social inequality and injustice, financial crisis, etc.) The course will question what the individual can do, in the face of the sustainability crisis, through innovative (finance-driven) initiative. The course offering will be deeply anchored around project based learning principles, exploring innovative finance and sustainable framework solutions away from the singular focus of short-term financial profit maximization. (ECON 0265, INTD 0120, INTD 0217, or by instructor approval) 3 hrs. lect., 3 hrs. lab. DED, SOC (F. Van Gansbeke)

INTD 0224 Town & Gown: A History of Middlebury and Middlebury College (Fall 2024)

This course offers an overview of the history of Middlebury College by focusing on its relationship with its surrounding town. We will follow the history of these relations from Middlebury's 1800 establishment as the "town's College" and through subsequent transformations during the 19th and 20th centuries. Based on academic literature and various primary sources (archival documents, oral histories, visual images and more), we will revisit significant encounters between students, faculty, administrators and townspeople, examining how they impacted the college's and town's development. In the second part of the class, we will work together in the archives on the students' research projects, which we will make accessible to the public. This course is part of the Public Humanities Labs Initiative administered by the Axinn Center for the Humanities./ AMR, HIS (A. Livny)

INTD 0226 Gateway to Community Connected Experiential Learning (Fall 2024)

In this course students who have been selected for Middlebury-sponsored experiential learning opportunities will prepare for their placements. Using reflective tools to connect past coursework to capacities for community engagement, students will identify, understand and consider how to apply civic competencies to their anticipated experiences. Students will explore their identities, identify areas for growth and develop critical areas of inquiry to explore during their experiential learning opportunity. Finally, they will identify plans for integrating their experiential learning into their wider academic journey. This is a half credit course. (K. O'Brien)

INTD 0228 Theories and Fundamentals of Conflict Transformation (Spring 2025)

In this course, we will explore the interdisciplinary field of Conflict Transformation as both a philosophical orientation and a theoretical framework for understanding conflict as part of the human experience. In exploring conflict transformation, we will move beyond examining conflict as something that should be avoided (conflict prevention) or resolved through various formal and informal processes of negotiation (conflict resolution). Instead, this course will examine the ways that conflict is normal in human relationships, an integral part of human experiences, and can act as a catalyst for social transformation. To do so, we will examine conflict at multiple different levels of human experiences such as interpersonal, national, and international using a broader lens to explore the “bigger picture” of the historical, social, and interpersonal causes of conflict. In doing so, we will come to understand conflict as not something that is always destructive but also productive in creating social change on the personal, interpersonal, local, national, and international level. CMP, PHL, SOC

INTD 0229 Introduction to Text as Data (Fall 2024)

Computational tools that identify patterns in language and text increasingly help us understand the world. In this course we will explore several of the most common types of text-as-data analyses, such as collocations, keywords in context, topic modeling, and sentiment analysis. Students will work in teams throughout the semester to apply these tools to understand media coverage of a group or topic of their choice. This course is designed to be accessible to students in the social sciences, humanities, and arts as well as being of interest to computer science, math, and science students. 3 hrs. sem. (E. Bleich)
Cross-listed as: PSCI 0229

INTD 0231 Public Management: Creating Public Value (Spring 2025)

In this course, we will learn how a public administrator/manager is qualitatively different from a manager in the private sector and the nonprofit sector. We will first survey the core foundations, principles, and readings of the field of public administration and public management. Students will then acquire and develop their own public manager’s toolbox which includes an introduction to goal setting and accountability, financial stewardship of public assets, policy system analysis, quantitative policy modeling techniques, and market failures. Students will also engage with International public administration/management readings and examples. Class discussion, case studies, short lectures, individual research projects, and oral presentations will inform students’ learning experiences. (INTD 0120 and PSCI 0104) DED, SOC

INTD 0232 Conflict Transformation: Approaches and Skills (Fall 2024)

This course introduces students to a variety of approaches to conflict transformation (CT), including mediation, restorative practices, intercultural communication, and structured dialogue. The course is organized around three questions: What is conflict, who am I in conflict, and what skills and dispositions can help transform conflict? These skills and dispositions are applicable across many levels, including interpersonal, organizational, community, and global conflicts. Students will learn about the drivers of conflict and then practice CT skills in the course. This course is a complement to INTD 228, which focuses on conflict analysis. While this course can be taken at any time, it can serve as a foundation for students who wish to pursue practicum or research opportunities in other CT programs. (Not open to students who have already taken INTD 1259) SOC (S. Stroup)

INTD 0233 Ethnography of Organizations (Fall 2024)

In this course we will explore how ethnography contributes to the understanding of organizational life and organizational forms. We will explore ethnographic case studies and readings of different types of organizations (e.g., for-profit, not-for-profit, and governmental agencies) from the cultural and artisan, faith-based, sports, healthcare, high tech, prisons/asylums, and finance domain. Students will develop a strong grounding in the theories of ethnography of organizations. Class discussion, short lectures, individual research writing assignments, and oral presentations will inform student learning experience. (INTD 0120 or instructor approval) SOC (T. Nguyen)

INTD 0236 Numbers & Narratives: Human Stories in Business Data (Spring 2025)

In this course we combine the rigor of business analytics with the depth of the liberal arts, unveiling the human tapestry behind the data. We will breathe life into numbers through storytelling, crafting compelling narratives from financial reports, using ethical frameworks to evaluate operational efficiencies, and weaving historical and cultural insights into marketing campaigns. Students will learn how to translate complex data into impactful narratives, how to uncover biases and ethical dilemmas embedded in data, how to infuse empathy and understanding into analytical models and how to bridge the gap between quantitative and qualitative worlds, speaking the language of both data and humanity. No coding or past experience required but you will need access to Microsoft Excel.

INTD 0258 Healthcare in the U.S. (Fall 2024)

At a time when achieving consensus on anything is close to impossible, nearly everyone agrees that our current health care system is broken. In this course we will explore the impediments to reforming health care in the United States, which by a variety of measures wastes approximately 25% of the country’s 3.8 trillion dollars spent annually. The goal in this course is not to argue a certain perspective. Rather, through readings and discussion of original sources, we will explore the complexities of our health care system, evaluate its attributes and failings, compare it with other systems around the world, and wrestle with questions posed by our current trajectory. We will explore how powerful interests—Big Pharma, insurance companies, hospital lobbyists, and physician guilds-- array to maintain the status quo despite clear evidence of alternative paths that would serve the greater good. AMR, SOC (R. Finkelstein)
Cross-listed as: GHLT 0258

INTD 0303 Capitalism & Its Criticisms (Fall 2024)

In this course we will explore the concept of capitalism and how it carries variegated meanings, which spans a wide range of societies and differing relationships between economic, political, and civic institutions within them. Students will have the opportunity to examine various forms and perspectives of capitalism which include contraband capitalism, racial capitalism, gendered capitalism, and scientific capitalism. We will also track how conceptions of capitalism have changed over time and globally. Primary and secondary works from the field of history, law, economics, philosophy, religion, and sociology will be incorporated to carry out the goal of the course which is to provide tools and perspectives that help students engage thoughtfully in these debates and to extend them into application in their own roles as engaged citizen, corporate, nonprofit, public, and entrepreneurial leaders. (INTD 0101 or INTD 0120 or INTD 0130 or instructor approval) CMP, HIS (T. Nguyen)

INTD 0304 Global Challenges and Opportunities (Spring 2025)

In this course we will learn to identify, describe, classify, analyze, solve, and make predictions about the world’s most pressing problems. Using the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework, we will select specific issues and learn to compare and connect across them to establish their interconnectedness and complexity. Students will then conduct independent research, collaborate with classmates across disciplines, and use a variety of approaches to come up with innovative solutions to issues most pressing to them. Lectures, class discussions, in-class group work, and oral presentations will guide students’ learning while self-study reports, group oral presentations and issue papers, individual written reflections, and class participation will be used to gauge student learning. By the end of the course, students will be proficient in collaborative problem assessment and problem solving across a variety of global issues. CMP, SOC
Cross-listed as: IGST 0304

INTD 0322 The Pride & Prejudice of Professions (Spring 2025)

In this course, we will explore how professionals and their unique role of being “experts” of their respective domains have come to be in organizations, industries, and the international political economy. Leveraging readings from economics, law, medicine, sociology, political science, and the humanities (literature, history, and literary and visual arts), we will investigate how and why professionals cooperate, compete, shape norms, standards, and practices. We will analyze both ancient professions, like medicine, divinity, and law, as well as more contemporary ones like finance, science and engineering, political and civic management, and the arts. We will review the history of various professions to understand their expert roles and their unique privileges and concerns in society—while simultaneously taking into consideration centrally relevant topics such as self-governance, professional ethics, and fallout of their misconduct. Class discussion, short lectures, individual research writing assignments, and oral presentations will inform student learning experience. (INTD 0120 or instructor approval) CMP, SOC

INTD 0407 Leadership (Fall 2024)

What is leadership, and what does good leadership require? In this course we will investigate these important questions, focusing on today’s world context. Examples from politics, business, and community organization around the world will guide our inquiry, help us evaluate the quality of leadership affecting us and others, and enable us to assess our own leadership potential. To achieve these course goals, we will analyze real-world examples of good and poor leadership from around the world, compare across leadership cases, and assess leadership examples against theories of leadership in business, political science, history, and psychology. Class discussions, in-class simulations, short lectures, individual research projects, and oral presentations will inform our learning experience while reflection papers, individual research projects, individual oral presentations, and class participation will help gauge student learning. CMP, SOC (N. Horning)
Cross-listed as: IGST 0407 *

INTD 0500 Independent Study (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Fall 2024

Sections A, B, D, E, G, H, I
Independent Study
Approval Required
Section C
Animation Studio
Animation Studio is a real-world production studio in which students collaborate on the key roles in the animation production process. Under the guidance of the studio director and a faculty member, students will contribute to the creation of short films, scientific illustrations, historical recreations, and other projects. All work is done in the studio and students commit to nine hours per week. (Approval Required)
(J. Doran)

Spring 2025

Sections A, B, D, I, F
Independent Study
Approval Required
Section C
Animation Studio
Animation Studio is a real-world production studio in which students collaborate on the key roles in the animation production process. Under the guidance of the studio director and a faculty member, students will contribute to the creation of short films, scientific illustrations, historical recreations, and other projects. All work is done in the studio and students commit to nine hours per week. (Approval Required)
(P. Berenbaum)
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Program in International & Global Studies

General Requirements

A major must specialize in one of the following tracks: African Studies, East Asian Studies, European Studies, Latin American Studies, Middle East and North African Studies, Russian and East European Studies, South Asian Studies, Global Environmental Change, Global Gender and Sexuality Studies, Global Migration and Diaspora Studies or Global Security Studies. IGS majors may not double count any course, including required language courses, towards their regional or thematic specialization.

Regardless of their track, all majors must complete the following: IGST 0101, five regional or thematic courses, three global courses for the regional tracks or three regional courses for the thematic tracks. Students must also study one of the non-English languages taught at Middlebury; study abroad for at least one semester (on a Middlebury Program); complete at least one advanced level language course upon return from abroad; and take a 0400 level IGST senior seminar. With the preapproval of the IGS director, a student may take a thematic global seminar in a department.

Minors

There is no IGS minor. However, IGS majors are strongly encouraged to minor in any department or program that offers a minor and can accommodate them, so long as they do not double-count any course. Students wishing to minor in the department that teaches the IGS language of their focus should discuss their minor with the IGS director.

Specific Requirements

All IGS majors are required to take IGST 0101 and are expected to do so before studying abroad. IGST 0101 is not open to seniors except for those who declared the major as sophomores and spent the fall semester of their junior year abroad. Students who declare their major as a sophomore but have not taken IGST 0101, and plan to study abroad for only one semester must take it in the fall of their junior year prior to going abroad.

Language Study

Students must become proficient in one of the languages that Middlebury College teaches. Individual language departments determine what level of study constitutes proficiency, and students are expected to do advanced work in their target language. All majors must take at least one advanced course in the language of study upon returning from abroad and are encouraged to take more than one. Students who, upon declaring the IGS major, have been determined proficient in one of their region’s languages will continue to take this language at the advanced level and are strongly recommended to take one year or equivalent of another language. The additional language should be chosen in consultation with the advisor.

There are no language requirements for South Asian Studies majors or students who major in a thematic track but study abroad in India: these students must study a language when abroad, but are not expected to achieve language proficiency or complete an advanced language course once they return. Instead, these majors must take one additional regional or global course in their senior year.

Language Study for East Asian Studies

Students who already have native proficiency in Chinese must fulfill the language requirements for Japanese. Students who already have native proficiency in Japanese must fulfill the language requirements for Chinese. The Chairs of the Chinese and Japanese Studies departments or their designees determine what constitutes native proficiency by evaluating students individually through interviews or tests.

Note: for EAS majors whose language is Chinese, the language requirement is: (1) CHNS 0101-CHNS 0202 (strongly encouraged to attend Middlebury Chinese Summer School, or take CHNS 0301/0302); (2) one semester at one of the three Middlebury CV Starr Schools Abroad in China; and (3) one, preferably two, of the following: CHNS 0411, 0412, 0425, 0426, OR 0475 upon return from study abroad in China.

Language Study for Latin American Studies

Students who place into Spanish 0220 or above must take at least two semesters of Portuguese (0210 and above) to fulfill the language requirement. Students who place into Portuguese 0215 or above must take at least two semesters of Spanish (0105 and above) to fulfill the language requirement.

Regional Specialization

IGS majors must take five courses that correspond to their regional track, in at least three departments. See the list of approved courses. At least three regional courses must be taken at Middlebury. For East Asian Studies majors, at least three of the regional courses should be exclusively or primarily on the country that is the focus of language study, and at least one should be on East Asia as a region or the East Asian country that is not the focus of language study.

Thematic Specialization

IGS majors must take five courses that are specific to their track, in at least three departments. At least three thematic courses must be taken on the Middlebury College campus.

Global Courses

Students with regional specializations are required to take three global courses; only one can be at the 0100 level. Global courses are thematic, transregional, and/or comparative. They highlight the connectivity of places and stress the circulation and interaction of peoples, cultures, ideas, and other phenomena beyond state boundaries.

Regional Courses for Thematic Tracks

Students with thematic specialization are required to take three regional courses that correspond to their language of specialization. Except for students who study abroad an entire year, these courses must be taken on the Middlebury College campus.

Study Abroad

Students must study abroad for at least one semester (and preferably two) on a Middlebury-approved study abroad program in their region of focus. Study abroad must be in the language of study at Middlebury. Effective for the class of 2021, students who study abroad for one semester may count up to two credits and those who study abroad for a full year may count up to four credits toward the major. Major credit will be granted, pending approval, upon the student’s return from abroad. For regional courses, approval is granted by the regional director and for global courses by the IGS director. Students should share the syllabi and all written work for all courses they wish to count with the track or program director, respectively.

Advanced Placement

Advanced Placement credit will not count toward the major.

Senior Program

The senior program consists of: (1) a senior IGST seminar at 400-level or with permission of IGS director, a thematic senior seminar in a department  and (2) an upper-level course, preferably two, in the language of emphasis after returning from abroad. The language departments will determine which courses fulfill this requirement, in consultation with the program director. South Asian Studies majors or students who major in the thematic track and studied abroad in India do not take an upper-level language course, but rather, one additional regional or global course.

Honors

Students who seek to graduate with Honors may elect to write a two-term senior honors thesis. Students are eligible to write an honors thesis if they have a 3.5 GPA or better in all courses that count for the major. These include all language courses, all regional courses, all global courses, all courses taken abroad, and all courses with an IGST designation. Thesis grades do not count in the calculation of the GPA for honors. See thesis guidelines.

Honors are awarded to students with a GPA of 3.5 and a thesis grade of B+; high honors to students with a GPA of 3.7 and a thesis grade of A- or A; and highest honors to students with a GPA of 3.8 and a thesis grade of A.

Seniors wishing to pursue a one semester independent research project should register for IGST 0700.

Winter Term Course

Students may count no more than one winter term course taken at Middlebury towards IGS requirements, pending approval of the track director. Students wishing to count a winter term course must provide the track director with a copy of the course syllabus.

African Studies

Language/Culture: Language competency in French or Swahili; satisfactory completion of at least one advanced French course or one independent study in Swahili upon students return from abroad. If French is the language of emphasis, students must study an appropriate indigenous African language to a level of reasonable competence while abroad. The French Department will specify which courses fulfill the French requirement. The African Studies director will specify which courses fulfill the Swahili requirement.

Regional Specialization: See Requirements above.



Study Abroad: See Requirements above.



Senior Program: See Requirements above.

East Asian Studies

Language/Culture: Satisfactory completion of advanced work in either Chinese or Japanese. The Chinese and Japanese departments will specify which courses fulfill this requirement. Students who already have native or near-native proficiency in Japanese must fulfill the language requirements for Chinese, while students who already have native or near-native proficiency in Chinese must fulfill the language requirements for Japanese.

Regional Specialization: See Requirements above.



Study Abroad: See Requirements above.



Senior Program: See Requirements above.

European Studies

Language/Culture: Satisfactory completion of at least one advanced course taught in the language of emphasis (French, German, Italian, or Spanish). Individual departments will specify which courses fulfill these requirements.



Regional Specialization: See Requirements above.



Study Abroad: See Requirements above.



Senior Program: See Requirements above.

Latin American Studies

Language/Culture: Satisfactory completion of advanced work in either Portuguese or Spanish. Students who place into Spanish 0220 or above must take at least two semesters of Portuguese (0115 and above) to fulfill the language requirement. Students who place above Portuguese 0115 must take at least two semesters of Spanish (0104 and above) to fulfill the language requirement.



Regional Specialization: See Requirements above.



Study Abroad: See Requirements above.



Senior Program: See Requirements above.

Middle East and North African Studies

Language/Culture: Successful completion of three years of Arabic or Modern Hebrew (or the equivalent as determined by the Arabic or Hebrew program). Students who choose Modern Hebrew must be willing to pursue language study beyond Middlebury, if the Colleges Hebrew program is unable to offer a full range of advanced courses.

Regional Specialization: See Requirements above.



Study Abroad: See Requirements above.



Senior Program: See Requirements above.

Russian and East European Studies

Language/Culture: Satisfactory completion of at least one advanced course taught in Russian.

Regional Specialization: See Requirements above.



Study Abroad: See Requirements above.



Senior Program: See Requirements above.

South Asian Studies

Language/Culture: Students must pursue a formal course of study of a South Asian language while abroad.

Regional Specialization: See Requirements above.



Study Abroad: See Requirements above.

Senior Program: See Senior Program above. Note: because Middlebury does not currently offer a South Asian language, students are not required to take an additional language course on their return from South Asia; instead, they must take one additional regional or global course.

Global Environmental Change

The planet is facing extraordinary challenges; among them are climate change, loss of biodiversity, environmental degradation, and the unequal distribution of critical resources. Indeed, the environmental challenges that the world now faces have never been more complex, posing greater threat to people around the globe. This track exposes students to the complex relationship between people and their environments at local, national and global scales. It highlights issues of social and environmental (in)justices as experienced cross-culturally, and the ways people have responded to and addressed environmental change.

Language/Culture: See Language Study above. Because issues relating to the environment transcend countries and regions, majors may learn any language taught at Middlebury. Students wishing to study in programs that focus on Global Environmental Issues in an English-speaking country may do so, provided that they also study at least one semester on a Middlebury program in the region corresponding to their language.

Track Requirements: Students must take 5 thematic courses from the list of approved courses. They must take one introductory course, two courses on environmental impact; one course on social (in)Justice and the environment; one course on responses and adaptation to environmental change. No more than one course can focus on the U.S, and not more than one course can be at the 400 level. Some courses are listed in more than one category. Courses cannot double count.

Note: Some courses may have pre-requisites. These courses must be taken in at least three departments/interdisciplinary programs.

Senior Requirements: See Senior Program above.

Global Gender and Sexuality Studies

Concerns pertaining to gender and sexuality, as well as how feminism is articulated around the world, have become central to the interdisciplinary project of international and global studies. The thematic cluster will be comprised of five courses, through which students can gain the knowledge and tools to bring feminist epistemologies to bear on their analyses of international and global issues. Scholars in feminist and queer studies—and in the subfields of postcolonial feminism and transnational queer studies, for example—have centralized the construction of space and place in ways that will be useful to IGS students. The cluster reflects the rigor of feminist and queer analyses of the global and international and is flexible enough to permit choices among students. The core GSFS courses will offer students the theory and methods needed for an engagement with global concerns, while the courses in the breadth requirements will enable an analysis of specific national/transnational courses. Since GSFS is an interdisciplinary program, the track reflects an interdisciplinary approach to questions of gender and sexuality

Language/Culture: See Language Study above. 

Track Requirements: Students must take 5 thematic courses from the list of approved courses. They must take one introductory course (GSFS 0191, 0200, or 0289); Feminist Theory (GSFS 0320); one critical race studies course; and two transnational/national feminism courses, one of which should be taken during the study abroad semester.

Study Abroad:  See Study Abroad above. At least one study abroad course should transfer as a GSFS elective that meets the national/transnational feminism breadth requirement. In the semester prior to studying abroad, the student should consult with the GSFS director to confirm the proposed course would transfer appropriately.

Senior Requirements: See Senior Program above.

Global Migration and Diaspora Studies

Migrations and diasporas have shaped human political, economic and cultural interaction among diverse peoples across the globe for millennia. Migratory flows, whether forced or voluntary, shape the way individuals “imagine” and construct their communities. This thematic track equips students with the knowledge and tools to understand and analyze the multiple influences of migration and diaspora at a global, national and local scales. In addition to theories of migration and issues of rights, students will examine specific case studies that highlight topics such as justice, belonging, and the migrant experience. GMDS offers students powerful insights into diasporas, exiles, refugees and other types of migrations and the international laws and global forces that shape them. The program’s interdisciplinary and comparative perspectives will allow students to understand and participate in the rich debates around the world.

Language/Culture: See Language Study above. 

Track Requirements: Students majoring in IGS/Migration and Diaspora Studies must take 5 thematic courses—in at least three departments across two divisions—from the list of approved courses.

  • One Introductory course
  • Two courses in causes of population shifts
  • One course on race and ethnicity
  • One course the migrant’s experience

Study Abroad: All Global Migration and Diaspora Studies majors must study a foreign language and study abroad in at least one region corresponding to that language. Because issues relating to migration and diaspora transcend countries and regions, majors may learn any language taught at Middlebury. Students wishing to study in programs that focus on Migration Studies in an English-speaking environment may do so, provided that they also study at least one semester in the region corresponding to their language.

Senior Requirements: See Senior Program above.

Global Security Studies

Security concerns are generated by a constellation of economic, political, historical, and environmental forces and are experienced at different scales—from the local to the global, and from the individual to the state. By drawing on courses from various departments, this track exposes students to security issues along three dimensions: global, international, and societal. The track highlights strategic concerns and issues of injustice, as well as the causes of insecurity over time and how it is experienced cross-culturally.

Language/Culture: See Language Study above.

Track Requirements: Students must take 5 thematic courses, in at least three departments and across two divisions. They must take one introductory course, two courses on international security issues, one course on societal security issues, and one course on global security issues. 

Study Abroad:  Security Studies majors must learn a foreign language and study abroad for at least one semester in the region corresponding to that language. Because security issues transcend countries and regions, majors may learn any language taught at Middlebury. Students who wish to study security issues abroad in an English language environment may do so, provided that they also study at least one semester in the region corresponding to their language.

Senior Requirements: See Senior Program above.

IGST 0101 Introduction to International and Global Studies (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

This is the core course of the International and Global Studies major. It is an introduction to key international issues and problems that will likely feature prominently in their courses at Middlebury and study abroad. Issues covered will differ from year to year, but they may include war, globalization, immigration, racism, imperialism, nationalism, world organizations, non-governmental organizations, the European Union, the rise of East Asia, politics and society in Latin America, and anti-Americanism. 3 hrs. lect./disc. CMP (Fall 2024) (Fall 2024: A. Prakash, S. Ramaswamy)

IGST 0144 Foundations of European Studies: Texts, Contexts, and Legacies (Fall 2024)

In this course we will review major texts that serve as a foundation for understanding core aspects of European societies. Covering the period from the Hebrew Bible to Dante’s Inferno, we will read works of religion, literature, philosophy, and politics such as Homer’s Odyssey, Plato’s Republic, Virgil’s Aeneid, the New Testament, Beowulf, an Icelandic Saga, and Marco Polo’s Travels. We will focus on the context in which these texts were written and the legacies they produced for understanding Europe as a region, discussing themes such as friendship, loyalty, family, home, gender roles, slavery, power relations, and the definition of Europe itself. 3 hrs. sem. EUR (E. Bleich)

IGST 0237 The Origins of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

When did the Jewish-Arab conflict begin? This survey course considers several different moments of its birth, such as the 1880s first wave of Zionist immigrants to Palestine, the 1917 Balfour Declaration, the 1948 and 1967 war and the 1964 establishment of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and other landmark moments. Based on secondary literature and primary textual and visual materials, we will engage with these competing periodizations and analyze various Israeli and Palestinian historical narratives they embody, considering broader themes such as the relations between the historian’s identity and the production of historical narratives, and the dynamic between facts, narratives and ideologies. 3 hrs. lect. CMP (Fall 2024), MDE (Fall 2024), SOC (Fall 2024) (Fall 2024: A. Livny)
Cross-listed as: HEBM 0237 *

IGST 0252 Introduction to Latin American Studies (Spring 2025)

This course is an interdisciplinary introduction to Latin America and Latin American studies. It introduces key debates on the region (and its many subregions) that will feature prominently in other courses not only at Middlebury, but also study abroad. By tracing the region’s historical development, we closely examine issues such as colonialism, economics, identity, imperialism, modes of citizenry, and nationalism, as well as explore how class, commerce, culture, ethnicity, gender, politics, race, religion, and sexuality have come to be understood in Latin America and its study. Critical, scholarly, and theoretical readings will supplement primary texts. 3 hrs. Lect./disc AMR, HIS, SOC

IGST 0304 Global Challenges and Opportunities (Spring 2025)

In this course we will learn to identify, describe, classify, analyze, solve, and make predictions about the world’s most pressing problems. Using the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework, we will select specific issues and learn to compare and connect across them to establish their interconnectedness and complexity. Students will then conduct independent research, collaborate with classmates across disciplines, and use a variety of approaches to come up with innovative solutions to issues most pressing to them. Lectures, class discussions, in-class group work, and oral presentations will guide students’ learning while self-study reports, group oral presentations and issue papers, individual written reflections, and class participation will be used to gauge student learning. By the end of the course, students will be proficient in collaborative problem assessment and problem solving across a variety of global issues. CMP, SOC
Cross-listed as: INTD 0304 *

IGST 0407 Leadership (Fall 2024)

What is leadership, and what does good leadership require? In this course we will investigate these important questions, focusing on today’s world context. Examples from politics, business, and community organization around the world will guide our inquiry, help us evaluate the quality of leadership affecting us and others, and enable us to assess our own leadership potential. To achieve these course goals, we will analyze real-world examples of good and poor leadership from around the world, compare across leadership cases, and assess leadership examples against theories of leadership in business, political science, history, and psychology. Class discussions, in-class simulations, short lectures, individual research projects, and oral presentations will inform our learning experience while reflection papers, individual research projects, individual oral presentations, and class participation will help gauge student learning. CMP, SOC (N. Horning)
Cross-listed as: INTD 0407

IGST 0408 What is Neoliberalism? Historical Origins and Global Itinerary (Spring 2025)

Neoliberalism is a word that is often invoked in contemporary discourse but is rarely defined. Nevertheless, this ideological project that has shaped social, economic, political, and cultural life across the world in various and meaningful ways has ideological origins in the wake of imperial collapse in the interwar period. How did this very particular ideological outlook and accompanying suite of policy prescriptions become universalized? What were the original arguments for neoliberal reform and how and why did they change over time? In this course, students will read selections from the work of neoliberalism’s key thinkers and study historical, sociological, and economic accounts of its global spread. CMP, HIS, SOC

IGST 0422 Illicit Econ/GlobalPerspective (Fall 2024)

Guns, Drugs, People: The Illicit Economy in the Global Perspective In this course, we will focus on patterns of illegal activity in the international economy. Students will study phenomena such as illegal trade in arms, animals, and drugs, and the trafficking and smuggling of human beings. The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the systematic analysis of the illicit global economy. Students will be taught to examine the causes of illicit markets, the actors involved (entrepreneurs, consumers, governments), and how markets respond to efforts to combat them. The objective is for students to understand the phenomenon and its drivers, and to translate this understanding into a critical evaluation of current policy approaches. CMP, SOC (N. Chwalisz)
Cross-listed as: PSCI 0422 *

IGST 0452 Ecocriticism and Global Environmental Justice (Fall 2024)

Many global environmental problems—climate change, biodiversity, deforestation, clean water, and transboundary waste movement—are ineffectively managed. In this course we will take a critical look at these failures and ask: do existing norms and attitudes make effective, sustainable environmental management more difficult? In doing so, we will examine institutions and phenomena such as the sovereign nation-state, free market capitalism, and the authority of scientific knowledge. We will ask whether sustainable management is compatible with these institutions and phenomena, or whether they contribute to environmental injustice, racism, political marginalization, and gender and class inequity by studying contemporary and historic examples. 3 hrs. sem. (International Relations and Foreign Policy)/ (K. Fuentes-George)
Cross-listed as: PSCI 0452 *

IGST 0483 The Rise of Asia and US Policy (Spring 2025)

In this course we will study what is arguably the most important strategic development of the 21st century: how the rise of Asia presents security challenges to the region and the United States. Drawing from international relations scholarship, the course will focus on foreign policy challenges and potential responses. These challenges include both traditional security and nontraditional areas such as water and the environment. We will integrate the analysis of these issues in South, East, and Southeast Asia with study of the policy process, in part through simulations and role-playing exercises. 3 hrs. sem. CMP, NOA, SOC
Cross-listed as: PSCI 0483 *

IGST 0500 East Asian Studies Independent Project (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required)

IGST 0501 Latin American Studies Independent Project (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required) (Fall 2024: N. Poppe)

IGST 0502 Middle East Studies Independent Project (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required)

IGST 0503 African Studies Independent Project (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required) (Fall 2024: M. Sheridan, E. Gebarowski-Shafer)

IGST 0504 South Asian Studies Independent Project (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required)

IGST 0505 European Studies Independent Project (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required)

IGST 0506 REES Independent Project (Spring 2025)

(K. Moss)

IGST 0507 Global Security Studies Independent Project (Fall 2024)

(Approval Only) (O. Lewis)

IGST 0508 Global Gender and Sexuality Studies Independent Project (Fall 2024)

(Approval Only) (H. Gupta, M. Baker-Medard)

IGST 0700 Senior Work (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required)

IGST 0701 Russian and East European Studies Senior Thesis (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required)

IGST 0702 European Studies Senior Thesis (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required)

IGST 0703 Latin American Studies Senior Thesis (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required)

IGST 0704 East Asian Studies Senior Thesis (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required)

IGST 0705 African Studies Senior Thesis (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required)

IGST 0706 Middle East Studies Senior Thesis (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required)

IGST 0707 South Asian Studies Senior Thesis (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required)

IGST 0708 Global Security Studies Senior Thesis (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Only)

IGST 0709 Global Migration and Diaspora Studies Senior Thesis (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Only)

IGST 0710 Global Gender and Sexuality Studies Senior Thesis (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Only)

IGST 0711 Global Environmental Change Senior Thesis (Spring 2025)

(Approval Only)
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Program in International Politics and Economics

Courses in Political Science

PSCI 0103, PSCI 0109, PSCI/IPEC 0304 and three electives in comparative politics or international relations. At least one elective should be a 0400-level senior seminar in comparative politics or international relations. See eligible electives. PSCI/IPEC 0304 must be taken at Middlebury College. Majors are encouraged to take IPEC 0240 prior to PSCI/IPEC 0304.

Courses in Economics

ECON 0150 or ECON 0250 (only one will count towards this requirement), ECON 0155 or ECON 0255 (only one will count towards this requirement), ECON 0111, IPEC0240 (formerly ECON 0240) and two electives with an international orientation. One elective should be a 0400-level senior seminar. See eligible electives. Majors must take a minimum of five courses in economics, regardless of credits earned at the secondary level (see the Advanced Placement policy for detailed information); at least four economics courses meeting the major requirements must be taken at Middlebury College, including the 0400-level seminar. Majors should take IPEC 0240 prior to PSCI/IPEC 0304. Majors are strongly encouraged to take ECON 0111 prior to any 400-level seminars.

Language Study

Majors must achieve the language department’s standard of linguistic competence before going abroad or must demonstrate equivalent competence in a language taught at Middlebury College through a language placement exam. Foreign language study while at Middlebury College is strongly encouraged.

Term or Year Abroad

Students are required to study abroad at least one semester (Fall or Spring). Under normal circumstances, this will be completed at one of the Middlebury schools abroad. Majors should complete PSCI 0103, PSCI 0109, ECON 0150 or ECON 0250, ECON 0155 or ECON 0255, and ECON 0111 before studying abroad. Majors are encouraged, but not required, to take IPEC 0240 and PSCI/IPEC 0304 before studying abroad.

Advanced Placement

See the Advanced Placement policy for detailed information. Regardless of any AP credit, student must take a minimum of 5 courses in each discipline.

Winter Term Courses

Winter Term courses count towards the major only if they are listed on the IP&E Courses prior to winter term registration. No more than one Winter Term elective in economics and no more than one Winter Term elective in political science may count toward the major.

Double Majors and Minors

Because of the complex and interdisciplinary nature of the International Politics and Economics major, IP&E students are strongly advised not to pursue an additional major or minor, with the exception of a major or minor in their language of focus for IP&E. In addition, IP&E majors may not minor in either economics or political science.

Declaring a Major

To declare a major, students need to fill out both a major declaration form and an advising wizard form. Discuss your plan for completing the major (outlined on the advising wizard form) with your advisor who can be from either the political science or economics department. Have both your advisor and the Director of International Politics and Economics sign the major declaration form and turn in to the program coordinator and Registrar’s Office.

First Semester Senior Year

Early in the first semester of your senior year, complete the IP&E advising wizard form and email to the IP&E Director and Coordinator. When doing this, verify all information using the degree progress worksheet in BannerWeb, including the study abroad requirement, study abroad transfer credits and any AP/IB credits.

Honors

In addition to their 12 required courses, qualifying students can choose to write a senior thesis. To launch a thesis project, students must obtain a thesis advisor in both political science and economics, and submit to their advisors a thesis prospectus for formal approval. To identify suitable thesis topics, it is highly recommended that IP&E thesis candidates begin consulting with potential advisors during their junior year. For details, deadlines, and a timetable, see the Honors Thesis page.

Honors Thesis Requirements

The determination of honors, high honors, and highest honors is based on the following:

  • The level of the grade achieved on the thesis.
  • The level of the average grade received in all Middlebury College courses that count toward the IP&E major.

Honors candidates must have the following:

  • An IP&E course average of 3.3 and a thesis grade of B+ to attain honors.
  • An IP&E course average of at least 3.5 and a thesis grade of A- to attain high honors.
  • An IP&E course average of at least 3.7 and a thesis grade of A to attain highest honors.

Note: Thesis grades do not count in the calculation of the GPA for honors, and a thesis cannot be pursued as a fifth course during any term.

IPEC 0240 International Economics: Theory and Policy (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

This course provides an overview of international trade and finance. We will use economic theory to help us understand how and why countries interact in the global economy and evaluate the effects of different trade, exchange rate, and macroeconomic policies. Topics covered will include the reasons for trade, the winners and losers from trade, trade policies, trade agreements, exchange rates, the balance of payments, causes of and solutions to financial crises, and the role of the WTO and IMF. IPEC 0240 does not count towards the ECON major or minor requirements. (ECON 0150 and ECON 0155) (formerly ECON 0240) 3 hrs. lect. (Fall 2024: O. Porteous)

IPEC 0304 International Political Economy (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

This course examines the politics of global economic relations, focusing principally on the advanced industrial states. How do governments and firms deal with the forces of globalization and interdependence? And what are the causes and consequences of their actions for the international system in turn? The course exposes students to both classic and contemporary thinking on free trade and protectionism, exchange rates and monetary systems, foreign direct investment and capital movements, regional integration, and the role of international institutions like the WTO. Readings will be drawn mainly from political science, as well as law and economics. 3 hrs. lect./disc. SOC (Fall 2024) (Fall 2024: G. Winslett)
Cross-listed as: PSCI 0304 *

IPEC 0500 Independent Project (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required)

IPEC 0700 Senior Thesis (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required) (Fall 2024: P. Sommers, G. Winslett, A. Verghese, T. Byker, S. Gumuscu, A. Gregg, O. Porteous, O. Lewis, W. Pyle, J. Maluccio, S. Stroup, K. Sargent, M. Williams, A. Yuen, E. Wolcott; Spring 2025: O. Lewis, A. Rao)
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Department of Italian

During the academic year our program emphasizes the study of literature and culture in the context of language acquisition. The other integral components of Italian at Middlebury are the Italian School (summer on the Middlebury College campus or at our satellite campus at Mills College, in Oakland, California), and the C. V. Starr-Middlebury College School in Italy (junior year or semester), where students can take courses in our beautiful Sede in Florence, or can direct-enroll in our programs at the University of Firenze, the University of Ferrara, or the University of Rome, La Sapienza. These rich programs encourage students to deepen and broaden their study of Italian literature, cinema, history, art history, political science, and many other disciplines. During the academic year in Middlebury, all four levels of courses in Italian are available every semester, and—for qualified students—faculty members are also available to direct independent research projects (ITAL 0550).

Major in Italian

For a full or double major in Italian, students must complete nine credits beyond ITAL 0103, including independent senior work (ITAL 0755). Please note: ITAL 0101, 0102, and 0103 do not count for the major. The standard curriculum includes: two courses at the 200-level (0251 and 0252); three credits abroad plus one course at the 300-level at Middlebury (or four courses at the 300-level); two courses at the 400-level (but only one for students who spend a whole year in Italy); ITAL 0755 (your capstone course, can be a research project such an essay, or a creative work such as a Podcast or a video). Majors are normally expected to study at least one semester at one of the three sites of the C.V. Starr-Middlebury College School in Italy: Florence, Ferrara or Rome. No more than three credits per semester from Study Abroad in Italy are applicable to the major. Upon return from Italy, students normally take an Italian course each semester.  A student can complete major requirements at all levels with courses taken at the Middlebury Summer Italian School. One credit towards the Major can be fulfilled by successfully taking a course in English with an approved section in Italian (History of the Italian Language; Italian Cinema; Italy Through Sicily).

Joint Major in Italian

For the joint major in Italian, students must complete seven credits beginning with ITAL 0251, including one course at the 0400 level. Students must also complete a joint project credited in either of the two disciplines, as well as fulfill the requirements in the second discipline. Students are normally expected to complete one semester at either the C.V. Starr-Middlebury College School in Florence, the University of Firenze, the University of Ferrara, or the University of Rome, La Sapienza. No more than three credits per semester from coursework in Italy are applicable to the Italian part of the major.

International and Global Studies Major with Italian

(European Studies Track)

Along with other required courses and senior work as described in the International and Global Studies major section, the Italian language component of an International and Global Studies major requires completion of the following: 1) Italian courses required for study in Italy (see below); 2) one semester, and preferably a full year, at the C.V. Starr-Middlebury College School in Florence, the University of Ferrara, or the University of Rome; 3) at least one 0400-level course in Italian upon return from Italy. Regional specialization requirements for the International and Global Studies major may include ITAL 0290-level courses (in English) as well as 0300-level courses taught at Middlebury or in Italy.

Minor in Italian

The Italian minor consists of six courses: ITAL 0251, ITAL 0252 (or two courses counted from ITAL 3251-3252-3253 in the Italian Summer School) and four courses at the 0300-level or higher. Students entering the program with a standing beyond the ITAL 0252-level are required to take at least one 0400-level course as part of the Italian minor. All courses at the 0300-level can be completed during the academic year at Middlebury, at the Italian School, or at one of the affiliated Middlebury programs in Italy (Florence, Ferrara, or Rome).

Senior Work

Students who major in Italian are required to complete a senior project (ITAL 0755).

Honors

To earn departmental honors, high honors*, or highest honors** a student must have at least a 3.6, 3.7*, or 3.8** average or above in Italian courses other than the senior project, have a project defense, and receive a grade of at least B+, A-*, or A** on the thesis (ITAL 0755).

Fulfilling The Middlebury College Writing Requirement

All Italian majors, joint majors, minors, and International and Global Studies majors with literature and culture focus in Italian are strongly encouraged to fulfill their college writing requirement by enrolling in CMLT 0101 Introduction to World Literature.

Requirements for Junior Year/Semester Abroad

The Italian language proficiency requirements for participation in study abroad in Italy can be completed with any combination of courses at the Middlebury campus (summer or academic year) that culminates with the successful completion of ITAL 0252 during the academic year or ITAL 3253 at the Summer School. Students must also have an overall academic average of at least B-, an average of B in Italian (or additional course work), and be enrolled in an Italian course the semester before departure. Because of the demanding and intensive nature of our programs in Middlebury, and because of the difficulty of finding equivalent programs in the United States or in Italy, we do not accept alternative programs for the fulfillment of study abroad requirements.

C.V. Starr-Middlebury School in Italy-Florence

Students may study for a semester or for a full year in Italy. Fall and spring term students enroll for language, literature, and civilization courses in September and January. For examples of recent courses, please refer to the course database: http://www.middlebury.edu/international/sa/cid.  Students studying in Florence are also expected to enroll in at least two elective courses at the Università degli Studi di Firenze. Subject areas generally offered there include archeology, philology, Italian literature, linguistics, international relations, political science, comparative politics, sociology, history, art history, and history of economics.

C.V. Starr-Middlebury School in Italy-Ferrara/Rome

Students who apply to the programs at the University of Ferrara or the University of Rome must contact the department chair to discuss their plans. Important: All students studying at the University of Ferrara or the University of Rome must take a literature course, in consultation with the department chair. Subject areas often offered include Italian literature, comparative literature, history, linguistics, philosophy, geography, art history, architecture, theater history, sociology, and international economics as well as other disciplines.

ITAL 0101 Beginning Italian (Fall 2024)

This course is an introduction to the Italian language that provides a foundation in both spoken and written Italian. Focus on the spoken language encourages rapid mastery of the basic structures and vocabulary of contemporary Italian. The exclusive use of Italian in dialogue situations and vocabulary building encourages the student to develop skills in a personalized context. Conversation and drill are stimulated and fostered through active reference to popular Italian music, authentic props, and slides of Italian everyday life and culture. Students are required to participate in the Italian table. 6 hrs. disc./perf.; 2 hrs. screen LNG (P. Zupan, I. Brancoli Busdraghi, S. Mula)

ITAL 0103 Beginning Italian III (Spring 2025)

This course emphasizes increased control and proficiency in the language through audiovisual, conversational, and drill methods. Italian life and culture continue to be revealed through the use of realia. Short reading selections on contemporary Italy and discussions enlarge the student's view of Italian life and culture. Students continue to participate in the Italian table. (ITAL 0102 or equivalent) 6 hrs. disc./perf.; 2 hrs. screen. LNG

ITAL 0123 Accelerated Beginning Italian (Spring 2025)

This course is an intensive introduction to the Italian language that condenses the material normally covered in ITAL 0101, 0102 and 0103. We will focus on the spoken language and encourage rapid mastery of the basic structures and vocabulary. Conversation and drill will be stimulated and fostered through active reference to popular Italian culture, film, and music. We will meet 5 times a week including two 75-minutes meetings and an additional drill session. After completing this course students will be fully prepared for second-year Italian. 6 hr. lect./disc./1.5 hr. drill LNG

ITAL 0251 An Introduction to Contemporary Italy (Fall 2024)

Intended for students at the intermediate level, this course will afford the opportunity to expand conversation, writing, and reading skills while consolidating knowledge of the more difficult points of grammar. The contextual focus of the course is contemporary Italian culture, including contemporary history and politics, the economy, the division between North and South, immigration from developing countries, environmental issues, and popular music, among others. Italian films, music, and articles from newspapers and news magazines will enhance and complete the learning experience. (ITAL 0103, ITAL 0123, waiver, or equivalent) 3 hrs. lect. EUR, LNG, SOC (I. Brancoli Busdraghi, T. Van Order)

ITAL 0252 Italian Culture II: From the Sixties to the Present Day (Spring 2025)

To deepen the historical knowledge gained in ITAL 0251, we will discuss and analyze modern and contemporary Italian literature of various genres, as well as essays, art, and film. In the context of reading, critical viewing, textual analysis, and discussion, we will continue to develop both historical and linguistic competence. Discussion and the writing process, along with selected exercises, will continue to refine grammatical competence. (ITAL 0251) 3 hrs. lect./disc. LIT, LNG

ITAL 0299 Literary Feasts: Representations of Food in Modern Narrative (in English) (Spring 2025)

This course will consider food and eating practices within specific cultural and historical contexts. We will analyze realistic, symbolic, religious, erotic, and political functions surrounding the preparation and consumption of food. Readings will be drawn from several national traditions, with a focus on Europe. Authors will include, among others, I. Dinesen, L. Esquivel, J. Harris, E. Hemingway, T. Lampedusa, P. Levi, C. Petrini, M. Pollan, E. Vittorini, and B. Yoshimoto. Viewing of several films where food and eating play an important role will supplement class discussion. EUR, LIT
Cross-listed as: FOOD 0299

ITAL 0301 The Power of Words: Debating Global Issues in Italian (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

In this course we will use the pedagogy of debate to develop advanced competency in Italian but also to work on skills that can be applied beyond the classroom, like public speaking, engaged listening, productive dissent, and teamwork. We will study in depth opposite sides of controversial, globally relevant issues, such as: environment vs. economy; immigration vs. national security; cultural preservation vs. diversity; technology/social media vs. privacy; Humanities vs. STEM. Through a variety of preparatory activities, scaffolding exercises, and contextualized vocabulary we will work toward writing about, discussing, and finally debating the issues considered in each module. (One 300 level course or by approval) 3 hrs. lect./disc., EUR, LNG (Fall 2024: S. Carletti)
Cross-listed as: ITAL 0401 *

ITAL 0354 Italian Identities: Gender, Race, Culture (Spring 2025)

What does it mean to be "Italian"? In this course we will analyze Italian identities by reading and listening to a variety of sources and authors, and discuss the role that concepts such as gender, race, nation, culture, value/s, diversity, otherness, and intersectionality play. While learning about contemporary Italy, we will work on our linguistic, critical, and analytical skills. Special emphasis will be placed on both Academic and Public Writing, and we will rely on rewriting, editing, and peer reviewing. (ITAL0252 or by permission, taught in Italian) 3hrs. lect./disc. CW, EUR
Cross-listed as: ITAL 0454

ITAL 0401 The Power of Words: Debating Global Issues in Italian (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

In this course we will use the pedagogy of debate to develop advanced competency in Italian but also to work on skills that can be applied beyond the classroom, like public speaking, engaged listening, productive dissent, and teamwork. We will study in depth opposite sides of controversial, globally relevant issues, such as: environment vs. economy; immigration vs. national security; cultural preservation vs. diversity; technology/social media vs. privacy; Humanities vs. STEM. Through a variety of preparatory activities, scaffolding exercises, and contextualized vocabulary we will work toward writing about, discussing, and finally debating the issues considered in each module. (One 300 level course or by approval) 3 hrs. lect./disc., EUR, LNG (Fall 2024: S. Carletti)
Cross-listed as: ITAL 0301

ITAL 0454 Italian Identities: Gender, Race, Culture (Spring 2025)

What does it mean to be "Italian"? In this course we will analyze Italian identities by reading and listening to a variety of sources and authors, and discuss the role that concepts such as gender, race, nation, culture, value/s, diversity, otherness, and intersectionality play. While learning about contemporary Italy, we will work on our linguistic, critical, and analytical skills. Special emphasis will be placed on both Academic and Public Writing, and we will rely on rewriting, editing, and peer reviewing. (ITAL0252 or by permission, taught in Italian) 3hrs. lect./disc. CW, EUR
Cross-listed as: ITAL 0354 *

ITAL 0550 Independent Study (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Italian faculty as a group will consider and approve requests by qualified juniors and seniors to engage in independent work. Students must submit a prospectus that includes a bibliography of no less than five sources. Interested students should contact members of the Italian faculty before the end of the preceding term to discuss their project and to see if they are available to direct the Independent Study. Students must submit a prospectus with the department chair by the end of the first week of classesfor fall and spring term approvals, by the end the last week of fall semesterfor winter term approvals. Prior to submission, sufficient advance consultation with project directors is required.Junior students are strongly encouraged to consider independent study as preparation for senior honors thesis work. (Fall 2024: S. Carletti, S. Mula, T. Van Order, I. Brancoli Busdraghi; Spring 2025: S. Carletti, P. Zupan, S. Mula, T. Van Order, I. Brancoli Busdraghi)

ITAL 0755 Senior Honors (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Students majoring in Italian must complete an independent senior project. Italian faculty as a group will consider and approve the proposals, which should be submitted before the last week of the preceding semester. The senior project will be advised by one member of the Italian department, but will be presented to the whole department. Italian honors will be awarded to eligible students depending on the final grade. (Staff)
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Department of Japanese Studies

Required for the Major

The major requires students to achieve proficiency in Japanese language and culture. In addition, students must study in Japan for at least one semester and complete a 0400-level seminar in the Japanese Studies department.

Proficiency in Japanese Language

Proficiency in Japanese language requires four years of study (completion of JAPN 0402) or equivalent with at least 4 semesters of language at Middlebury in cases of advanced placement. To meet the language proficiency requirement, students are strongly encouraged to begin the study of Japanese in their first academic year. Students who begin study of Japanese in the sophomore year must attend the summer Middlebury School of Japanese or achieve completion of the equivalent of JAPN0202 before study abroad in Japan.

Proficiency in Culture

Proficiency in culture requires a total of five elective content courses. At least three of the content courses must come from those offered by the department, while two may come from courses taken during study abroad or courses with a focus on Japan taught in other departments at the College (History, Religion, History of Art, etc.) and cross-listed in Japanese Studies. Departmental courses fulfilling the elective content course requirement include all courses below the 0400-level taught by the department in English.  At least two elective content courses must be taken before approval for study in Japan.  (One of the two courses may be one of the Japan-focused content courses cross-listed in the department.)

Studying in Japan

Studying in Japan for one semester (Fall or Spring) is required, but studying in Japan for the full junior year is strongly encouraged. Elective content courses taken in Japan may count toward the major as determined by the department on a case-by-case basis.  

Senior Seminar

Seniors are required to take at least one seminar in the Japanese Studies department at the 0400 level.

Honors

Successful completion of a 0400-level seminar and JAPN 0700 Senior Thesis with a grade of B+ or above are required for graduation with departmental honors. Departmental honors will be awarded according to the grade point average of courses taken in the department, in the summer Middlebury Japanese School, and in Japan. A grade point average of 3.3 in these courses is required for graduation with honors. A grade point average of 3.75 and a grade of A on the thesis are required for High Honors.

Required for the Minor

Courses required for the minor in Japanese are completion of language courses to the level of JAPN 0202, or the equivalent, or at least four terms of Japanese in case of advanced placement, and two additional courses offered by the Japanese Studies department in culture, literature, linguistics, or film.

JAPN 0101 First-Year Japanese (Fall 2024)

This course is an introduction to the modern Japanese language aimed at acquisition of the four basic skills speaking, listening comprehension, reading, and writing. The emphasis is on thorough mastery of the basic structures of Japanese through intensive oral-aural practice and extensive use of audiovisual materials. The two kana syllabaries and kanji (characters) will be introduced toward the goals of developing reading skills and reinforcing grammar and vocabulary acquisition. 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. drill LNG (O. Milutin)

JAPN 0103 First-Year Japanese (Spring 2025)

This course is a continuation of the fall and winter terms with the introduction of more advanced grammatical structures, vocabulary, and characters. The continuing emphasis of the beginning Japanese course will be upon acquisition of well-balanced language skills based on an understanding of the actual use of the language in the Japanese sociocultural context. (JAPN 0101, JAPN 0102) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. drill LNG

JAPN 0201 Second-Year Japanese (Fall 2024)

The goals of the intermediate course are to develop the ability to understand conversational Japanese at natural speed, to express oneself accurately and smoothly in various situations, to read nontechnical materials at reasonable speed with the use of the dictionary, and to express oneself in writing with relative ease. Understanding of Japanese culture will be broadened and deepened through mastery of the course materials. (JAPN 0103 or equivalent) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. drill LNG (K. Davis)

JAPN 0202 Second-Year Japanese (Spring 2025)

This course is a continuation of JAPN 0201. (JAPN 0201 or equivalent) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. drill LNG

JAPN 0210 Introduction to Japanese Linguistics (in English) (Spring 2025)

This course will provide an introduction to linguistics theories as applied to the study of Japanese. Through the exploration of a language that is very different from Indo-European languages, students will gain a better understanding of how human languages work and are structured. The relationship of language to culture will be a central theme in the course. Topics covered will include key concepts in linguistics, Japanese linguistics, culture, and pedagogy. This course will be taught in English; no Japanese language or linguistics knowledge required. 3 hrs. lect./disc. NOA
Cross-listed as: LNGT 0210 PSCI 0210 *

JAPN 0214 Modern and Contemporary Japanese Women Writers (Spring 2025)

A thousand years ago, women writers dominated the Japanese literary world. Then, for centuries, their skill was discounted, their works overlooked, and their voices silenced. Starting with the nineteenth century, however, Japanese women writers started to reclaim their grandmothers’ heritage. They took the male-dominated literary world by assault, pushing boundaries, drawing on their literary legacy and reinventing it, resisting the label of “women’s literature” so often pejoratively attached to their works. In this course we will explore these figures of resistance and their multilayered works in the context of the changing socio-political conditions that shaped women’s positions in Japanese society. 3 hrs. lect. AAL, LIT, NOA
Cross-listed as: GSFS 0214

JAPN 0221 Sex and Death in Classical Japanese Culture (Fall 2024)

In this course we will examine the topics of sex and death in classical Japanese literature and culture, starting with the earliest creation myths of the 8th century, continuing with the masterpieces of the Heian period (794-1185), and culminating with the vibrant culture of the Edo period (1600-1868). We will explore a variety of genres, including poetry, courtly romances and warrior tales, noh and jōruri drama, short stories and novellas, emaki painted scrolls, and early modern woodblock prints, focusing on the ways in which sex and death come to be addressed and represented in classical Japanese culture. 3 hrs. lect. AAL, LIT, NOA (O. Milutin)

JAPN 0231 Emotion in Japanese (Spring 2025)

Emotion in Japanese, Spoken and Unspoken (taught in English)
How do our emotions surface in speech and text? To what extent are they explicit or implicit? How do linguistic and cultural differences affect how we express our feelings? In this course, we will examine various forms of sentiments in Japanese and beyond through the lens of cognitive linguistics, the scientific study of language and mind. Students will be able to analyze the language of visual, auditory and gustatory experiences depicted in various genres, including haiku, popular songs, food magazines, manga and online communication. We will be reading classical and contemporary articles on sound symbolism, emotion nouns and adjectives, metaphor, and recent stylistic changes, among other topics. Class meetings consist of lectures and in-class discussions in English.
CW, NOA, SOC
Cross-listed as: LNGT 0231

JAPN 0232 Narrating Okinawa inLiterature (Fall 2024)

Identity, Memory, and the Image of Home in Modern Okinawa Literature (taught in English)
In this course we will investigate the validity of Okinawan literature as a genre, its relation to Japanese literature, as well as the relevance of colonialism/postcolonialism as a methodology for approaching Okinawan literature. Through reading modern Okinawan literary works and critical texts, we will explore a variety of themes, including identity, national community, war narrative/memory, and the concept of home. The course requires that students engage in close reading and analysis of literary fiction and criticism. By the end of the course, students will have acquired knowledge of Okinawan literature, its history, and society, as well as the skill of critical literary analysis. Taught in English.
LIT, NOA (X. Wang)

JAPN 0239 History of Postwar Japan, 1945-2000 (Fall 2024)

In this course we will study the important developments in the postwar history of Japan, including: the Allied Occupation, Japan’s place in the Cold War order, high economic growth, radical politics in the 1960s, the 1980s “bubble economy” and the “lost decade” of the 1990s. As we study these different periods, we will also reflect on the contested meaning of “postwar” (sengo) as it transformed over time. Historiographical texts and lectures will highlight the organizing themes for each week, while primary and cultural sources will provide topics for weekly discussion and paper assignments. Lecture, 2.5 hours HIS, NOA (M. Ward)
Cross-listed as: HIST 0239 *

JAPN 0301 Third-Year Japanese (Fall 2024)

This advanced course aims to increase the student's proficiency in modern standard Japanese, both spoken and written. A variety of written and audiovisual materials will be used to consolidate and expand mastery of more advanced grammatical points and vocabulary. Oral presentation, discussion, and composition in Japanese are also important components of the course. (JAPN 0202 or equivalent) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. drill LNG (X. Wang)

JAPN 0302 Third-Year Japanese (Spring 2025)

This course is a continuation of JAPN 0301. (JAPN 0301 or placement exam) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. drill LNG

JAPN 0310 Variation and Change in Japanese (In English) (Fall 2024)

What can linguistic change tell us about human cognition and behavior? How does the notion of “politeness” vary across communities? How do speakers of Japanese perform gender and other social identities? In this course we will address linguistic diversity and dynamism by examining the Japanese language. Topics include workplace discourse and change in honorific systems. Employing classic works in linguistics and addressing contemporary cultural materials such as manga and J-drama we will apply theoretical frameworks from (socio-)pragmatics, historical linguistics and linguistic typology to gain a deeper understanding of how and why Japanese has developed to its present forms and uses. Students with an interest in linguistics, or in teaching and learning language, or science in general, may also enjoy the analytical approach. (No prerequisites. JAPN0103 above or equivalent recommended). Heritage speakers are also welcome. 3 hrs. sem. CW (5 seats), NOA, SOC (S. Abe)
Cross-listed as: LNGT 0310

JAPN 0401 Advanced Japanese (Fall 2024)

In this course we will read, analyze, and discuss advanced Japanese materials from a variety of modern and contemporary sources. (JAPN 0302 or equivalent) 3 hrs. lect./disc. LNG (S. Abe)

JAPN 0402 Advanced Japanese (Spring 2025)

This course is a continuation of JAPN 0401. (JAPN 0401) 3 hrs. lect./disc. LNG

JAPN 0475 Advanced Reading in Japanese Studies (Fall 2024)

In this course students will read original materials in a variety of disciplines and develop skills to analyze and discuss them in Japanese. Advanced listening practice, oral presentation and academic writing will also be emphasized. (Approval only) 3 hrs. disc. (K. Davis)

JAPN 0500 Independent Project (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Qualified students may be permitted to undertake a special project in reading and research under the direction of a member of the department. Students should seek an advisor and submit a proposal to the department well in advance of registration for the term in which the work is to be undertaken.

JAPN 0700 Honors Thesis (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Students write a thesis in English with a synopsis in Japanese on literature, film, or culture. The topic for the thesis is chosen in consultation with the instructor. (JAPN 0475)
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Jewish Studies Minor

Requirements for the Minor

This program offers a minor in Jewish Studies to students who complete the following requirements:

One of the following courses that offer a broad introduction to Jewish Studies:

  • RELI/JWST 0160 The Jewish Tradition
  • RELI/JWST 0261 Jewish Thought: Modern Era
  • HIST/JWST 0201 Modern American Jewish History

Four additional courses pertinent to Jewish Studies, one of which must be a seminar (300 or 400-level), from among the following:

  • ENAM/LITS 1022 Kafka and his Influence
  • HEBM 0254 Rite/Ritual: Israel & Society
  • HEBM 0258 Israeli Society Through Film
  • HIST/JWST 0250 The Jews in Modern Europe
  • HIST/JWST 0257 The Holocaust
  • RELI/JWST 1043 Prophets and Politics
  • RELI/JWST 0297 Middle East Political Religion
  • RELI/ENAM 0180 Biblical Literature
  • RELI/JWST 0280 Hebrew Bible / Old Testament
  • RELI 0332 The Ten Commandments
  • RELI 0356 Islam and Judaism
  • RELI/JWST 0360 Seminar in Jewish Thought
  • RELI/JWST 0362 Religion and Nationalism - Israel and Palestine
  • RELI/JWST 0380 Seminar in Biblical Studies
  • RELI/JWST 0388 Reading the Book of Job

Up to two courses in Hebrew language or texts (HEBR or HEBM 0201 and higher) may count toward the requirements for the minor.

Other appropriate courses, including Winter Term courses, may be substituted with the permission of the program director.

JWST 0160 Jewish Traditions (Fall 2024)

“Traditions” are not static, but a constant interplay between continuity and creativity. What do classical Jewish texts (Bible, Rabbinic literature) tell us about Judaism’s origins? How have the core concepts and practices of Judaism morphed into a cluster of traditions that has endured over two millennia? With these questions in mind, we will study central ideas in Jewish thought, rituals, and their transformations, culminating in individual projects involving the investigation a contemporary movement, congregation or trend in contemporary Jewish life, e.g. Reform, Reconstructionism, mystical (neo-Kabbalistic) revivals, or “secular” Judaism. 3 hrs. lect./disc. HIS, PHL (R. Schine)
Cross-listed as: RELI 0160 *

JWST 0201 Modern American Jewish History (Fall 2024)

What characterizes the modern American Jewish experience? Is it the effort to assimilate into the American mainstream? Is it about the struggle to preserve Jewish distinctiveness? Drawing on historical scholarship and primary sources (films, art, cartoons, newspapers, literature), we will consider the many meanings of American Jewish identity, particularly its religious, racial, ethnic, and national connotations. We will begin in the 1880s, during the largest wave of Jewish immigration to the U.S. Topics will include “Americanization,” labor, political activism, religious reform, World War II and the Holocaust, “Jewish continuity,” gender roles, race relations, urbanization, suburbanization, and the relationship of Jews to white flight, Zionism, anti-Semitism, and philanthropy. 3 hrs. lect. AMR, HIS, NOR (L. Povitz)
Cross-listed as: HIST 0201 *

JWST 0231 Zionism and the "Roads Not Taken" (1880-1948) (Spring 2025)

An Arab-Jewish binational state in Palestine was only one of the possible paths that the Zionist movement considered before taking the road that led to Israel’s 1948 establishment. Using various primary and secondary sources, we will critically engage with alternatives to the nation-state within the Zionist movement, unfolding key debates in its history. In the introductory units, we will position Zionism alongside other forms of Jewish nationalism, such as Simon Dubnow’s Diaspora Nationalism. We will then zoom in on post-World War I Zionism, discussing Imperial, anti-Imperial, pan-Asian, and binationalist-federalist alternatives to the Jewish nation-state program. In the concluding units, we will examine the processes by which these possibilities became marginalized, and the vision of a Jewish nation-state prevailed. CMP, EUR, HIS
Cross-listed as: HEBM 0231 *

JWST 0257 The Holocaust (Spring 2025)

Why did the Holocaust happen? How could the Holocaust happen? In this course we will consider several aspects of the Holocaust, including the long-term conditions and events leading up to it, the measures employed in undertaking it, and the aftermath of the atrocities. Beyond a general survey, this course introduces students to the many varying interpretations and historical arguments scholars of the Holocaust have proposed and invites them to discuss and debate these issues in class. 3 hrs. lect./disc. EUR, HIS

JWST 0275 Sociology of Modern Antisemitism (Fall 2024)

In this course, we will explore modern antisemitism from a sociological perspective. Drawing on theories and empirical research from sociology and related fields, we will analyze the logic of antisemitic narratives, how antisemitism differs from other forms of racism, how antisemitism has changed after the Holocaust, whether antisemitism and anti-Zionism are related phenomena, and how prevalent antisemitic attitudes and discrimination remain today. We will also explore what role antisemitism plays in contemporary conspiracy theories and far-right movements but also whether there are forms of antisemitism specific to the Left. Overall, we will consider how to integrate an analysis of antisemitism into contemporary theories of racism, such as Intersectionality or Critical Whiteness. 3 hrs. lect. SOC (M. Gerke)
Cross-listed as: SOCI 0275 *

JWST 0302 American Jewish Life (Spring 2025)

In this course we will explore American Jewish life during a period of rapid change. We will begin with a survey of American Jews’ 20th century ethnic, racial, and religious identities. We will then focus on scenes of contemporary religious and communal innovation across a wide spectrum of American Jewish life, including case studies of Hasidic, Queer/progressive, Orthodox and Reform Jews, and Jews of Color. Throughout, we will examine how diverse Jewish collectivities incorporate broader American and global ideas, creating new amalgamations and contributing to social change. In the final unit, we will explore contentious issues related to Israel, antisemitism, gender, and American politics. Sources will include books, articles, films, and a study tour in New York City. AMR, SOC
Cross-listed as: SOCI 0302

JWST 0389 "In the beginning: Reading Genesis" (Fall 2024)

The book of Genesis is about origins: of humans, nature, family conflict and reconciliation, of war and moral confusion. It poses questions: why, having created the world (“and it was good”), does God seek to destroy it? Why does he command Abraham to kill his only son (Isaac)? We trace these and other questions from their biblical foundations through the Western tradition, examining their expression in religion, philosophy, literature and art. We probe the origins of Western ideas of human rights, of nature and the environment and of God. Readings range from the Bible and early Jewish and Christian texts to modern philosophical, psychological and feminist interpretations. LIT, PHL (R. Schine)
Cross-listed as: RELI 0389 *

JWST 0448 Black and Jewish Feminist Perspectives (Spring 2025)

Feminism has a rich history in the United States. In this course we will study feminism from the perspectives of two distinct, sometimes intersecting groups: Black Americans and Jewish Americans. We will explore major feminist texts, writers, and collectives, from Angela Davis, bell hooks, Audre Lorde, and the Combahee River Collective to Shulamith Firestone, Judith Plaskow, B’Not Esh, and Di Vilde Chayes. Through their work and activism, we will study in this reading-intensive course how race, class, spirituality, and sexuality have shaped and reshaped feminist concerns. 3 hrs. sem. AMR, HIS, SOC
Cross-listed as: HIST 0448 *

HEBM 0101 Introductory Modern Hebrew I (Fall 2024)

In this course students will become acquainted with the basic grammatical and formal concepts necessary for the comprehension of the Modern Hebrew language. We will focus on the fundamentals of reading, writing, listening, and speaking, with a particular emphasis placed on the acquisition of conversational ability. We will also make use of audiovisual, situational, and cultural exercises, and give attention to the elements of Classical form and style that provided a foundation for Modern Hebrew, which was revived as a vernacular in the late 19th century. No previous knowledge of Hebrew is required. 6 hrs. LNG (M. Strier)

HEBM 0103 Introductory Modern Hebrew III (Spring 2025)

This course is a continuation of Modern Hebrew 0102 which will be offered during winter term. Students will further develop their skills in written and oral communication, and will expand their knowledge of the cultures of modern Israel through both audio and visual media. (HEBM 0102 or equivalent) 5 hrs. lect. LNG

HEBM 0201 Intermediate Modern Hebrew I (Fall 2024)

This course is a continuation of HEBM 0103. By engaging with topics about Israeli society and culture and by using authentic materials and different media, students will strengthen their intermediate level of communicative competence – reading, writing, listening, and speaking – and gain a deeper understanding of Israeli popular culture and politics. Topics will vary depending on students’ interest. (HEBM 0103 or placement test) 5 hrs. lect/disc LNG (M. Strier)

HEBM 0231 Zionism and the "Roads Not Taken" (1880-1948) (Spring 2025)

An Arab-Jewish binational state in Palestine was only one of the possible paths that the Zionist movement considered before taking the road that led to Israel’s 1948 establishment. Using various primary and secondary sources, we will critically engage with alternatives to the nation-state within the Zionist movement, unfolding key debates in its history. In the introductory units, we will position Zionism alongside other forms of Jewish nationalism, such as Simon Dubnow’s Diaspora Nationalism. We will then zoom in on post-World War I Zionism, discussing Imperial, anti-Imperial, pan-Asian, and binationalist-federalist alternatives to the Jewish nation-state program. In the concluding units, we will examine the processes by which these possibilities became marginalized, and the vision of a Jewish nation-state prevailed. CMP, EUR, HIS
Cross-listed as: JWST 0231

HEBM 0237 The Origins of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (Fall 2024)

When did the Jewish-Arab conflict begin? This survey course considers several different moments of its birth, such as the 1880s first wave of Zionist immigrants to Palestine, the 1917 Balfour Declaration, the 1948 and 1967 war and the 1964 establishment of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and other landmark moments. Based on secondary literature and primary textual and visual materials, we will engage with these competing periodizations and analyze various Israeli and Palestinian historical narratives they embody, considering broader themes such as the relations between the historian’s identity and the production of historical narratives, and the dynamic between facts, narratives and ideologies. 3 hrs. lect. CMP, MDE, SOC (A. Livny)
Cross-listed as: IGST 0237

HEBM 0500 Independent Project (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required)
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Linguistics Minor

The linguistics minor consists of a minimum of five courses: two required introductory level courses and three electives.

Required courses for the minor are as follows:

LNGT 0101 Introduction to Linguistics or LNGT/ANTH 0125 Language Structure and Function

LNGT 0102 Introduction to Sociolinguistics or LNGT/ANTH 0109 Language, Culture, Society



Electives include the following:

LNGT 0101 Introduction to Linguistics

LNGT 0102 Introduction to Sociolinguistics

LNGT 0107 Introduction to TESOL

LNGT 0109 Language, Culture, Society

LNGT 0125 Language Structure & Function

LNGT 0206 Narratives in News Media

LNGT 0208 Cultural Rhetorics

LNGT 0226 Phonetics and Phonology

LNGT 0233 History of French Language

LNGT 0242 Non-Native Speakers

LNGT 0243 How Languages are Learned

LNGT 0250 Morphology and Syntax

LNGT 0261 Revival of the Hebrew Language

LNGT 0270 Chinese Sociolinguistics

LNGT 0280 Semantics, Logic and Cognition

LNGT 0305 Holocaust/Exile in Translation

LNGT 0337 French Language and Society

LNGT 0396 Linguistic Anthropology Method

LNGT 0495 Language and the Environment

LNGT 0500 Independent Work

LNGT 1005 Introduction to Tranlation Studies

LNGT 1230 Data Science Across Disciplines

LNGT 1304 Mayan Language Revitalization

LNGT/WRPR 0110 English Grammar: Concepts & Controversies

LNGT/JAPN 0210 Japanese Linguistics

LNGT/ARBC 0227 Arabic Sociolinguistics

LNGT/RUSS 0232 Nature and Origin of Language

LNGT/CHNS 0270 Chinese Sociolinguistics

LNGT/SPAN 0303 Introduction to Spanish Phonetics/Pronunciation (taught in Spanish)

LNGT/JAPN 0310 Variation & Change in Japanese

LNGT/SPAN 0322 Hispanic Linguistics (taught in Spanish)

LNGT/PHIL 0354 Philosophy of Language

LNGT/GRMN 0370 German Linguistics (taught in German)

LNGT/SPAN 0422 Hispanic Bilingualism (taught in Spanish)

LNGT/SPAN 0390 Linguistic Variation (taught in Spanish)

LNGT/ANTH 0395 Environmental Communication

LNGT/SPAN 0426 Spanish in the US (taught in Spanish)

LNGT/ARBC 0435 Arabic Diglossia (taught in Arabic)



Please Note: Students are advised to check with the director for a complete list of courses that count as electives. All electives are taught in English, unless otherwise indicated.

LNGT 0102 Introduction to Sociolinguistics (Fall 2024)

In this course, we will explore the ways that language creates and reflects social identities. We will look at the contextual factors-social, cultural, geographical, political, etc.-that impact language use and variation. Themes for this course will include linguistic variation, language and identity, language policy, and language in the media. We will consider questions such as: What distinguishes a language from a dialect? How and why do some language varieties become privileged? How do notions of politeness and respect vary across linguistic contexts? In essence, we will learn how language shapes our world, and how we shape language itself. SOC (S. Shapiro)

LNGT 0125 Language Structure and Function (Fall 2024)

In this course we will discuss the major issues and findings in the study of human language within theories of modern linguistics, which shares a history with mid-century American anthropology. The main topics include the nature of human language in comparison with other communication systems; sound patterns (phonology); word-formation (morphology); sentence structure (syntax); meaning (semantics); use (pragmatics); language acquisition and socialization. We will also consider language variation and the historical development of languages. Instruction is in English but examples will be drawn from less commonly studied languages around the world. (not open to students who have taken LNGT 0101) 3 hrs. lect. SOC (M. Nevins)
Cross-listed as: ANTH 0125 *

LNGT 0206 Narratives in News Media (Spring 2025)

In this course we will consider questions such as: What linguistic strategies do the news media use to craft compelling stories? What are the dominant narratives at play about national and global social issues, and how are some journalists working to counter those narratives? We will employ Critical Discourse Analysis as a central framework, reading theoretical and empirical work by linguists such as Teun van Dijk, as well as from sociologists and political scientists. We will engage with “On the Media” and other podcasts, TED talks, documentaries such as Outfoxed (2004), and online magazines. Students will write for a variety of audiences. 3 hrs. lect./disc. CW, SOC
Cross-listed as: WRPR 0206

LNGT 0210 Introduction to Japanese Linguistics (in English) (Spring 2025)

This course will provide an introduction to linguistics theories as applied to the study of Japanese. Through the exploration of a language that is very different from Indo-European languages, students will gain a better understanding of how human languages work and are structured. The relationship of language to culture will be a central theme in the course. Topics covered will include key concepts in linguistics, Japanese linguistics, culture, and pedagogy. This course will be taught in English; no Japanese language or linguistics knowledge required. 3 hrs. lect./disc. NOA
Cross-listed as: JAPN 0210 *

LNGT 0226 The Sounds of Language: Introduction to Phonetics and Phonology (Fall 2024)

In this course we will study the description and analysis of speech: how the sounds of language are physiologically produced, acoustically represented, and psychologically perceived and categorized. Through acoustic and phonological analysis, students will develop the skills to distinguish and produce the sounds of the world’s languages, as well as explore the sound systems of different languages, in order to determine which patterns differ and which patterns are common to all. Students will hone their analytical and technical skills by solving phonological problem sets as well as by using computer software (Praat) to analyze the acoustics of speech. 3 hrs. lect./disc. SCI (B. Baird)

LNGT 0227 Arabic Sociolinguistics (taught in English) (Spring 2025)

In this course we will focus on the inter-relationships between the way Arabic is used by native speakers and the various social contexts affecting that usage. In particular, we will discuss the phenomenon of diglossia in Arabic speech communities (that is, the co-existence of Modern Standard Arabic with the vernacular Arabic dialects of today); aspects of linguistic variation and change in the Arab world; the relation between register and language; as well as the relation between language and such sociological variables as education, social status, political discourse, and gender. Readings are primarily drawn from sociolinguists' studies in the Arab world. (ARBC 0101 or instructor's approval) 3 hrs. lect./disc. AAL, MDE, SOC

LNGT 0231 Emotion in Japanese (Spring 2025)

Emotion in Japanese, Spoken and Unspoken (taught in English)
How do our emotions surface in speech and text? To what extent are they explicit or implicit? How do linguistic and cultural differences affect how we express our feelings? In this course, we will examine various forms of sentiments in Japanese and beyond through the lens of cognitive linguistics, the scientific study of language and mind. Students will be able to analyze the language of visual, auditory and gustatory experiences depicted in various genres, including haiku, popular songs, food magazines, manga and online communication. We will be reading classical and contemporary articles on sound symbolism, emotion nouns and adjectives, metaphor, and recent stylistic changes, among other topics. Class meetings consist of lectures and in-class discussions in English.
CW, NOA, SOC
Cross-listed as: JAPN 0231

LNGT 0233 History of the French Language (Spring 2025)

In this course we will study how French has evolved into a global language. We will survey its development from a Latin dialect spoken in ancient Gaul to its present-day diversity in the French-speaking world, with a focus on comparative analysis. Specific topics may include linguistic variation over time, gender and language change, phonological history, spelling reforms, and language use on social media. Students will engage with historical and contemporary texts, art, and audiovisual sources. (FREN 0209, or by waiver. No previous knowledge of linguistics is required.) 3 hrs. lect./disc. CMP, HIS, LNG

LNGT 0270 Chinese Sociolinguistics (taught in English) (Spring 2025)

Sociolinguistics is mainly concerned with the interaction of language and society. The language situation in China is unique both in the modern world and in human history. We will gain a good understanding of sociolinguistics as a scientific field of inquiry through exploring the Chinese situation in this course. Some of the questions we will ask are: What is Mandarin (Modern Standard) Chinese? Who are "native speakers" of Mandarin? Are most Chinese people monolingual (speaking only one language) or bilingual (speaking two languages) or even multilingual? How many "dialects" are there in China? What is the difference between a "language" and a "dialect"? Are Chinese characters "ideographs", i.e., "pictures" that directly represent meaning and have nothing to do with sound? Why has the pinyin romanization system officially adopted in the 1950s never supplanted the Chinese characters? Why are there traditional and simplified characters? We will also explore topics such as power, register, verbal courtesy, gender and language use. Students are encouraged to compare the Chinese situation with societies that they are familiar with. (One semester of Chinese language study or by waiver) AAL, NOA, SOC
Cross-listed as: CHNS 0270 *

LNGT 0310 Variation and Change in Japanese (In English) (Fall 2024)

What can linguistic change tell us about human cognition and behavior? How does the notion of “politeness” vary across communities? How do speakers of Japanese perform gender and other social identities? In this course we will address linguistic diversity and dynamism by examining the Japanese language. Topics include workplace discourse and change in honorific systems. Employing classic works in linguistics and addressing contemporary cultural materials such as manga and J-drama we will apply theoretical frameworks from (socio-)pragmatics, historical linguistics and linguistic typology to gain a deeper understanding of how and why Japanese has developed to its present forms and uses. Students with an interest in linguistics, or in teaching and learning language, or science in general, may also enjoy the analytical approach. (No prerequisites. JAPN0103 above or equivalent recommended). Heritage speakers are also welcome. 3 hrs. sem. CW (5 seats), NOA, SOC (S. Abe)
Cross-listed as: JAPN 0310 *

LNGT 0322 Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics (Spring 2025)

This course is an introduction to the theory and methodology of linguistics as applied to the study of Spanish. The course’s goals are to understand the basic characteristics of human language (and of Spanish in particular), and to learn the techniques used to describe and explain linguistic phenomena. We will study the sound system (phonetics/phonology), the structure of words (morphology), the construction of sentences (syntax), as well as the history and sociolinguistic variation of the Spanish language, as spoken in communities in Europe, Latin America, and Northern America. We will examine texts, speech samples, and songs, illustrating these linguistic phenomena. (SPAN 0220 or placement) 3 hrs. lect./disc. CMP, LNG, SOC
Cross-listed as: SPAN 0322 *

LNGT 0370 German Linguistics (in German) (Fall 2024)

This course simultaneously presents an overview of the major subfields of linguistics as they apply to the German language and a discussion of how today's Standard German evolved. We will pay attention to important concepts in phonetics/phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. In addition to these theoretical and descriptive aspects, we will discuss sociolinguistic issues such as language and gender and regional variations within Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Luxemburg. Lectures and discussions will be conducted in German. (Formerly GRMN 0340) 3 hrs. sem. EUR, LNG (F. Feiereisen)
Cross-listed as: GRMN 0370 *

LNGT 0396 Linguistic Anthropology Methods (Spring 2025)

In this course we will work with a method and theory known as the “ethnography of communication” to examine language use in socio-cultural context. Students will learn to form research questions and collect different kinds of data, including everyday spoken interactions, archival print sources, and social media. Students will learn how to document, annotate, and analyze their samples as speech events linked to broader discursive contexts and social relations. Students will also turn ethnography of communication upon social science research itself, examining interviews and surveys as communicative interactions. The course provides an empirical pathway to questions of cultural difference and social inequality. 3 hrs. sem. SOC
Cross-listed as: ANTH 0396 *

LNGT 0422 Bilingualism in the Spanish-Speaking World (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

What does it mean to be bilingual? In this course we will study bilingualism with a special emphasis on Spanish-speaking bilinguals in Europe, Latin America, and the United States. Course topics will include social, political, linguistic, and psychological aspects of bilingualism. Special attention will be paid to societal bilingualism, language use among a group or community, individual bilingualism, how an individual’s language use changes in different contexts and throughout an individual’s lifespan, and government and educational policies throughout the Spanish-speaking world. We will study texts, speech samples, and media that highlight different aspects of bilingualism. (At least two Spanish courses at the 0300 level or above, or by waiver) (not open to students who have taken SPAN/LNGT 0377) 3 hrs. lect./disc. CMP (Fall 2024), LNG (Fall 2024), SOC (Fall 2024) (Fall 2024: B. Baird)
Cross-listed as: SPAN 0422 *

LNGT 0500 Independent Work (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required)
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Program in Literary Studies

Required for the Major

The overall design of the program is simple, and its expectations are clearly defined. This is a program of study designed for students who by the time of their graduation from Middlebury wish to secure a comprehensive background in a full range of major achievements of world literature, as well as an ability to read and appreciate works of literature in at least one language other than English.

To accomplish those ends, each Literary Studies major is required to take a total of 15 courses in literature over the course of four years. No more than six of these courses may be taken within a single department, and the individual courses may be selected from the literature of any language and of any period. They can be wide-ranging surveys or courses devoted to the study of single authors.

The specific selection of courses is entirely up to the student, but in order to fulfill the requirements for the major, he or she will be expected to take the following:

  • Two courses—one historical, one generally theoretical in orientation—selected from the list specified below under the “Summary of Major Requirements”
  • One literature course in a foreign language (including Greek and Latin)—normally 0300-level (though FREN 0210 and the FREN 0200-series will usually qualify); and
  • A Colloquium for majors to be taken during the fall semester of the senior year.

In addition, in conjunction with an independent reading course taken during the fall semester of the senior year, the student will arrange to take a one-hour oral examination in an area of specialization (as described below) that he or she has defined. This oral examination takes place at the end of the fall semester, and it is followed by a five-hour written comprehensive examination at the end of winter term. 
The written examination will require the student to demonstrate a knowledge of a range of major works by the authors listed below. For reasons of practicality, the number of authors from this list whose works students will actually have an opportunity to discuss on the comprehensive examination in any given year will be limited to 12.


Range of Authors

The following current list will give the student a clear sense of the particular range of major authors it is presumed that he or she will be familiar with by senior year:

  • Homer
  • Aeschylus
  • Sophocles
  • Vergil
  • Ovid
  • Lucretius
  • Dante
  • Boccaccio
  • Pirandello
  • Cervantes
  • Tirso de Molina
  • Calderón
  • Lope de Vega
  • Borges
  • Moliere
  • Baudelaire
  • Proust
  • Goethe
  • Kafka
  • Mann
  • Wang Wei
  • Cáo Xuegin
  • Lu-Xùn
  • Gogol
  • Dostoevsky
  • Tolstoy
  • Shakespeare
  • Milton
  • Wordsworth
  • Joyce
  • Emerson
  • Melville
  • Faulkner
  • Murasaki Shikibu
  • Chikamatsu Monzaemon
  • Natsume Soseki

In addition to works by authors whose names appear on this primary list, Literary Studies majors will be urged to deepen their general cultural background by becoming acquainted with the Old and New Testaments (especially Genesis, Psalms, Job, Song of Songs, Matthew, John, Revelation, and the Epistle to the Romans), as well as principal works of Plato, Aristotle, Rousseau, Darwin, Marx, and Freud. A full list of the specific works by these authors included on the current Literary Studies comprehensive reading list is available on the Literary Studies Program website, or from the directors of the program.

Beyond the two historical and theoretical courses required for the program (both of which are counted toward the major), the 0300-level foreign language literature course, the senior year colloquium (LITS 0705) and independent reading course (LITS 0701), and the total of 15 courses, the general, defining requirement for the Literary Studies major is the winter term comprehensive examination (LITS 0700), the overall range of which is specified in the comprehensive reading list. In the process of working toward this general literary education, the student will also be expected to use the independent reading course (LITS 0701) to focus on a group of works chosen to represent an individual specialization in the literature of a particular culture (e.g., German, English, American, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, etc.), or period (e.g., the eighteenth century, the twentieth century, etc.), or genre (e.g., the novel, the drama, lyric poetry, etc.). The specific authors and the 10 to 12 texts selected by the student for this specialization will be approved by the director in conjunction with two faculty examiners with relevant expertise in the fields represented. This oral examination is the culmination of the independent reading course (LITS 0701) in the fall semester. At the end of the following winter term, there is a five-hour written winter term comprehensive examination based on the reading list. Students qualifying for honors (a B+ average in the major, including the comprehensive examination) will complete a Senior Honors Essay (LITS 0710) in their final semester.

After completing all the specified requirements, the student will be graduated from Middlebury College as a Literary Studies major with a particular area of interest: for example, epic poetry, European drama, Japanese literature, the literature of the nineteenth century, etc. Should the student wish to pursue graduate study, depending on the nature of his or her interests and preparation, the student would be in a good position to do so in such fields as English or American literature, comparative literature, or the literature of a specific foreign language; in addition, he or she would have a secure background for further studies in such fields as law, political philosophy, religion, journalism, publishing, medicine, and cultural and intellectual history.
 Literary Studies majors have gone on to do work in all these areas.

As indicated above, students will be eligible for departmental honors in Literary Studies if in their combined performance in literature courses and on the two parts of the comprehensive examination they have achieved an average grade of B+ or higher. Honors will be awarded on the basis of the overall grade average in the major, performance on the comprehensive examination, and a senior honors essay of 30-40 pages to be completed during the spring semester of the senior year (this project counts as one course). A one-hour oral examination on the content and implications of this honors essay is also required, and this examination will be conducted by two faculty members with particular expertise in the fields represented.

Summary of Major Requirements

Total of 15 courses (no more than six in any one department).

(1) Two courses selected from the historical and theoretical courses listed below, one from each category, as currently offered. (With the permission of the director, alternative courses may be substituted for those specified here.)

Historical:

  • CLAS 0150 Greek and Roman Epic
  • CLAS 0152 Greek Tragedy
  • RELI 0180 Introduction to Biblical Literature
  • PSCI 0101 Introduction to Political Science

Theoretical:

  • ENAM 0205 Contemporary Literary Theory

(2) One course in literature in a foreign language (normally 0300 level, but FREN 0201 and FREN 0220 series would usually qualify).

(3) At least four literature courses, but no more than six, to be taken within a single department. (Courses in language instruction may not be counted toward this requirement.)

(4) Independent Reading Course (LITS 0701) in Area of Specialization (by genre, period, theme, or national literature), an area of particular interest  defined by the student in consultation with the director. A one-hour oral examination, to be taken in the fall semester before the winter term written comprehensive examination in the senior year, is devoted to this area of special interest. The 10 to12 texts required for this examination will be chosen by the student in conjunction with the director and two faculty examiners with appropriate backgrounds in the fields represented.

(5) Senior Colloquium for majors (LITS 0705, open to non-majors if space is available), focused on a range of works on the comprehensive reading list.

(6) Senior Comprehensive Examination (LITS 0700) in preparation for the written comprehensive examination. Students engaged in such preparation arrange  to meet with one another over the course of winter term, and often solicit faculty participation in discussions of individual texts they have chosen to work on as a group.

(7) Written Comprehensive Examination (LITS 0700) (on works that appear on the Literary Studies comprehensive reading list), taken at the end of winter term of the senior year. As indicated, this five-hour written examination represents the second part of the comprehensive requirement, the oral specialization examination in LITS 0701 being the first.

(8) Students achieving an average grade of B+ or higher in the program will be eligible for honors. Honors will be awarded on the basis of the overall grade average in courses in the major, performance on the comprehensive examination, and a senior honors essay of 30-40 pages, to be completed (for one course credit) during the spring semester of the senior year; a one-hour oral examination on the content of this essay is administered by two faculty examiners with expertise in the field of investigation represented.

Please Note: Any literature course in the Middlebury College curriculum (and in approved programs abroad or at other U.S. institutions) may be used to fulfill the requirements in the Program in Literary Studies. Hence, in addition to the specific LITS course descriptions indicated below, students majoring in Literary Studies as well as non-majors with an interest in literature are urged to read through the entire literature offering by various departments (including language departments) to secure a full sense of the range of courses available in any academic year.

LITS 0510 Independent Essay Project (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required) (Fall 2024: M. Hatjigeorgiou)

LITS 0701 Independent Reading Course (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Intended for majors in literary studies preparing for the senior comprehensive examinations. At the conclusion of this course, students will take a one-hour oral examination (part of the senior comprehensive examination) in a specialization of their choice. (Approval Required) (Staff)

LITS 0705 Senior Colloquium in Literary Studies (Fall 2024)

Although it is required of all Literary Studies seniors, this course is intended for students working in any discipline who seek a close encounter with some of the greatest achievements of the literary imagination. In addition to being understood as distinctive artistic and philosophical accomplishments, the major works which constitute the reading list will also be seen as engaged in a vital, overarching cultural conversation across temporal and geographical boundaries that might otherwise seem insurmountable. The texts for this semester include Homer’s Odyssey, Aeschylus’ Oresteia, Cervantes’ Don Quixote, Dostoevsky’ Crime and Punishment, Pirandello’ Six Characters in Search of an Author, and Borges’ Ficciones. (Open to non-majors with the approval of the instructor.) 3 hrs. sem. (M. Hatjigeorgiou)
Cross-listed as: ENGL 0705

LITS 0710 Senior Honors Essay (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required) (M. Hatjigeorgiou)
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Department of Luso Hispanic Studies

Major in Spanish

The major consists of a minimum of nine courses numbered 0300 or above. The requirements are as follows:

  • At least six courses must be at the 0400 level or above. Or, a student must complete at least five courses at the 0400 level or above and a thesis. At least one of these 0400 level courses must be taken at Middlebury College during academic year in the student’s senior year. The other elective courses may be taken on the Middlebury College campus during the academic year or at the Middlebury Spanish School, the School in Spain, the Schools in Latin America, or, with departmental approval, at study abroad programs in Latin America sanctioned by Middlebury’s Programs Abroad Committee.
  • Study abroad in in a Spanish-speaking country for at least one semester is highly recommended and a course at the 300 level is required before studying abroad. Students are expected to consult with their advisor when selecting courses and making plans to study abroad.

Joint Major

The Spanish component of a joint major will consist of at least six courses from departmental offerings numbered 0300 and above, as follows:

  • At least five courses must be at the 0400 level or above.
  • At least two of these 0400 level or above courses must be taken at Middlebury College during the academic year. At least one of these 0400 level courses must be taken at Middlebury College during academic year in the student’s senior year. The other elective courses may be taken on the Middlebury College campus during the academic year or at the Middlebury Spanish School, the School in Spain, the Schools in Latin America, or, with departmental approval, at study abroad programs in Latin America sanctioned by Middlebury’s Programs Abroad Committee.
  • Study abroad in a Spanish-speaking country for at least one semester is highly recommended and a course at the 300 level is required before studying abroad. Students are expected to consult with their advisor when selecting courses and making plans to study abroad.

Spanish or Portuguese Courses

• Courses at the SPAN or PGSE 0100 through 0200 levels are Elementary, Intermediate, and Advanced Intermediate language instruction focused on developing skills in speaking, listening comprehension, reading, and writing.

• Courses at the SPAN or PGSE 0300 level introduce significant themes in literature, film and media, linguistics, and cultural studies. For Spanish, these courses are closed to juniors and seniors returning from study abroad.

• Courses at the SPAN or PGSE 0400 level are advanced offerings that explore in greater depth a specific line of inquiry applied to literary, cultural, film and media, or linguistic issues in the Lusophone and/or Hispanophone worlds, and satisfy the International Studies advanced language requirement in Spanish or Portuguese. (If a PGSE 400-level course is not available to a student, a 300-level one would fulfill the requirement.)

All courses taken abroad in Spanish or Portuguese are considered to be at the 400 level, regardless of their course number.

Minor in Spanish

The Spanish minor consists of at least four courses numbered 0300 or above, one of which must be at the 0400-level or above and taken at the Middlebury College campus during the academic year. Courses can be taken on campus during the academic year or at the Middlebury Spanish School, one of our Middlebury Schools Abroad Spanish-speaking sites, or, with departmental approval, at a Spanish-speaking site from study abroad programs sanctioned by Middlebury’s Programs Abroad Committee.

Minor in Portuguese

The Portuguese minor consists of at least four courses numbered 0300 or above. Courses can be taken on campus during the academic year or at the Middlebury College Portuguese Language School, the C.V. Starr-Middlebury School in Brazil, or, with departmental approval, at study abroad programs sanctioned by Middlebury’s Programs Abroad Committee. At least one 0300-level or above course must be taken at the Middlebury College campus during the student’s final academic year.

Senior Work in Spanish

During the senior year, majors and joint majors must complete a 0400-level course.

International and Global Studies Major with Spanish or Portuguese Language

Along with other required courses and senior work as described in the International and Global Studies Major section, completion of the Spanish or Portuguese language component requires: (1) proficiency in Spanish or Portuguese (a minimum of one course at the 0300 level or above, or work in the Spanish or Portuguese summer school at the 0300 level or above); (2) at least one semester, preferably a year, abroad in a Spanish- or Portuguese-speaking country; and (3) one or more courses at or above the 0400 level upon return from abroad. (If a PGSE 400-level course is not available to a student, a 300-level one would fulfill the requirement.)

Advanced Placement

College credit is awarded for successful performance on the Advanced Placement Examinations in Spanish Language and/or Spanish Literature. In all cases the student must satisfactorily complete a course at the 0300 level before the credit will be awarded. AP credit does not affect course placement, nor does it count towards the major or minor. There is a maximum of one credit allowed for Spanish AP.

For placement in advanced PGSE classes, students must consult with the Chair of the department or with one of the department’s Portuguese faculty members.

Programs Abroad for Juniors

The department expects that majors will spend at least one semester in residence in a Spanish-speaking country. Middlebury Schools Abroad offer both year and semester programs at the following sites:

  • Argentina (Buenos Aires)
  • Chile (Concepción, Santiago, Temuco, Valdivia, Valparaíso and Viña del Mar, and Villarrica)
  • Puerto Rico (San Juan, Mayaguëz)
  • Spain (Madrid, Córdoba, Getafe, and Logroño)
  • Uruguay (Montevideo)

Internship opportunities are available. For more information on these programs, please see the Schools Abroad. Students who are interested in going abroad and who are also double or joint majors or are thinking of participating in the teacher education program should consult with their advisors in both areas as early as possible to avoid any conflict in plans.

Students who are planning to study abroad in one of our Middlebury Schools Abroad Spanish-speaking sites are required to have taken at least one content course at the 0300 level or above. A content course is one that meets a requirement other than LNG.

For Portuguese, Middlebury’s School in Brazil offers both year and semester programs in Belo Horizonte, Florianópolis, or Niterói. Internship opportunities are available. For more information on these programs, please see the Schools Abroad. Students who are planning to study abroad at the Middlebury C.V. Starr School in Brazil are required to have taken at least one course at the 0215 level or above.

Honors in Spanish

The department will award honors on the basis of a student’s work in the department and performance in SPAN 0705. All students interested in receiving honors must contact their advisors at the start of their last year at Middlebury; either in September or in February. Please see complete information about the requirements in Thesis Guidelines.

PGSE 0115 Accelerated Beginning Portuguese (Fall 2024)

This course is an intensive and fast-paced introduction to Portuguese, covering all of the basic structures and vocabulary as well as important aspects of the cultures of Lusophone countries. Within a cultural context, emphasis will be placed on active communication aimed at the development of comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Students are expected to continue with PGSE 0215, after successful completion of PGSE 0115 (formerly PGSE 0210). Open to all students. 6 hrs. lect./disc. LNG (M. Higa, D. Silva)

PGSE 0215 Advanced Portuguese (Spring 2025)

This course is a continuation of PGSE 0210. It is designed to balance textual and cultural analysis with a thorough review of grammar at an intermediate/high level. Students will hone their critical thinking and linguistic skills through guided readings, oral discussions, and short written assignments on Lusophone cultural topics. (PGSE 0103 or PGSE 0210 or by waiver) 4 hrs. lect./disc. LNG

PGSE 0315 Japanese Immigration to Brazil (Fall 2024)

Japanese Brazilians are the largest ethnic Japanese community outside Japan. What factors gave rise to this community? How did it expand over time? In this course we will study the modern Japanese diaspora from a Brazilian perspective. The first families from Japan arrived in Brazil in 1908. Why did these families leave their country? Which work did Japanese immigrants do? How did they negotiate their Japanese cultural identities within the Latin American context? To what extent have they contributed to the Brazilian culture? In order to answer these and other questions, students will examine and discuss a set of critical/creative sources that include essay, film, testimony, painting, advertisement, poetry, and literary fiction. In the last segment of the course, we will consider a social-economic counterpoint: the context in which Brazilians of Japanese ethnicity followed the reverse path of their grandparents and massively immigrated to Japan during the 1990s. 3 hrs sem. CMP, HIS, LNG, SOC (M. Higa)

PGSE 0335 The Black Lusophone Atlantic (in English) (Spring 2025)

In this course we will examine the histories, power struggles, and cultural formations in Portuguese-speaking spaces of the African Diaspora. The Lusophone, or Portuguese-speaking world, encompasses four continents as a lasting legacy of Portuguese imperialism and the trafficking of enslaved people. Working across and against disciplines, we will critically engage with Black decolonial worldmaking in these spaces and across periods as we re-evaluate and dismantle this so-called Lusophone world and other imperialist geographies. In the process, we will examine connections between Black life in Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Portugal, and more over the last six centuries; and also how Black life re-historicizes these spaces and times. 3 hrs.sem. CMP, HIS, SOC
Cross-listed as: BLST 0335

PGSE 0375 Colonial Discourse and Its Legacies in the Lusophone World (Fall 2024)

In this course we will critically analyze the meanings and ideas that shaped and undergirded European colonialism and its legacies in the interconnected realms of culture, race, language, gender, sexuality, and labor. In addition to studying the colonial period, we will pay particular attention to how the discourses of colonialism impact power structures concerning nation, globalization, and cultural consumption. In doing so, we will also address the problematics of the concept of “Lusophone,” starting with the historical legacies and cultural implications of such a transnational entity. Course materials will include critical theory, historical sources, literary texts, visual media, and music from Brazil, Lusophone Africa, Lusophone Asia, and Portugal. (PGSE 215 or equivalent) 3hrs. lect./disc. AAL, AMR, CMP, LNG, SOC (D. Silva)
Cross-listed as: CMLT 0375

PGSE 0500 Independent Study (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

(Approval Required)

SPAN 0101 Beginning Spanish I (Fall 2024)

This course is an introduction to the fundamentals of grammar and focuses on the development of four skills in Spanish: comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Emphasis will be placed on active communication aimed at the development of oral and comprehension skills. This course is for students who have not previously studied Spanish. Students are expected to continue with SPAN 0104 after successful completion of SPAN 0101. 5 hrs. lect./disc. (M. Fernandez)

SPAN 0104 Beginning Spanish II (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

This course is a continuation of SPAN 0101. Intensive reading, writing, and oral activities will advance students’ proficiency in Spanish in an academic setting. (SPAN 0101 or placement exam) 6 hrs. lect./disc. (Fall 2024: M. Felman-Panagotacos)

SPAN 0201 Intermediate Spanish (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

This accelerated course is designed to review, reinforce, and consolidate the linguistic structures that students need in order to reach the intermediate level of proficiency in Spanish. A grammar review will accompany intensive language acquisition, vocabulary expansion, readings, discussions, and compositions. (SPAN 0103 or SPAN 0105 or SPAN 0104 or placement tests) 3 hrs. lect., 1 hr. drill. LNG (Fall 2024: A. Fil, M. Rohena-Madrazo, G. Gonzalez Zenteno)

SPAN 0220 Intermediate Spanish II (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

A course for students seeking to perfect their academic writing skills in Spanish. The course is also an introduction to literary analysis and critical writing and will include reading and oral discussion of literary texts. The course will also include a thorough review of grammar at a fairly advanced level. This course may be used to fulfill the foreign languages distribution requirement. (SPAN 0201, SPAN 0210, or placement) 3 hrs. lect./disc. LNG (Fall 2024: P. Saldarriaga, I. Feldman, M. Rohena-Madrazo)

SPAN 0250 Spanish for Heritage Speakers (Spring 2025)

This course is specifically designed for heritage speakers, i.e., individuals who grew up speaking Spanish at home but were formally educated in another language, or individuals from similar contexts. In this course students will learn about different aspects of their own varieties of Spanish, social perceptions towards them, and how these varieties are valid forms of communication. Additionally, students will study grammatical differences between their varieties of Spanish and a more formal, academic Spanish. The grammatical aspects will primarily focus on written Spanish, vocabulary, and verb tenses that tend to vary in different varieties of Spanish. (by placement exam or waiver) 3 hrs. lct. LNG

SPAN 0306 Narratives of Diversity in 21st Century Spain (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

In this course we will explore recent Spanish voices that denounce the inequalities suffered historically by minorities in that country. These narratives strive to criticize oppression and to create a more inclusive space of coexistence. We will analyze the memoirs of the Afro-Spanish activist Desiree Bela-Lobedde and of the Asian-Spanish singer Chenta Tsai. We will also analyze queer cultures in rural spaces, and the controversial use of flamenco by singer Rosalía, among other topics. Finally, through the essay Ofendiditos by Lucía Litjmaer, we will analyze the reactions that these narratives encounter in the current Spanish and international political climate. 3 hrs.lect./disc EUR (Fall 2024), LNG (Fall 2024) (Fall 2024: L. Lesta Garcia)

SPAN 0307 Ideas and Cultures of the Southern Cone (Fall 2024)

What’s in a name? A sub-region of Latin America, the Southern Cone consists of three countries marked by cultural, geographical, historical, sociopolitical (dis)connection. In this course we will approach Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay not only as nations, but as a region with extensive transnational connections. Through analysis of a wide-range of cultural products like Ercilla’s early modern epic poem La Araucana, Figari’s paintings depicting candombé culture, and films of the New Argentine Cinema, we will study aspects of the cultural identities and intellectual histories of these countries and the region. (SPAN 0220 or placement) 3 hrs. lect./disc AMR, LIT, LNG (M. Fernandez)

SPAN 0315 Hispanic Film (Fall 2024)

The cinema is a space of social interaction, of entertainment, of bodily (dis)pleasure, of cultural critique, of commerce, of many things. In this course we will study, with a focus on comparative analysis, the text and context of films produced throughout the Hispanic world. Through examining the work of filmmakers from diverse backgrounds, we will closely analyze film form and engage key debates in film theory such as authorship, genre (comedy, documentary, melodrama, etc.), and (trans)national cinema, as well as explore the ways in which class, culture, disability, history, politics, race, and sexuality are represented cinematically. Critical, scholarly, and theoretical readings will supplement film viewings. (SPAN 0220 or placement) 3 hrs. lect./disc. ART, CMP, LNG (N. Poppe)

SPAN 0318 Resistencia Latinex (Spring 2025)

How do Latinex people resist oppression? Chilean survivors of the Pinochet dictatorship preserve their historical memory through textile art; Mexican Indigenous women expel the triple mafia of drug gangs, government, and police from their town; in Vermont, migrant workers sustain the dairy industry and themselves despite structural and institutional violence. Through stories of resistance to oppression, students will learn how communities and individuals take on misogyny, environmental injustice, slavery, and or structural violence. They will convey their findings in personal essays, historical fiction, and public presentations. In Spanish. 3 hrs. lect. (SPAN 0220 or by placement) (not open to students who have taken FYSE 1557) AMR, LNG, NOR

SPAN 0321 Latin American Queer Culture (Fall 2024)

In this course we will study LGBTQ cultural productions from Hispanic Latin America, including fiction, poetry, film, visual art, and theory, covering works from the Southern Cone, the Andes, the Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico. We will pay special attention to the uses of queerness in portrayals of ideological conflict: when and how does queerness become an element of dissent, an ethic of resistance, a critique of normativity, a marketable quality. Topics will include indigenous sexualities pre-Conquest, the impact of colonial rule, homonationalism, the criminalization of homosexuality, queer activism, and sexuality from transgender//travesti/ and nonbinary perspectives. AMR, LIT, LNG (M. Felman-Panagotacos)

SPAN 0322 Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics (Spring 2025)

This course is an introduction to the theory and methodology of linguistics as applied to the study of Spanish. The course’s goals are to understand the basic characteristics of human language (and of Spanish in particular), and to learn the techniques used to describe and explain linguistic phenomena. We will study the sound system (phonetics/phonology), the structure of words (morphology), the construction of sentences (syntax), as well as the history and sociolinguistic variation of the Spanish language, as spoken in communities in Europe, Latin America, and Northern America. We will examine texts, speech samples, and songs, illustrating these linguistic phenomena. (SPAN 0220 or placement) 3 hrs. lect./disc. CMP, LNG, SOC
Cross-listed as: LNGT 0322

SPAN 0330 Migrant Oral Narratives: Resistance and Self-Care from Central America to Vermont (Fall 2024)

This course focuses on the oral practices that migrants have developed to care for themselves and their communities as they face the challenges of life in a foreign environment. Using their ears, hands and voices, students will learn through podcasts and videos, but also through service activities, participant observation and conversations as we partner with Vermont organizations such as Migrant Justice, Addison Allies and Viva el Sabor. The product of their work will include team teaching and a podcast. 3 hrs sem. AMR, CMP, LNG, SOC (G. Gonzalez Zenteno)

SPAN 0331 Youth Cultures in Contemporary Spain (Spring 2025)

In this course we will explore youth cultures in contemporary Spain (1980-2016). In 1985 the Spanish punk rock band Siniestro Total wrote the song “I Will Dance On Your Grave”, a metaphor for the end of the dictatorship and the beginning of “freedom”. We will explore the colorful Movida (80s), the grunge movement (90s), queer cultures (2000s), and the disenchantment (2010s). All these events will be framed in a global context and accompanied by critical theory. Through literature, comics, film, arts, and music, we will discuss issues of sexuality, drugs, family, gender, and politics. (SPAN 0220 or equivalent). 3 hrs. lect./disc. EUR, LNG, SOC

SPAN 0336 Hispanic Performance Studies (Spring 2025)

Performance studies is an interdisciplinary field that borrows from theatre studies, anthropology, sociology, and cultural studies. This course offers an introduction to performance studies through a focus on Hispanic culture. We will ask the question “What is performance?” and develop the tools to describe, analyze, and interpret a broad range of performances such as plays, political speeches, bullfights, protests, recordings, celebrations, and everyday encounters.  We will focus on performance as a process–oriented, participatory, and experiential way of engaging the world. We will concentrate on the overlapping aspects of performance as/of literature (poetry and drama), as/of everyday life (ritual, identity, and culture), and as/of politics (power, activism, and social change).  We will pay particular attention to the relationship of performance to social culture, investigating the link between performance and race, gender, and sexuality.  Because the goal of the course is to produce critical thinkers who are capable of using performance as an analytical tool and as part of a creative process, students will be required to perform. (SPAN 0220 or placement) 3 hrs. lect./disc AMR, ART, LNG, NOR

SPAN 0340 Representations of Social, Cultural, and Political Identities in Spain (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

In this course we will study the different representations of Spanish culture and politics. We will emphasize specific aspects that make Spain richly varied: Spain´s breathtaking reinvention and reaffirmation of its own identity after the Disaster of 1898, religious customs and conflicts, gender relations, political values of Spaniards. At the same time, the cultural impact of Don Quixote, Goya, Lorca, republicanism and dictatorship, civil war, flamenco, bullfighting, and soccer. Works to be discussed include a short selection of literary pieces, cultural, visual, musical, and film representations. This course is recommended for students planning to study in Spain. (SPAN 0220 or placement) 3 hrs. lect. disc. EUR (Fall 2024), LNG (Fall 2024) (Fall 2024: M. Manrique-Gomez)

SPAN 0347 Indigenous peoples and social movements in Bolivia (Fall 2024)

Quechua and Aymara people of the Andes, and the indigenous nations from the Lowlands have been key in grassroots movements in Bolivia in the 21st century. We will study historical and present indigenous decolonial and environmental struggles, tackling issues of political representation and self-representation. We will look at indigenist literature and film, the Constitution of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, and indigenous journalism and performance. The Bolivian case will be placed in context with other social movements in the region and the Global South. 3 hrs. sem. AMR, HIS, LNG (I. Feldman)

SPAN 0365 Catholicism in Latin America (Spring 2025)

In this course we will study cultural representations of the long history and deep influence of the Roman Catholic Church in Spanish and Portuguese-speaking Latin America. Beginning with the colonization of the Americas in the 15th century, Catholicism has vastly contributed to shape the continent in every respect and is currently the major religion of nearly every Latin American country, with more than 425 million Catholics: almost 40% of the world's total Catholic population. It is impossible to understand Latin America without studying the impact of this world religion. Students will learn about colonial evangelization, new local forms of Catholicism, anticlericalism, liberation theology, the growth of Evangelicals, the papacy of Pope Francis, as well as the artistic footprint of Catholicism through the analysis of historical, cultural, filmic, and literary texts. AMR, LNG, PHL

SPAN 0422 Bilingualism in the Spanish-Speaking World (Fall 2024)

What does it mean to be bilingual? In this course we will study bilingualism with a special emphasis on Spanish-speaking bilinguals in Europe, Latin America, and the United States. Course topics will include social, political, linguistic, and psychological aspects of bilingualism. Special attention will be paid to societal bilingualism, language use among a group or community, individual bilingualism, how an individual’s language use changes in different contexts and throughout an individual’s lifespan, and government and educational policies throughout the Spanish-speaking world. We will study texts, speech samples, and media that highlight different aspects of bilingualism. (At least two Spanish courses at the 0300 level or above, or by waiver) (not open to students who have taken SPAN/LNGT 0377) 3 hrs. lect./disc. CMP, LNG, SOC (B. Baird)
Cross-listed as: LNGT 0422

SPAN 0468 In the Middle of Nowhere: Rural Spain through History (Fall 2024)

In this course we will analyze visual and narrative discourses related to rural communities in Spain. From a historical point of view, we will explore literary concepts such as bucolismo and naturalismo, the paleto cinema of the Francoism era and its contestation in Los santos inocentes. From there we will move to contemporary issues such as the vindication of the España vaciada, and new critical approaches such as the glocal, the rurban, and ecofeminism. We will include the voices of Ana Iris Simón, Oliver Laxe and María Sánchez that portray rural spaces and its inhabitants with respect and dignity. The goal of this course is to showcase rural spaces as sophisticated, diverse, and complex while we explore our own experience of Middlebury as a rural place. (Al least two Spanish courses at the 0300 level or above, or by waiver.) 3hrs.lect./disc. EUR, LNG (L. Lesta Garcia)

SPAN 0481 Understanding the Myth of Don Juan in the Western Tradition (Spring 2025)

The myth of Don Juan has embodied the thoughts, desires, and aspirations of multiple authors from different times and countries. In this course we will gain insights into core characteristics that define the Don Juan persona. We will analyze the original components of the character of Don Juan, situate the myth in its social and historical contexts, and study the different dramatic and literary strategies used by authors, artists, and filmmakers in their construction of Don Juan. Resources to be analyzed will include: fiction, poetry, film (fiction and documentary), philosophical essays, painting, music, and performance. 3 hrs lect./disc. EUR, LIT, LNG

SPAN 0487 Witches in Global Visual Culture (Fall 2024)

In this course we will study the global visual representation of witches. During the 15th-18th century witch trials were responsible for the killing of between 40,000-50,000 women. In the 21st century, women are still being accused of witchcraft, and are murdered because women are believed to bring good or bad luck. Studying the construction of the witch narratives throughout history could alleviate this perception and reduce violence against women. We will examine passages from The Hammer of Witches and witches’ trials, as well as study the intersections between witchcraft, capitalism, and psychoanalysis. We will also focus on the role eugenics and artificial intelligence have played in modifying the depictions of witches. We will consider the way feminism has re-semanticized witches in the fight against patriarchy through political movements, theory (e.g. Silvia Federici) and visual culture by viewing art, graphic novels, TV series, and films from countries throughout the world. AMR, ART, CMP, LNG (P. Saldarriaga)
Cross-listed as: GSFS 0487

SPAN 0490 Latin America in Paris/Paris in Latin America (Spring 2025)

Paris has been central in cultural exchanges with Latin America, as a model of an ideal city, a rejected cipher of coloniality, and a place of encounters. Many Latin American intellectuals and artists, such as Cesar Vallejo and Remedios Varo, lived and created in Paris. Tango became an Argentinean national symbol after having been recognized in the Parisian night scene. In this course we will study phenomena such as these to understand the dynamics of translation and exchange of people and ideas, and their profound impact on both Latin America and Paris. 3 hrs. sem. AAL, AMR, LNG

SPAN 0496 Hispanic Catholic Ascetics, Mystics and Saints (Fall 2024)

What is mortification of the flesh and who is an ascetic? What is sanctity and who is considered holy? What is spiritual marriage and who qualifies as a mystic? In this course we will study chief Spanish (American) Catholic figures of different times and places: Saint John of the Cross (Spain), Saint Teresa of Jesus (Spain), Mary of Jesus of Agreda (Spain), Saint Juan Diego (Mexico), Saint Rose of Lima (Peru), Saint Francis Solanus (Spain-Peru), Saint Óscar Romero (El Salvador), Saint María Antonia de Paz y Figueroa (Argentina). By analyzing their work and ministry, we will understand their sociocultural contexts and explore how religion intersects with issues of evangelization, race and ethnicity, politics and social unrest, and language and identity. CMP, LNG, PHL (L. Castaneda)

SPAN 0500 Independent Study (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

The department will consider requests by qualified juniors and senior majors to engage in independent work. (Approval only)

SPAN 0705 Senior Honors Thesis (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

The department will award honors, high honors, or highest honors on the basis of a student's work in the department and performance in SPAN 0705. (Approval only) (I. Feldman, M. Fernandez, L. Lesta Garcia, E. Garcia, G. Gonzalez Zenteno, L. Castaneda, P. Saldarriaga, M. Rohena-Madrazo, N. Poppe)
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Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Students majoring in mathematics may choose to complete either the standard mathematics major requirements listed below or the Applied Mathematics Track. For more information about applied math at Middlebury, please visit this page.

Required for the Major in Mathematics

The standard mathematics major consists of eleven courses total, at least six of which must be taken at Middlebury College in Vermont:

  • Core courses: MATH 0122, MATH 0200, MATH 0223, MATH 0302, and MATH 0323 (at least one of the latter two to be completed by the end of the junior year)
  • Electives: : five MATH electives at the 0200-level or above. Students may substitute up to two courses with a STAT prefix. One of these can be at the 200 level; the other must be at the 300 level or above.  (Courses listed with both MATH and STAT tags would not count as one of these two substitutions.) 
  • Senior work: A 0700-level MATH seminar in the senior year

For students who matriculated Fall 2023 or earlier: Students can include a post-calculus course sequence of probability (MATH 0310) and either statistical inference (MATH 0311) or stochastic processes (MATH 0410). Completion of one of these designated sequences (0310→0311 or 0310→0410) may be counted in place of MATH302 for the mathematics major requirement.

Note: Students are strongly encouraged to include a proof-based course such as MATH 0241 or MATH 0247 early in their programs. This is especially helpful prior to taking MATH 0302 or MATH 0323. 

Students planning a 3-2 engineering program who wish to major in Mathematics should complete the 700-level senior seminar in their sixth semester at Middlebury. 

Required for the Major in Statistics

Eleven courses total, at least six of which must be taken at Middlebury College in Vermont:

  • Core courses: MATH 0122, MATH 0200, MATH 0223, STAT 0201 or (STAT 0116 and STAT 0118), STAT 0211, MATH/STAT 0310, MATH/STAT 0311;
  • Electives: three STAT electives at the 0200-level or above, one of which must be a Group B elective (MATH 0323, MATH 0410, STAT 0412). Students may substitute one non-Group B STAT elective with any one MATH course at the 0200-level or above.
  • Senior work: A 0700-level STAT seminar in the senior year.

Students who need to start the Calculus sequence with MATH 0121 can reduce the elective count by 1, but still must include an elective at the 0400 level.

Please visit this page for more information about Statistics at Middlebury College.

Required for the Applied Mathematics Track

Students who choose the Applied Math Track within the mathematics major must take a total of eleven courses, at least six of which must be taken at Middlebury College in Vermont:

  • 5 Core courses: MATH 0122, MATH 0200, MATH 0223, MATH 0226, and MATH 0323
  • 2 Required Electives: Students must take one elective from each of the categories below.
          -Computational Elective: Choose one of MATH 0228 or MATH 0328
          -Advanced Differential Equations Elective: Choose one of MATH 0315 or MATH 0326
  • 3 Electives that count towards the mathematics major at the 0200-level or above.
  • Senior work: A 700-level applied mathematics seminar. Current applied mathematics seminars are MATH 0715 and MATH 0728.

Please visit this page for more information about Applied Math at Middlebury College.

Honors

Students who wish to be considered for departmental honors in mathematics must take one additional elective (12 courses total). Honors designations are based on senior work and GPA within the major.

Required for the Minor in Mathematics

Six courses total at least half of which must be taken at Middlebury College in Vermont:

  • MATH 0121
  • MATH 0122
  • MATH 0200
  • Plus three courses at the 0200-level or above

Joint Majors

The Department of Mathematics does not offer a joint major.

There is no minor in Statistics.

Advanced Placement

Advanced placement in the department is offered to first-year students whose secondary training indicates they can commonly bypass one or more of the beginning courses in mathematics.

Majors typically begin their study of mathematics in MATH 0122 or MATH 0200. Mathematics majors who need to begin the study of calculus with MATH 0121 may arrange with their advisors to use this course as one of the required electives. Credits for MATH 0121 and 0122 may be earned through the College Board AP exams or international exams such as the A-Levels or IB. At the discretion of the chair, additional courses may be waived in recognition of exceptional secondary school preparation. However, in all cases the major must include at least seven (7) Middlebury College or approved transfer courses, and the minor must include at least 4. Students who have earned grades on advanced placement calculus exams that are eligible for credit may not register for the equivalent course at Middlebury College.

Thus students who have earned 4 or 5 on the Calculus AB exam or a 3 on the Calculus BC exam may not register for MATH 0121, students who have earned 4 or 5 on the Calculus BC exam may not register for MATH 0121 or MATH 0122. This policy applies irrespective of whether students choose to use their AP credits toward meeting Middlebury’s graduation requirements. The following international credentials carry the same credit as a 4 or 5 on the Calculus BC Exam: A-level exam with a mathematics grade of A, B, or C; or IB Higher Level Mathematics with a grade of 6 or 7.

AP Statistics is not a substitute for any of the introductory statistics courses offered within the Mathematics and Statistics Department at Middlebury.

See more information on Placement.

Other Credits

Because of the wide variation in course offerings at other institutions, students wishing to substitute a course from another college for any course in mathematics must seek approval from the department before registering for the course.

MATH 0121 Calculus I (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Introductory analytic geometry and calculus. Topics include limits, continuity, differential calculus of algebraic and trigonometric functions with applications to curve sketching, optimization problems and related rates, the indefinite and definite integral, area under a curve, and the fundamental theorem of calculus. Inverse functions and the logarithmic and exponential functions are also introduced along with applications to exponential growth and decay. (by waiver) 4 hrs. lect./disc. DED (Fall 2024: R. Morris-Wright, E. Proctor)

MATH 0122 Calculus II (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

A continuation of MATH 0121, may be elected by first-year students who have had an introduction to analytic geometry and calculus in secondary school. Topics include a brief review of natural logarithm and exponential functions, calculus of the elementary transcendental functions, techniques of integration, improper integrals, applications of integrals including problems of finding volumes, infinite series and Taylor's theorem, polar coordinates, ordinary differential equations. 4 hrs. lect/disc. DED (Fall 2024: P. Schumer, M. Olinick)

MATH 0200 Linear Algebra (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Matrices and systems of linear equations, the Euclidean space of three dimensions and other real vector spaces, independence and dimensions, scalar products and orthogonality, linear transformations and matrix representations, eigenvalues and similarity, determinants, the inverse of a matrix and Cramer's rule. (MATH 0121 or equivalent) 3 hrs. lect./disc. DED (Fall 2024: J. Schmitt, R. Morris-Wright, M. Kubacki)

MATH 0223 Multivariable Calculus (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

The calculus of functions of more than one variable. Introductory vector analysis, analytic geometry of three dimensions, partial differentiation, multiple integration, line integrals, elementary vector field theory, and applications. (MATH 0122 and MATH 0200 or by waiver) 3 hrs. lect./disc. DED (Fall 2024: D. Dorman)

MATH 0226 Differential Equations (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

MATH 0226, Differential Equations
This course provides an introduction into ordinary differential equations (ODEs) with an emphasis on linear and nonlinear systems using analytical, qualitative, and numerical techniques. Topics will include separation of variables, integrating factors, eigenvalue method, linearization, bifurcation theory, and numerous applications. In this course, we will introduce MATLAB programming skills and develop them through the semester. (MATH 0122 and MATH 0200 or by waiver) (formerly MATH 0225) 3 hrs. lect./disc.
DED (Fall 2024: M. Kubacki)

MATH 0230 Euclidean and Non-Euclidean Geometries (Spring 2025)

In roughly 300 BCE, Euclid set down his axioms of geometry which subsequently became the standard by which people understood the mathematics of the world around them. In the first half of the 19th century, mathematicians realized, however, that they could remove one of Euclid’s axioms, the one known as the “parallel postulate,” and still produce logically consistent examples of geometries. These new geometries displayed behaviors that were wildly different from Euclidean geometry. In this course we will study examples of these revolutionary non-Euclidean geometries, with a focus on Klein's Erlangen Program, which is a modern way of understanding them. (MATH 0200 or by waiver) 3 hrs. lect. DED

MATH 0247 Graph Theory (Fall 2024)

A graph (or network) is a useful mathematical model when studying a set of discrete objects and the relationships among them. We often represent an object with a vertex (node) and a relation between a pair with an edge (line). With the graph in hand, we then ask questions, such as: Is it connected? Can one traverse each edge precisely once and return to a starting vertex? For a fixed k/, is it possible to “color” the vertices using /k colors so that no two vertices that share an edge receive the same color? More formally, we study the following topics: trees, distance, degree sequences, matchings, connectivity, coloring, and planarity. Proof writing is emphasized. (MATH 0200 or by waiver) 3 hrs. lect./disc. DED (J. Schmitt)

MATH 0302 Abstract Algebra (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Groups, subgroups, Lagrange's theorem, homomorphisms, normal subgroups and quotient groups, rings and ideals, integral domains and fields, the field of quotients of a domain, the ring of polynomials over a domain, Euclidean domains, principal ideal domains, unique factorization, factorization in a polynomial ring. (MATH 0200 or by waiver) 3 hrs. lect./disc. DED (Fall 2024) (Fall 2024: D. Dorman)

MATH 0310 Probability (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

An introduction to the concepts of probability and their applications, covering both discrete and continuous random variables. Probability spaces, elementary combinatorial analysis, densities and distributions, conditional probabilities, independence, expectation, variance, weak law of large numbers, central limit theorem, and numerous applications. (concurrent or prior MATH 0223 or by waiver) 3 hrs. lect./disc. DED (Fall 2024: B. Peterson)
Cross-listed as: STAT 0310

MATH 0315 Mathematical modeling (Fall 2024)

An introduction into the process of developing and interpreting mathematical models within the framework of numerous applications. In this course, we will utilize discrete, continuous, and probabilistic approaches to explore applications such as population dynamics, epidemiology, and neuron activity. Time permitting, we may also introduce the derivation of spatiotemporal models. MATLAB will be used to implement and analyze several of these models. (MATH 0200 and MATH 0225 or MATH 0226, or by instructor approval) 3 hrs. lect./disc CW (9 seats), DED (M. Olinick)

MATH 0323 Real Analysis (Fall 2024)

An axiomatic treatment of the topology of the real line, real analysis, and calculus. Topics include neighborhoods, compactness, limits, continuity, differentiation, Riemann integration, and uniform convergence. (MATH 0223) 3 hrs. lect./disc. DED (S. Abbott)

MATH 0328 Numerical Linear Algebra (Spring 2025)

Numerical linear algebra is the study of algorithms for solving problems such as finding solutions of linear systems and eigenvalues of matrices. Many real-life applications simplify to these scenarios and often involve millions of variables. We will analyze shortcomings of direct methods such as Gaussian Elimination, which theoretically produces the true solution but fails in practical applications. In contrast, iterative methods are often more practical and precise, and continually evolve with changing technology and our understanding of mathematics. Our study will include the First Order Richardson, Steepest Descent, and Conjugate Gradient algorithms for linear systems, and the power method for eigenvalue problems. (MATH 0200) 3 hrs. lect. CW, DED

MATH 0410 Stochastic Processes (Spring 2025)

Stochastic processes are mathematical models for random phenomena evolving in time or space. This course will introduce important examples of such models, including random walk, branching processes, the Poisson process and Brownian motion. The theory of Markov chains in discrete and continuous time will be developed as a unifying theme. Depending on time available and interests of the class, applications will be selected from the following areas: queuing systems, mathematical finance (Black-Scholes options pricing), probabilistic algorithms, and Monte Carlo simulation. (MATH 0310) 3 hrs. lect./disc. DED
Cross-listed as: STAT 0410

MATH 0500 Advanced Study (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Individual study for qualified students in more advanced topics in algebra, number theory, real or complex analysis, topology. Particularly suited for those who enter with advanced standing. (Approval required) 3 hrs. lect./disc.

MATH 0705 Quadratic Number Fields (Spring 2025)

In this senior seminar we will explore the algebra and arithmetic of quadratic extensions of the rational numbers. We will study the rings of integers in these extensions, the structure of the unit group in these rings and unique factorization of ideals in Dedekind domains. We will investigate fractional ideals, splitting of primes, the class group and the finiteness of the class number. Some of the ideas and topics introduced are methods, p-adic methods, cyclotomic theory, Dirichlet’s Units Theorem, Quadratic and Biquadratic Reciprocity and quadratic forms. Using these ideas as a springboard students will investigate a topic of their choosing and write their thesis. DED

MATH 0710 Advanced Probability Seminar (Fall 2024)

An introduction to the mathematical foundations of Probability for students who have completed work in Probability and Real Analysis. The central ideas correspond to the Lebesgue theory of measure and integration. Probability provides additional perspective and motivates intriguing applications of the theory, which students will explore in their final projects. Working independently and in small groups, students will gain experience reading advanced sources and communicating their insights through expository writing and oral presentations. This course fulfills the capstone senior work requirement for the mathematics major. (MATH 310 and MATH 323) (B. Peterson)
Cross-listed as: STAT 0710

STAT 0116 Intro to Statistical Science (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Introduction to Statistical Science (formerly MATH 0116)
A practical introduction to statistical methods and the examination of data sets. Computer software will play a central role in analyzing a variety of real data sets from the natural and social sciences. Topics include descriptive statistics, elementary distributions for data, hypothesis tests, confidence intervals, correlation, regression, contingency tables, and analysis of variance. The course has no formal mathematics prerequisite, and is especially suited to students in the physical, social, environmental, and life sciences who seek an applied orientation to data analysis. (Credit is not given for MATH 0116 if the student has taken ECON 0111 (formerly ECON 0210) or PSYC 0201 previously or concurrently.) 3 hrs. lect./1 hr. computer lab.
DED
Cross-listed as: STAT 0201 BIOL 0211

STAT 0118 Introduction to Data Science (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Introduction to Data Science (formerly MATH 0118)
In this course students will gain exposure to the entire data science pipeline: forming a statistical question, collecting and cleaning data sets, performing exploratory data analyses, identifying appropriate statistical techniques, and communicating the results, all the while leaning heavily on open source computational tools, in particular the R statistical software language. We will focus on analyzing real, messy, and large data sets, requiring the use of advanced data manipulation/wrangling and data visualization packages. Students will be required to bring alaptop (owned or college-loaned) to class as many lectures will involve in-class computational activities. (formerly MATH 0216) 3 hrs lect./disc. (Not open to students who have taken BIOL 1230, ECON 1230, ENVS 1230, FMMC 1230, HARC 1230, JAPN 1230, LNGT 1230, NSCI 1230, MATH 1230, SOCI 1230, LNGT 1230, PSCI 1230, WRPR 1230, or GEOG 1230.)
DED (Fall 2024: E. Malcolm-White)
Cross-listed as: STAT 0201

STAT 0201 Advanced Introduction to Statistical and Data Sciences (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

An introduction to statistical methods and the examination of data sets for students with a background in calculus. Topics include descriptive statistics, elementary distributions for data, hypothesis tests, confidence intervals, and regression. Students develop skills in data cleaning, wrangling, visualization, and model fitting using the Statistical Software R. Emphasis will be placed on reproducibility. (MATH 0121 or APAB 4 or APBC 3, or by waiver) (Not open to students who have taken MATH 0116, MATH 0118, ECON 0111 (formerly ECON 0210), PSYC 0201, STAT 0116, STAT 0118, BIOL 1230, ECON 1230, ENVS 1230, FMMC 1230, HARC 1230, JAPN 1230, LNGT 1230, NSCI 1230, MATH 1230, SOCI 1230, LNGT 1230, PSCI 1230, WRPR 1230, or GEOG 1230.) DED (Fall 2024: B. Tang)

STAT 0211 Regression (Fall 2024)

Regression Theory and Applications (formerly MATH 0211)
Regression is a popular statistical technique for making predictions and for modeling relationships between variables. In this course we will discuss the theory and practical applications of linear, log-linear, and logistic regression models. Topics include least squares estimation, coding for categorical predictors, analysis of variance, and model diagnostics. We will apply these concepts to real datasets using R, a statistical programming language. (MATH 0200; and MATH 0116 or STAT 0116, or STAT 0201 or MATH 0311 or STAT 0311) (Not open to students who have taken ECON 0211) 3 hrs lect./disc.
DED (E. Malcolm-White)

STAT 0218 Statistical Learning (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Statistical Learning (formerly MATH 0218)
This course is an introduction to modern statistical, machine learning, and computational methods to analyze large and complex data sets that arise in a variety of fields, from biology to economics to astrophysics. The theoretical underpinnings of the most important modeling and predictive methods will be covered, including regression, classification, clustering, resampling, and tree-based methods. Student work will involve implementation of these concepts using open-source computational tools. (MATH 0118, or MATH 0216, or BIOL 1230, or ECON 1230, or ENVS 1230, or FMMC 1230, or HARC 1230, or JAPN 1230, or LNGT 1230, or NSCI 1230, or MATH 1230 or SOCI 1230) 3 hrs. lect./disc.
DED (Fall 2024: A. Lyford)

STAT 0219 Time Series Analysis (Fall 2024)

An introduction to statistical methods for time series analysis for students with a background in statistics. Topics include time series regression, auto-regressive models, moving average models, and ARIMA models, with an emphasis on estimation and forecasting with real data applications. Students will develop skills visualizing and summarizing serially correlated data structures and fitting time series models in various statistical software packages, including R and Julia. (STAT 116 or STAT 201 and MATH 0200 concurrently, or by waiver.) DED

STAT 0310 Probability (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

An introduction to the concepts of probability and their applications, covering both discrete and continuous random variables. Probability spaces, elementary combinatorial analysis, densities and distributions, conditional probabilities, independence, expectation, variance, weak law of large numbers, central limit theorem, and numerous applications. (concurrent or prior MATH 0223 or by waiver) 3 hrs. lect./disc. DED (Fall 2024) (Fall 2024: B. Peterson)
Cross-listed as: MATH 0310 *

STAT 0311 Statistical Inference (Spring 2025)

An introduction to the mathematical methods and applications of statistical inference using both classical methods and modern resampling techniques. Topics will include: permutation tests, parametric and nonparametric problems, estimation, efficiency and the Neyman-Pearsons lemma. Classical tests within the normal theory such as F-test, t-test, and chi-square test will also be considered. Methods of linear least squares are used for the study of analysis of variance and regression. There will be some emphasis on applications to other disciplines. This course is taught using R. (MATH 0310) 3 hrs. lect./disc. DED

STAT 0500 Independent Study (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Individual study for qualified students in more advanced topics in statistics. Particularly suited for those who enter with advanced standing. (Approval required) 3 hrs. lect./disc.
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Middlebury Institute Courses

MIIS 8503 Science & Technology for NPTS (Fall 2024)

This course provides students with a solid foundation in scientific and technical fundamentals critical to nonproliferation and terrorism policy analysis. Such policy analyses often require strong foundational knowledge of basic scientific and technical concepts in order to understand, create, and inform policy decisions. The course begins with an introduction to science and the scientific method and then evolves into the three main areas: biological weapons, chemical weapons, nuclear weapons and relevant technologies. Topics covered in the biological component include fundamental concepts related to microorganisms, DNA, RNA, proteins, and processes of infection and disease. Topics covered in the chemistry component include fundamental concepts related to atomic structure and the periodic table, chemical structural representations, functional groups, reactivity, toxicity, as well as modern separation, purification and analytic techniques commonly used for chemical species. Applications of the fundamental concepts in the first two topics are further developed in relation to features of chemical and biological weapons and warfare, including agents, delivery methods and effects. Topics covered in the nuclear component part of the course includes radioactivity, uranium, nuclear weapons, radiation detection instrumentation and applications, environmental plumes, and various instrumentation and analysis techniques. Upon completion of this course students will have a deeper appreciation for the debate on various verification solutions that have been proposed for compliance under the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC), Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and nuclear treaties. (Open to Juniors and Seniors only) The dates of this course are SEPTEMBER 6 through DECEMBER 16.

MIIS 8504 Intro to WMD Nonproliferation (Fall 2024)

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the issues surrounding the proliferation of nuclear, biological, chemical, and radiological (NBCR) weapons and their means of delivery, the consequences of proliferation, and means to stem it or ameliorate its dangers, including:
• Nuclear, biological, chemical, and radiological weapons technologies
• Means of delivery, including ballistic and cruise missile technology
• Alternative perspectives on the dangers of proliferation and the utility of the term “weapons of mass destruction” (WMD)
• Factors affecting why states do or don’t pursue and obtain nuclear, biological, chemical, and radiological weapons and their means of delivery
• Potential and actual non-state actor pursuit, acquisition, and use of NBCR weapons
• Profiles of key countries and their NBCR programs and policies
• Deterrence vis-à-vis states and non-state actors
• Counterproliferation, including the possible use of force
• The nuclear nonproliferation regime, including the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards system
• The Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC)
• The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC)
• Missile control regimes and other export control arrangements
• Cooperative threat reduction and various post-9/11 initiatives

(Open to Juniors and Seniors only) The dates of this course are SEPTEMBER 6 through DECEMBER 16. Registering for this course signals your interest in taking the course.

MIIS 8505 Introduction to Terrorism (Fall 2024)

This course is designed to provide a critical introduction to the subject of terrorism, an often misunderstood phenomenon that has assumed a particular salience in the wake of 9/11. Its aim is to clarify fundamental definitional and conceptual problems, introduce students to the burgeoning literature on the subject, describe basic terrorist organizational and operational methods, survey a wide range of terrorist groups and ideologies, examine certain high-profile terrorism themes, and tentatively assess the nature of the threat posed by terrorists to global security in the future. (Open to Juniors and Seniors only) The dates of this course are SEPTEMBER 6 through DECEMBER 16. Registering for this course signals your interest in taking the course.
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Molecular Biology & Biochemistry

Required for the Major

The requirements for the major in molecular biology and biochemistry provide a multidisciplinary yet integrated approach to examining life at the macromolecular, cellular, and organismal levels. The major is composed of 15 required courses including foundation courses, advanced courses, and four electives selected among three thematic suites. Required foundation courses in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology establish a strong, broad understanding of the science necessary for advanced study. Required advanced courses in the core areas of molecular biology and biochemistry build on this foundation. Finally, elective courses offer advanced opportunities to explore a wide variety of specific topics including neurobiology, developmental biology, computational biology, data science, molecular genetics, and biochemical mechanisms. Students may engage in mentored independent research in these areas.

To declare the MBBC major, complete a major declaration form and forward it along with the names of three MBBC faculty affiliates who could serve as your academic advisor to Grace Spatafora at spatafor@middlebury.edu. The MBBC Director will work with you to identify who will serve as your academic advisor. Feel free to reach out to the MBBC faculty with questions.

Required Background Courses

A single course may not fulfill more than one requirement.

  • PHYS 0108 Physics in Motion or PHYS 0109 Introductory Mechanics
  • BIOL 0140 Ecology and Evolution
  • BIOL 0145 Cell Biology and Genetics
  • BIOL 0211 Experimental Design and Data Analysis or STAT 116 Introduction to Statistical Science or STAT 0201 Advanced Introduction to Statistical and Data Science
  • CHEM 0103 Gen. Chemistry I and CHEM 0104 Gen. Chemistry II or CHEM 0107 Adv. Gen. Chemistry
  • CHEM 0203 Organic Chemistry I: Structure and Reactivity
  • CHEM 0204 Organic Chemistry II: Synthesis and Spectroscopy

Required Advanced Courses

A single course may not fulfill more than one requirement.

  • BIOL 0314 Molecular Genetics
  • CHEM 0322 Biochemistry of Macromolecules

Required Elective Suite Courses

A list of appropriate electives is provided within each suite. However, not all listed courses are offered every year. Also, as other appropriate courses may become available on campus, there may be additional course options within each suite. Majors will be kept informed of currently available courses that fit within the two elective suites below. 

1. Quantitative Suite (students must take 2 classes in this suite)

  • CHEM 0355 Thermodynamics and Kinetics*
  • CSCI 0201 Data Structures*
  • CSCI 0321 Bioinformatics Algorithms*
  • MATH 0200 Linear Algebra
  • MATH 0223 Multivariable Calculus*
  • STAT 0118 Introduction to Data Science or XXXX 1230 Data Science Across Disciplines    

2. Advanced Elective Suite (students must take a total of 3 distinct classes in this suite, one of which must be a laboratory course. A semester of independent research qualifies as a laboratory course - ie. BIOL 0500-0701, NSCI 0500-0701, or MBBC 0500-0701.)

  • BIOL 0225 Human Genetics
  • BIOL 0280 Immunology
  • BIOL 0305 Developmental Biology
  • BIOL 0310 Microbiology
  • BIOL 0324 Genomics
  • BIOL 0330 Mechanisms of Microbial Pathogenesis
  • BIOL 0331 The Genetics of Cancer
  • BIOL 0333 Receptor Biology
  • BIOL 0350 Endocrinology
  • BIOL 0365 Molecular Microbial Ecology
  • BIOL 0449 Extremophiles: conquering Earth’s Extreme Environments
  • BIOL 0450 Topics in Reproductive Medicine
  • BIOL 0475 Neuroplasticity
  • CHEM 0303 Chemical Biology
  • CHEM 0355 Thermodynamics and Kinetics*
  • CHEM 0425 Biochemistry of Metabolism
  • CSCI 0321 Bioinformatics Algorithms*
  • NSCI 0235 Mighty Mitochondria
  • BIOL, CHEM, NSCI, or MBBC 0500-0701 Independent Research
  • PHYS 0241 Biomedical Imaging*

*Courses with pre-requisites other than courses already required for the MBBC major (or by waiver for some).

There is no minor in molecular biology and biochemistry.

Prospective students are encouraged to begin the Introductory Chemistry and Introductory Biology sequences and Mathematics during their first three semesters at Middlebury. CHEM 0204 may be taken either concurrently with CHEM 0322, or afterwards. BIOL 0331, BIOL 0333 or BIOL 0310 are examples of courses with sections that fulfill the CW requirement.

Placement

Students may be able to bypass introductory courses in chemistry on the basis of AP credit or proficiency exams. Those who bypass CHEM 0103 may begin with CHEM 0104 (fall or spring) or CHEM 0107 (fall only). AP Physics credit will satisfy the physics requirement (PHYS 0109).

AP Statistics will not satisfy the statistics requirement. Students with AP Statistics credit will be required to enroll in BIOL 0211 or MATH 0116. AP Calculus, IB or A-level Mathematics exams, bypass exams, or any pre-college course in calculus cannot be used to satisfy electives in the Quantitative Suite. Students will need to enroll in courses at Middlebury to satisfy this requirement. Student placement in math classes at the College is decided by the Math Department based on either scores on advanced placement exams or review of high school records.

Some graduate schools may require two semesters each of mathematics and physics. Students interested in the health professions can learn more about the pre-health requirements by reaching out to the health professions team for individual support.

Study Abroad and Transfer Credits

Students who consider taking summer courses or courses abroad must consult with their advisor about the process of transferring credit from another institution. With approval of the Program Director, transferred credits may count towards the major requirements. 

Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Research

Research is an important component of a well-rounded academic pursuit; it contributes to the development of independence and creativity, as well as to the depth of knowledge needed to become an active contributor to the scientific community. Majors may undertake independent research with a faculty mentor in MBBC or in other Departments and Programs, provided the research falls within the mission of the major. Any major is eligible to perform an independent study research project (BIOL 0500, CHEM 0500, NSCI 0500, or BIOL/CHEM/NSCI/MBBC 0700) with the consent of a mentor.

Requirements for Honors

Senior thesis research may be initiated by any junior with the consent of a mentor. Students considering senior thesis research are urged to begin conversations with faculty early in their junior year (certainly by winter term) because many thesis projects begin during the summer preceding the senior year. Those eligible for honors or high honors in molecular biology and biochemistry will: (1) complete at least two semesters of research, which may include winter term; (2) enroll in MBBC 0701 for their final semester of research; (3) graduate with a minimum GPA of 3.3 for all courses counting towards the major; (4) present a public seminar describing the significance, methodology, results, and conclusions of their research; (5) successfully defend their thesis before a committee of three faculty, two of whom must be affiliated with the MBBC program; and (6) earn a grade of at least B+ for MBBC 0701, as determined by the members of the MBBC program, with the grade based on their research performance, their written thesis, their thesis presentation and their thesis defense.

MBBC 0500 Independent Research (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

This course is for non-seniors wishing to conduct independent research in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Additional requirements include attendance at all MBBC-sponsored seminars and seminars sponsored by the faculty mentor’s department, and participation in any scheduled meetings and disciplinary sub-groups and lab groups. (Approval required).

MBBC 0700 Senior Independent Research (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

Seniors conducting independent research in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry under the guidance of a faculty mentor should register for MBBC 0700 unless they are completing a thesis project (in which case they should register for MBBC 0701). Additional requirements include attendance at all MBBC-sponsored seminars and seminars sponsored by the faculty mentor’s department, and participation in any scheduled meetings and disciplinary sub-groups and lab groups. (Approval required).

MBBC 0701 Senior Thesis (Fall 2024, Spring 2025)

This course is for seniors completing independent thesis research in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry that was initiated in BIOL 0500, CHEM 0400, MBBC 0500, or MBBC 0700. Students will attend weekly meetings with their designated research group and engage in one-on-one meetings with their research mentor to foster understanding in their specialized research area. Students will also practice the stylistic and technical aspects of scientific writing needed to write their thesis. (BIOL 0500, CHEM 0400, MBBC 0500, MBBC 0700) (Approval required).
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Department of Music

Required for the Major

For students who matriculate Fall 2024 or later:
Seven required Music courses (including MUSC 0160 or passing placement test score.)
• MUSC 0101
• MUSC 0160 OR passing placement test score
• MUSC 0209 
• MUSC 0260 
• MUSC 0261 
• MUSC 0333 
• MUSC 0334 
• One performance course at the 0200-level or above (MUSC 0205 counts)
• Two electives at the 0200-level or above
• MUSC 0400 (0101, 0209, 0260, 0261, 0333, and 0334 taken prior)
• MUSC 0704 (senior work) is not a core requirement, but it is required for departmental honors
  eligibility. Additionally, joint majors are required to take MUSC 0704 but not MUSC 0400, one
  performance course at the 0200-level or above (MUSC 0205 counts), and one elective at the 0200-
  level or above.

For students who matriculated prior to Fall 2024:
Majors are required to take MUSC 0101; MUSC 0209; MUSC 0260-0261; MUSC 0333; MUSC 0334; a performance elective such as MUSC 0240, 0243, 0244, or 0500; two 0200-level or above elective music courses; and MUSC 0400 senior seminar.

Demonstrated proficiencies

Music majors will be required to demonstrate basic piano and sight-singing proficiencies in the semester at the end of Theory II (MUSC 0260). If preparation is needed, music majors are required to take a semester of  keyboard harmony, arranged through the music office.

In addition to the curricular requirements, majors are required to participate for three semesters in at least one departmentally-approved ensemble: African Music and Dance Ensemble, Afropop Ensemble, Middlebury College Orchestra, Middlebury College Choir, Middlebury College Community Chorus, The Sound Investment Jazz Ensemble, or Middlebury Community Wind Ensemble.

Required for the Joint Major

Joint Majors are required to take MUSC 0101; MUSC 0260-0261; MUSC 0333; MUSC 0334; two 0200-level or above elective music courses; and MUSC 0704 (senior work that combines both majors and is agreed upon by the advisers and department or program chair)

Required for the Minor

Students who pursue the minor in music are required to complete five music courses, two of which may be general introductory courses (0100 level) and three other courses at the 0200-0400 levels.

Music Theory Placement Exam

Students may test into MUSC 0209 (Composition I) and MUSC 0260 (Music Theory II) by taking a placement exam rather than taking the pre-requisite MUSC 0160 (Theory I). Incoming students must take the placement exam before classes begin and only at the designated time at orientation. Current students must send an email to Professor Matthew Taylor at matthewt@middlebury.edu to schedule the exam. Note: Placement tests should be arranged by November 1, and April 1, for the following semesters.

Departmental Honors

Departmental honors in music reflect a student’s overall achievement in and contribution to the department, as well as demonstrated excellence in MUSC 0704 (Senior Work). To take MUSC 0704, students must have at least B+ grade average in music courses; and must submit a proposal for senior work (of one or two semesters in length) by April 1 of the junior year. Of note: MUSC 0704 (Senior Work) does not count as a course toward fulfillment of the music major. Grade averages of B+ in senior work and B+ in departmental courses will be eligible for honors; A- in senior work and A- in departmental courses wil