Cos2018 2019
Cos2018 2019
Cos2018 2019
Course
of Study
2018–2019
Art.................................................................................... 7 Psychology.................................................................... 73
PLEASE NOTE: The information that follows is accurate as of this 8/1/18 update.
Phillips Academy reserves the right to make subsequent changes.
Diploma Requirements
The basic diploma requirement is the satisfactory completion of a four-year secondary school program, with the senior year at Andover. The
student must be in good standing (not on probation or under suspension) at the time of graduation. A student who has been dismissed is
ineligible for a diploma unless readmitted.
To be eligible for a diploma, all students must satisfy the Department of Physical Education’s swimming requirement. Certain diploma
requirements vary with the class level at which the student enters Phillips Academy. Entering Juniors and Lowers must pass Physical
Education 200 and a one-term course offered by the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies (usually taken in the lower year).
Some modifications of the language requirement are made for entering Uppers and Seniors. Entering Seniors with no previous world lan-
guage experience must pass one year in a world language.
Students are subject to the following diploma requirements in the visual and performing arts:
• Entering Juniors must earn no fewer than four credits (combined) in art, music, and theatre and dance, with at least one credit each in
art and music. Students should have completed one credit in art and one credit in music by the end of their junior year.
• Entering Lowers must earn no fewer than three credits (combined) in art, music, and theatre and dance, with at least one credit each in
art and music.
• Entering Uppers need to pass one term of either art or music at the Academy.
Additional details about the manner in which these requirements are to be fulfilled can be found in the opening descriptions of the departments.
Term credits required for the diploma (including credits earned prior to enrolling at Andover) are:
54 for entering Juniors
51 for entering Lowers
48 for entering Uppers
48 for entering Seniors
During their upper and senior years, students must accumulate a minimum of 27 term credits, with a minimum of 12 graded term credits
during senior year. Approved Independent Projects are counted as graded courses.
Art, Music, 1 art, 1 music, plus 1 art, 1 music, and 1 art or 1 music None
Theatre & Dance 2 more of art, music, 1 more art, music,
and/or theatre and dance or theatre and dance
English English 100, 200, and 300 English 200 and 300 English 301 and 3 terms 3 terms***
at 500-level
World Languages Completion of 3 terms of Completion of 3 terms of Completion of 3 terms of If student does not have
300-level through the 300-level through the 300-level or 1 term of three years of language
regular or accelerated regular or accelerated 400-level or completion of previously a 3-term sequence
sequence OR 6 terms of sequence OR 6 terms of 6 terms of a new world
less commonly taught plus less commonly taught plus language (following
3 terms of other language* 3 terms of other language* successful student petition)
OR 3 terms of less OR 3 terms of less
commonly taught plus 6 commonly taught plus 6
terms of other language.* terms of other language.*
History & History 100A and 100B History 201 in 10th grade History 300** If no prior credit for
Social Science in 9th grade, History 201 and History 300 U.S. history, then 1 year:
and 202 in 10th grade, History 300 or 320
and History 300 plus an additional term
Lab Science Two 3-term lab sciences Two 3-term lab sciences Two 3-term lab sciences Two 3-term lab sciences
(including yearlong (including yearlong (including yearlong
lab sciences taken at lab sciences taken at lab sciences taken at
previous high school) previous high school) previous high school)
Physical Education 1 term (10th grade) 1 term (10th grade) Pass swim test Pass swim test
*The other language may also be less commonly taught. Students must have the division head’s approval to pursue the 2 + 1 option.
**If given credit by the department chair for a U.S. history course taken previously, then three terms must be taken of other courses in the department.
***One-year international students must take English 498 and 499, and most PGs must take one term of English 495.
Junior Year
When planning a program of study, students are reminded to include all diploma requirement courses.
Each term a Junior must take five or six courses. A Junior’s program typically will include the following courses:
Arts Introductory Art (ART225) and Introductory Music (by placement) (2 terms)
In addition, many Juniors will take one or two additional courses in the arts (art, music, or theatre and
dance) or elective courses in other departments.
English ENG100 (3 terms)
Mathematics Enter the sequence by placement of the department and take 3 terms
Science Most students take BIO100; students placing in MTH280 or higher may
wish to consider other sciences. (3 terms)
World Language Enter the sequence by placement of the department (often at 100-level), and take 3 terms
Most Juniors take six courses two of their three terms, often completing three courses in the arts.
Lower Year
Each term a Lower may take five or six courses. (See the The Blue Book for the policy on six-course loads.) Most Lowers take six courses
during the term they take Physical Education.
A Lower’s program typically will include the following courses:
New Students
Arts A 300-level art course or a theatre and dance course (1 term)
Introductory music, by placement (1 term)
English ENG200 (3 terms)
Returning Students
English ENG200 (3 terms)
History HSS201 and HSS202 (2 terms)
In addition, some Lowers will take additional courses in the arts (art, music, or theatre and dance) or elective courses in other departments.
Lowers seeking alternate programs of study (e.g., two languages, two sciences) should consult with the Dean of Studies Office.
Science or other elective Art, computer science, history, another mathematics, another language, music,
philosophy and religious studies, theatre/dance, or interdisciplinary (3 terms, typically)
New Uppers may consult with our college counseling office prior to arriving on campus for guidance in planning their program of study.
Returning Students
English ENG300 (3 terms)
History Usually HSS300. This may be taken senior year. (3 terms)
Science or other elective art, computer science, history, another mathematics, another language, music,
philosophy and religious studies, theatre/dance, or interdisciplinary (3 terms, typically)
Senior Year
Seniors are expected to take five courses each term. (Occasionally it is appropriate for a Senior to take four or six courses; see The Blue Book
for policies on four- and six-course loads.)
During the Upper and Senior years, a student must accumulate a minimum of 27 credits. A credit equals one course taken for one term. A
Senior must earn a minimum of 12 graded term credits during the senior year. Seniors must have passing term grades for all courses taken
during their spring term in order to graduate. New students, including international students, should pay particular attention to the intro-
ductory paragraphs for the English and history sections of this document.
A Senior’s program typically includes the following courses:
New Students
English As placed by the department (3 terms)
Mathematics Enter the sequence by placement of the department (3 terms)
World Language Enter the sequence by placement of the department if the requirement is not yet satisfied (3 terms)
Other Courses In addition, new Seniors typically take courses in art, computer science, another English or
history, mathematics, music, philosophy and religious studies, science, classics, or theatre/dance
Returning Students
Returning Seniors must be sure to take any remaining courses needed to meet diploma requirements. Careful selection of electives for con-
tinued depth in the student’s chosen areas is encouraged. Two-year students must take English electives at the 500 level each term.
Course Numbers
The first digit corresponds to the “level” of the course:
• Level 1 = 100; for courses that introduce a subject (SPA100) or that are typically taken by Juniors (BIO100, ENG100)
• Level 2 = 200; for courses that are the second level in a sequence (SPA200) or courses that are typically taken by Lowers or Juniors
(ART225, HSS201)
• Level 3 = 300; for courses that are the third level in a sequence (SPA300), or for courses that are appropriate for Uppers (ENG300) or for
Juniors, Lowers, and Uppers (PHR300, CHM300), or for courses with assumed prior experience (ART3XX)
• Level 4 = 400; for courses that are the fourth level in a sequence, or for courses that are appropriate for Uppers and Seniors (but do not
qualify for the 500 of 600 designations)
• Level 5 = 500; for courses equivalent to college freshman classes, sometimes, but not always, indicated by explicit preparation for an
AP exam
• Level 6 = 600; for courses that would typically be taken by majors in the subject in college, or for courses typically taken after the first
year of college
• Performance-based credit = 900; for course credit associated with performance in music or theatre and dance.
The second and third digits, and any appended letters, reflect organization schemes at the departmental level.
Visual Studies
ART225
(T1, T2, T3)
For Juniors. Visual Studies focuses on artistic thinking, visual vocabulary, visual literacy, and the relationship of making and thinking. Why
do humans create? And how? Projects, discussions, and visits to the Addison Gallery of American Art and Peabody Museum of Archaeology
focus students on their own creative work and what they perceive in the world around them. Students use a range of media (such as
drawing, collage, photography, video, or clay) to expand their perceptual, conceptual, and technical skills, and develop the visual language
needed to communicate their experiences and ideas. Juniors who complete ART225 are eligible to take any of the 300-level art electives.
300-Level Electives
Students who have successfully completed a 300-level elective are eligible to take other 300-level electives or the corresponding 500-level
elective.
Architecture I
ART301
(T1, T3)
This course will introduce the basic principles of architectural design through a sequence of related projects in drawing, site analysis, and
research into precedent, culminating in the design of a space or structure. The design projects will change from Term 1 to Term 3 and will
address architectural design in different contexts so that a student wishing to continue with architecture at the 500-level can work with a
variety of design issues. With hands-on sketches, drawings, and models, students will explore the issues of a well-planned structure and learn
to see the environment in terms of human scale, materials, and the organization of space. Class time will include discussions and demon-
strations as well as studio time. There will be a required evening lab. Students often find that this class requires more than the usual amount
of homework time. Students who complete ART301 are eligible to take other 300-level art electives or ART501. (Mr. Lawson)
Prerequisite: Juniors must have completed ART225.
400-Level Electives
Architecture II
ART501
(T1, T3)
ART501 is designed as a continuation of ART301 for students who wish to develop and further expand their ideas. The sequence of proj-
ects throughout Term 1 and Term 3 is designed to allow a student to study a range of architectural issues by addressing different contexts—
a natural setting (Term 1) and an urban context (Term 3). After taking ART501 once, and in consultation with the instructor, students
can develop a term-long project that includes research and analysis as well as a developed design that they choose independent of the class
assignment. This course also will offer the possibility of developing a multidisciplinary project in coordination with work in another class.
ART501 meets in conjunction with students from ART301 and can be taken more than once. (Mr. Lawson)
Prerequisite: ART301
Ceramics II
ART502
(T3)
This course is designed for students who have completed Clay and The Ancestral Pot (ART302) and wish to continue their study of ceramics.
As an advanced course, students will be asked to expand on their existing knowledge of ceramics, strengthen their technical skills, and seek
sophisticated solutions to given assignments. In addition to their own work in the studio, students can expect to pursue some research and
inquiry into the work of contemporary ceramic artists. Outside reading and visits to the Peabody Museum of Archaeology also will be a part
of the course. This class can be taken more than once. (Mr. Zaeder)
Prerequisite: ART302
600-Level Elective
ART600 is open to Uppers and Seniors in all art media who have taken at least three art classes and are interested in self-directed projects.
Required Courses
An Introduction to English
ENG100A
ENG100B
ENG100C
(T1, T2, T3) (THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
ENG100 provides an introduction to the study of language and literature at Andover. In this junior course, which cultivates the same skills
and effects pursued throughout the English curriculum, students begin to understand the rich relationships among reading, thinking, and
writing.
ENG100 assents to Helen Vendler’s notion that “every good writer was a good reader first.” Accordingly, ENG100 students work to develop
their ability to read closely, actively, and imaginatively. They study not only what a text means, but also how it produces meaning. They seek
to make connections as they read—perhaps at first only connections between themselves and the text, but eventually connections within the
text and between texts as well. All the while, however, ENG100 students revel in the beauty, humor, and wisdom of the literature. During
the three terms, ENG100 students read literature of various genres and periods. For their syllabi, teachers turn to a great many authors.
ENG100 students practice several types of writing, primarily in response to what they read. They write at times in narrative, expressive, and
creative modes, but their efforts focus more and more on critical analysis. They learn to conceive of writing as a craft to be practiced and as
a process to be followed. Through frequent assignments, both formal and informal, ENG100 students come to value writing as a means of
making sense of what they read and think. Attending carefully to their writing at the levels of the sentence, paragraph, and full essay, they
learn to appreciate the power of the written critical argument. Although their work is substantially assessed throughout the year, ENG100
students do not receive grades during the Term 1. At the end of the term, their report cards will indicate “Pass” or “Fail.”
Lively, purposeful class discussions reinforce the lessons of reading and writing and often leave students with especially fond memories of
their ENG100 experience. The course prepares our youngest students well for the further challenges of their education at Andover.
Elective Courses
The course offerings in English culminate in a rich variety of advanced 500-level electives. They are open to students who have successfully
completed ENG300, 301, 495, 498, or 499 as well as to select Uppers who, with the permission of the department chair, may enroll in an
elective concurrently with Term 2 and/or Term 3 of ENG300 or 301, when space permits.
Writing Courses
Creative Nonfiction
ENG501CN
(T2)
Contemporary nonfiction author Terry Tempest Williams once said, “I write to discover. I write to uncover.” In this course, we will consider
the ways that creative nonfiction bridges the gaps between discovering and uncovering—that is, between looking forward and looking back,
between imagination and fact, and between invention and memory. This workshop-centered writing course is open to all students interested
in improving their craft, recognizing and amplifying their unique writing voice, and pushing creative boundaries.
ENG501CN, Term 2—Students will explore the art of essay writing by working in a number of rhetorical modes. Possibilities include the
personal essay, the analytical essay, the lyric essay, the review, the profile, and the feature. Writing assignments will be frequent and will con-
stitute the bulk of the coursework. Short readings will include models selected from an anthology of contemporary work. (Ms. McQuade)
Genre Courses
Media Studies
ENG511MS (may be taken as an English or Interdisciplinary course; official course number is INT530MS1)
ENG512MS (may be taken as an English or Interdisciplinary course; official course number is INT530MS2)
ENG513MS (may be taken as an English or Interdisciplinary course; official course number is INT530MS3)
(T1, T2, T3)
One credit assigned each term in English or Interdisciplinary. Working from the premise that all messages are constructed, we will
examine the forces (explicit and subtle) that inform those constructions as well as the ways in which our daily and multiple interactions
with various media determine our sense of self, identity, truth, and desire. Students will read a range of media studies theory and then put
those theories into practice by examining the language, images, narratives, and truth we encounter in news sources, advertising, television,
politics, sports, and other cultural representations. Students will be expected to write every week. Term 1 will focus on the production and
consumption of commercial news media, the indeterminate lines between news and entertainment, and the importance of branding and
advertising. Terms 2 and 3 will look at contemporary television shows, examining questions of narrative, character, and identity; current
critical writing about TV; important aspects of TV production; and thematic treatment of topics such as nostalgia, heroism, or family.
This course does not currently meet requirements for NCAA eligibility.
Journalism
ENG514JO
(T1)
This course on print journalism recognizes the challenges all journalists face in their efforts to be fair and also accurate as they struggle to
gather information and churn out lively copy under deadline pressure. The course is designed to teach essential journalistic judgment, skills
for gathering and verifying news, and interviewing and writing techniques. Students will receive weekly assignments on deadline for news
articles, feature stories, and opinion pieces, and will supplement this skills work with readings on the First Amendment, media ethics, and
the law. We also will discuss the current radical transformation of newspapers in the digital age. Texts for the course are Journalism 101,
by Nina Scott, and excerpts from The Elements of Journalism, by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel, as well as daily newspapers. Films will
include Absence of Malice, All the President’s Men, The Year of Living Dangerously, and Welcome to Sarajevo. (Ms. Scott)
Interdisciplinary Studies
What Is Critique?
ENG530WC (may be taken as an English or Interdisciplinary course; official course number is INT512WC)
(T1)
One credit assigned in English or Interdisciplinary. This interdisciplinary course is a survey of questions and ideas about art, literature, and
society—their natures, their functions, their meanings, and their values. What about a work makes it look like it looks or read like it reads?
What gives a work meaning, and how does it do so? What makes a work good, and how do we justify it as such? What are the consequences
of judging some works good and others not, of inclusion and exclusion? Who gets to judge—historically, white men—and how do those
judgments establish and reflect the norms and values of societies as a whole? How might we understand and assess “critique” itself as form
of empowerment against injustice (as in Michel Foucault’s estimation, an “instrument for those who fight, resist, and who no longer want
what is”)?
To address these questions and others, we will read the works of many challenging theorists, including Walter Benjamin, Judith Butler,
Jacques Derrida, Sigmund Freud, Henry Louis Gates, bell hooks, Nanette Salomon, and Kathi Weeks, among others—and we will apply
their thinking to various art, film, and fiction. (Mr. Fox)
August Wilson’s View of the 20th Century: His Pittsburgh, Our America
ENG531AW or THD531 (may be taken as an English, Theatre, or Interdisciplinary course;
official course number is INT511AW)
(T1)
One credit assigned in English, Theatre, or Interdisciplinary. This course will use a selection of August Wilson’s plays to investigate how
our society’s view of race changed during the 20th century. Students will move through Wilson’s plays in chronological order, focusing on
the Aunt Ester plays in the Century Cycle in both a literary and theatrical way. This section will give students a glimpse into Wilson’s fiction-
alized Pittsburgh and insights into a more historically accurate Pittsburgh and America, as well as the man as a playwright. Students will look
for connections between Pittsburgh and other American urban environments, examining how cities changed during the 20th century. This
course is open to Seniors; it may be taken by Uppers with permission from the department chair. (Mr. Grimm)
James Joyce
ENG531JJ
ENG532JJ
(T2, T3)
The first term is devoted to Dubliners and A Portrait of the Artist, the second term to Ulysses. The purposes of the course are to develop the
skill to read important and difficult works without the aid of study guides or other secondary material, and to follow the development of
Joyce as an artist. Although the course may be taken in either term, the student gains a better sense of Joyce’s genius by enrolling for two
terms. (Mr. O’Connor)
Shakespeare
ENG531SH
ENG532SH
ENG533SH
(T1, T2, T3)
Every term the Department of English offers an elective course on the work of William Shakespeare.
ENG531SH, Term 1—Jane Austen’s Henry Crawford says that Shakespeare’s “thoughts and beauties are so spread abroad that one touches
them everywhere.” Perhaps, but to contemplate such thoughts deeply and to appreciate such beauties truly we must read the work of the
great poet-playwright ourselves. In this course, we will study three or four of William Shakespeare’s plays as well as a selection of his sonnets.
(Mr. Domina)
ENG532SH, Term 2—“What a Change Is Here!” This term we will examine a selection of Shakespeare’s plays alongside modern adapta-
tions, asking what these reimaginings have to teach us about Shakespeare and what Shakespeare has to teach us about our modern world.
Possible pairings include: Romeo and Juliet with West Side Story; Taming of the Shrew with Kiss Me, Kate; King Lear with Ran; Macbeth with
Throne of Blood; and Henry IV with My Own Private Idaho. (Dr. Gardner)
ENG533SH, Term 3—Shakespeare and the Law. According to Robert Ferguson in his study “The Bard and the Bench,” Shakespeare has
been cited more than 800 times in our court system, including citations from all 37 of Shakespeare’s plays. This course explores Shakespeare
and the law through the close reading of three of his plays: Merchant of Venice, Othello, and Measure for Measure. In doing so, students
will not only engage with the language of the plays, but also the concepts of justice, equity, and law that are found in them. The reading of
the plays will be supplemented with an introduction to some basic legal concepts in contract law as well as an examination of justice and
jurisprudence within today’s society. (Mr. Calleja)
Writers in Depth
This course will be devoted to one British novelist each term. Each writer is both a representative of a particular time and an innovator who
significantly influenced the history of the novel.
Jane Austen
ENG537JA
(T1)
Once taken at her word that her work was very limited, Austen was one of the vital links between the 18th- and 19th-century novelists. As
a class, we will read Emma, and Persuasion. Students who have not read Pride and Prejudice will do so, while those who have will read Sense
and Sensibility. We will also watch Ang Lee’s Sense and Sensibility, as well as selections from adaptations of other Austen novels. (Ms. Fulton)
Charles Dickens
ENG537CD
(T2)
We will read Bleak House, which many consider Dickens’s masterpiece, an extraordinary blend of comedy, gothic mystery, and social protest,
told through an intersecting double narrative. We also will read poetry by Blake and others, as well as study paintings and photographs from
the time. (Ms. Fulton)
Virginia Woolf
ENG537VW
(T3)
This term will be devoted to Woolf, who, if she had written no fiction, would still be well known for her brilliant essays. We will read her
two greatest novels, Mrs. Dalloway and To the Lighthouse; several of her short stories and essays; and selections from her autobiographical
writings. To put Woolf ’s work in context, we will view some of the work of the Post-Impressionist painters; read from the war poets (the
First World War is central to her novels); and compare her style with that of her fellow Modernist novelists Joyce and Faulkner. (Ms. Fulton)
Culture Studies
The Sky Is Falling: Magical Realism in Latin American Literature and Beyond
ENG519MR
(T2)
What if you entered a library with infinite titles, endless corridors, and duplicate copies? What if a speck in the sky turned out to be a ceil-
ing, one that got lower and lower with each passing day? What if your new next-door neighbor seemed remarkably—even eerily—like a
future version of yourself? In this course, we will explore the broad umbrella of magical realism, a literary genre in which primarily realistic
stories contain some element of magic, as well as varying alternative fictions. Each of our texts will take the recognizable world and add
unsolved mysteries, the supernatural, or unexplained phenomena to complicate our understanding of reality, as well as our characters’ expe-
riences and emotional states. We will explore how and why authors choose to manipulate reality and examine the effects on our understand-
ing of a character’s motive and identity. Using a broad scope of writers and traditions, we will address Sigmund Freud’s “uncanny,” as well
as Dan Chaon’s “spooky” and Margaret Atwood’s “speculative fiction.” In keeping with magical realism’s roots, we will begin the term with
mid-century Latin American writers such as Jorge Luis Borges and Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and then expand our scope to include Kelly
Link, Shirley Jackson, and Jean Rhys, among many others. (Dr. Erdmann)
Lockdown (may be taken as an English or Interdisciplinary course; official course number is INT518LD)
ENG544LD
(T2)
One credit assigned in English or Interdisciplinary. Prisons are a growth industry today in the United States. This course, through a blend-
ing of literature, film, and social sciences, will examine incarceration. By reading novels, memoirs, and poetry and viewing a few films, we
can gain a greater appreciation of the psychological effects of these institutions and the power of art as a means of coping with them (touch-
ing then on witnessing and testimonials). We will ask questions about ethics and justice, about self-expression, and about social control. The
course will include some experiential learning in the form of a trip to the Essex County Correctional Facility and to a nearby youth court.
Some possible titles may include: Orange Is the New Black, Gould’s Book of Fish, The Trial, Brothers and Keepers, A Place to Stand, One Day in
the Life of Ivan Denisovich, and Zeitoun. (Dr. Kane)
Medieval Literature
ENG546ML
ENG547ML
ENG548ML
(T1, T2, T3)
What are the origins of English literature? What did it sound like and look like? What were its influences, interests, and anxieties? How
national was it? How English? This course traces through time, form, language, and place several important developments in medieval
literature and, in particular, medieval English literature. Not only will we explore chronological shifts in language and cultures, but we also
will begin to understand the separations and overlaps in medieval literary genres by reading romances, saints’ lives, dream visions, sagas, alle-
gories, mystical guides, confession manuals, travelogues, debates, and complaints. Through our readings, writings, and discussions, we may
consider the edges of selfhood, the appeals of desire, the powers of sanctity, the scope of the imagination, the growing pains of metamorpho-
sis, the fertility of grief, the pressures of politics, the multiplicities of gender, the hazards of pilgrimage, and the diversity of the Middle Ages.
ENG546ML, Term 1—We will focus on the medieval romance tradition, exploring the beginnings of King Arthur’s story as well as the
lasting influence of this network of stories over centuries. Authors will include Chretien de Troyes, Bede, Geoffrey of Monmouth, Marie de
France, and the Silence-poet.
ENG547ML, Term 2—We will focus on the medieval (and post-medieval) dream vision genre. Have you ever fallen asleep over your
books? If so, you are practically a medieval poet, because they snoozed on their reading material all the time and even composed volumes
of poetry about the experience. Readings will include Geoffrey Chaucer’s Book of Duchess & Parliament of Fowls, Christine de Pizan’s The
Book of the City of Ladies, and the alliterative poem, Pearl. For context, both medieval and modern, we also will read from Dante’s Divine
Comedy, Guillaume de Lorris & Jean de Meun’s Romance of the Rose, and Freud’s Interpretation of Dreams and view several films and televi-
sion episodes.
ENG548ML, Term 3—This term of Medieval Literature will concentrate on Geoffrey Chaucer’s vibrant, bawdy, edgy, unsettling, funny,
and fierce poetry. Chaucer has long been imagined the “father of English literature.” Nonetheless, although he is marked as a canonical
figure in the history of English letters, we will open ourselves up in Term 3 to the transgressive and unconventional qualities of his works—
Chaucer not as icon but iconoclast. Works will include: Canterbury Tales (selections) and Paul Strohm’ s Chaucer’s Tale: 1386 and the Road to
Canterbury. We will read texts in Middle English without translation, which will prove a surprisingly pleasant and entirely doable venture.
Class time will be devoted to learning to read and understand these Middle English narratives. (Dr. Har)
The Literature of Travel Writing Postcolonial India: Midnight’s Children and India
ENG518TW in the 20th/21st Century
ENG540IN
Children in Literature: Growing Up in a Changing
World Contemporary Caribbean Literature
ENG520CL ENG543CC
Gender Roles in Contemporary World Fiction Race and Comparative American Literatures
ENG520GR ENG543CL
Troubling Literature: Contesting Authority John Donne and 17th-Century English Poetry
In and Through Literature ENG547JD
ENG528TL
The Internet in Print
The Storm ENG549DD
ENG530ST
Don Quixote
ENG539DQ
World History
HSS100A
HSS100B
(TWO-TERM SEQUENCE; HSS100A AND HSS100B CAN BE TAKEN T1 & T2, T2 & T3, OR T1 & T3)
HSS100A, Exploring Global Antiquity, 600 B.C.E.–600 C.E.—For Juniors. Exploring Global Antiquity investigates the creative and
disparate ways in which communities across the globe developed, organized themselves, and responded to crucial social, political, and
economic obstacles. This course asks students to examine particular stories in detail, whether it be the Persian challenge to Greek city states,
the great temple construction of the Mayans, the consolidation of the Han Empire in China, or the striking emergence of Christianity in
the Mediterranean basin. Students will practice and improve the skills essential to the study of history and social science: think objectively;
read and evaluate primary sources and secondary sources; annotate efficiently and organize notes; write with clarity and concision; integrate
evidence effectively in written and oral argument; use library research tools; and utilize a variety of textual, visual, statistical, and physical
materials to understand and explain the past.
HSS100B, Consolidating Powers and Expanding Connections, 600 C.E.–1400 C.E.—For Juniors. In Consolidating Powers and Expanding
Connections, students examine the continuity and development of the Chinese state, the impact of increased economic productive capacity,
and the implications of expanding and intensifying networks of communication and exchange that linked people across continents and seas,
enabling incredible journeys and facilitating the exchange of customs, goods, ideas, beliefs, technologies, and germs—with far-reaching
consequences. The development and spread of the Islamic faith and the expansion of the Mongol Empire are two lenses through which
these increasing connections are examined. Equally important to understanding these stories is the continued development of the skills
begun in Term 1 of the sequence.
World History
HSS202
(T2, T3)
For Lowers. Instructors choose to teach one of the following courses. Each is a different topic with different content, but designed to
develop the same skills.
Revolutions—What is a revolution? What is the difference between change and revolution? What motivates people to risk their lives or
engage in violence to bring about political and social change? What factors contribute to successful revolutions? This course will explore
these questions by studying the histories of three distinct revolutions: the Haitian Revolution in the late 18th century, the Russian
Revolution in the early 20th century, and the long battle to end South African Apartheid throughout much of the 20th century. With an
emphasis on building analytical and critical writing skills, we will analyze the causes and patterns of change that take place in culture, social
structure, politics, and the economy.
Cities—In 1800, only 3 percent of the world’s population lived in cities. In 2008, the world’s population was evenly split between urban
and rural areas. By 2050, almost two-thirds of the world’s population will live in cities. Historically, people migrated to cities in search of
jobs and opportunity, and cities often proved to be spaces of growth and industry. Although places of cultural and social exchange, cities
also fostered stark inequalities. As such, cities are contradictory spaces, enabling innovation and collaboration, but at times limiting, confin-
ing, and excluding groups of people. With an emphasis on building analytical and critical writing skills, we will study the rise and growth
of cities, asking how space and power has been negotiated and contested, how urbanization has affected the rural, and how we have shaped
cities—and they have shaped us.
Advanced Courses
Advanced courses, numbered 400 and above, are open to students who have successfully completed at least one term of HSS300 or, in rare
cases, with the permission of the department chair. These courses may be taken for a term only, but students may choose to remain in two-
term or yearlong elective sequences.
Comparative Government
HSS505
(T3)
This course introduces students to the world’s diverse political structures and practices. A comparative study of six nations—Britain, Russia,
China, Nigeria, Mexico, and Iran—serves as a core for the course. By examining the political implications of different types of social and
economic development, students become familiar both with general political concepts and with a broad array of specific issues, and they are
able to use their knowledge as a template for examining how other countries respond to global challenges. Students may choose to write an
in-depth paper in lieu of a final exam. The course prepares students to take the AP exam in Comparative Government and Politics, though
this is not its primary goal. (Mr. Fritz)
Asian History
HSS521
(T3)
This course surveys the history of China, Korea, and Japan from traditional to modern times. The content of class lectures and discus¬sions
ranges over a variety of themes, which include the vectors of politics and structures of the state, connections with the outside world, eco-
nomic and social organization, popular and elite cultures, and the contours of everyday life. In addition to a basic textbook, readings draw
heavily on primary materials such as government documents and autobiographies, allowing us to explore Asian representations of their
social world. (Ms. Son)
Skulls, Angels, and Hour Glasses: Early New England Gravestone Iconography and Field Research
HSS562
(T1)
This course investigates 17th-, 18th-, and early 19th-century gravestones in the towns of Andover and North Andover. Through readings,
lecture, discussion, and most importantly, fieldwork in local colonial burial grounds, this course strives to answer several questions: How do
gravestone styles change over time? How can these changes in style allow us to understand evolving religious thought in early Andover? Can
we use this data to understand broader theoretical patterns of the change of material culture? What is the meaning of the graphic imagery
and poetic epitaphs on colonial gravestones? What can we do to preserve these cultural resources for the future while making them more
accessible to the public? Serving as the launch for a long-term project, this practicum course will lay the groundwork for photographic
and three-dimensional documentation of stones, as well the development of a database of all artistic, poetic, and biographic information
recorded on stones. This work will be conducted in conjunction with The Nest (PA’s makerspace), the North Andover Historical Society,
and Andover’s South Church. (Dr. Slater)
American Conservatism—Colloquium
HSS575 (may be taken as a History or Interdisciplinary course; official course number is INT591CO)
(T1)
One credit assigned in History or Interdisciplinary. In the 1955 mission statement for the newly founded journal the National Review,
William F. Buckley wrote the following: “The profound crisis of our era is, in essence, the conflict between the Social Engineers, who seek
to adjust mankind to conform with scientific utopias, and the disciples of Truth, who defend the organic moral order. We believe that
truth is neither arrived at nor illuminated by monitoring election results, binding though these are for other purposes, but by other means,
including a study of human experience. On this point we are, without reservations, on the conservative side.” In its skepticism of social
change and its defense of natural order, Buckley’s National Review signified a mid-20th century renewal of American conservative thought,
a political counterweight to postwar New Deal liberalism, with intellectual roots stretching back to the founding of the nation. But what
specifically did it mean in 1955, and what does it mean now, to be “on the conservative side”?
In this version of the William Sloane Coffin Jr. ’42 Colloquia Series, we will explore the many dimensions of American conservatism as
expressed in theory and in practice. Topics may include: the philosophy of conservatism; Edmund Burke and the American Revolution;
conservative laissez faire capitalism and the Chicago School of economics; race, gender, and the conservative commitment to individual
liberty; European and American conservatism in comparative study; anti-Communism; faith and science in conservative thought; and
American exceptionalism. We will also devote attention to those ideas and ideologies that have been offshoots of traditional conservativ-
ism, challenges to traditional conservatism, or both, such as libertarianism, neo-conservatism, Marxism, and neo-liberalism. Finally, we will
consider conservatism as a philosophical position that seeks stability, conservation, and tradition across disciplines ranging from the arts to
the sciences. The authors we read may include William F. Buckley, Edmund Burke, John C. Calhoun, Benjamin Disraeli, Ross Douthat,
Milton Friedman, Eugene Genovese, Barry Goldwater, Louis Hartz, Friedrich Hayek, Richard Hofstadter, Samuel Huntington, Robert
Kagan, Russell Kirk, Irving Kristol, Joseph McCarthy, George Nash, Reinhold Niebuhr, Peggy Noonan, Corey Robin, Phyllis Schlafly, Leo
Strauss, Sam Tanenhaus, Lionel Trilling, Richard Weaver, Garry Wills, and Gordon Wood.
Following the model of previous colloquia, we will meet Monday and Wednesday evenings from 8 to 9:30 p.m., and a different member of
the faculty will lead each meeting. (Dr. Jones, coordinating with faculty from various departments)
Urban Crisis
HSS576
(T2)
“All politics,” Tip O’Neill concluded, “is local.” In this seminar, students will put this oft-cited sentiment to the test by examining the
dynamic relationship between local, state, and federal politics. American cities—the key sites of contestation for many policy debates in the
decades following WWII—will serve as the lens through which students access the lived experience and ramifications of broader national
political trends, events, crises, and movements. Students will deploy the methodological tools of urban history to contemplate the cultural,
spatial, and social reality of urban environments, and examine the contingent historical development—and impact—of urban policies on
social and economic inequality in modern American cities. Some of the issues covered include suburbanization in Detroit, the War on
Poverty in Las Vegas, the War on Crime in New York, and the War on Drugs in Los Angeles. (Dr. Dahm)
Schooling in America
HSS577
(T2)
This course provides a forum for students to examine and understand the historical, sociological, and economic underpinnings of American
schooling in all its forms. Students will work toward developing a nuanced understanding of the highly politicized and personal nature of
schooling, at least in part because it is often seen as both the cause of and solution to many of America’s most prominent social challenges.
After beginning with an examination of the history of schooling in the United States, much of the course then turns to a discussion of
the purpose of schooling in America and an examination of key issues in school access, equity, and quality, with particular attention given
to the years since 1980. Though the majority of the focus is on K–12 education, some time will be devoted to post-secondary education.
Throughout the course, students are encouraged to examine schooling in America as both an observer and a participant, considering not
only the nature of American schooling as an institution, but also their experience as a student and the purpose of their own journey through
school. (Mr. Rachlin)
Courses Related to the Study of History and Social Science in Other Departments
Histories of Art
ART441 (may be taken as an Art or Interdisciplinary course; official course number is INT503HA1)
ART442 (may be taken as an Art or Interdisciplinary course; official course number is INT503HA2)
ART443 (may be taken as an Art or Interdisciplinary course; official course number is INT503HA3)
(T1, T2, T3)
Michelangelo’s David. A three-second Snapchat. The Rothko Chapel. Video of a police officer shooting Tamir Rice. O’Keeffe’s flowers.
Images constantly and incessantly bombard us, yet how do we process, deconstruct, and understand them? How do we place them in larger
cultural, political, and social contexts? How do we wallow in beauty and magnificence? How do we discern a variety of meanings and best
ensure we are not victims of ideology?
In this three-term multidisciplinary course, students explore images and objects as primary sources unveiling the values and ideas of the
society in which they were produced, and they pay particular attention to the effects of class, economics, gender, national identity, politics,
race, religion, sexual orientation, technology, and urbanism on art and visual culture. By focusing on both form and context, students foster
a visual literacy that serves them well for a lifetime. Although the course focuses primarily on the traditional “fine” arts, students develop the
skills and dispositions to navigate varied elements of contemporary visual culture, including Snapchats and amateur videos.
Throughout the year, students use local collections and exhibitions for the study of original works. Students enrolled in ART441, 442, or
443 also are eligible to join an optional study trip to Europe during spring break.
ART441, Term 1—Beginning with art as mimesis—as representation of “reality”—in Greece, the term concludes with its further develop-
ment during the Renaissance in Italy. Along the way, students encounter creators such as Praxitiles, Giotto, and Leonardo and explore many
topics, including the development of organized labor, the economics of the Medici Bank, the evolution of the social status of some creators
from craftsman to artist, the devastation of the Black Death, the gendering of different media (e.g., tapestries versus sculpture), and the
power of monarchy and papacy.
ART442, Term 2—The term stretches from the Reformation through Impressionism, and students examine themes throughout, includ-
ing the evolving tension over the obscuring of boundaries between the wonders of art and the wonders of nature; the gradual shift of
sovereignty from pope and king to individual and from patron to artist; the development of photography; the prevalence of rape imagery;
the changes in social regulation, spectacle, and exhibition; and the rise of “globalism” in London and Paris. Students study artists such as
Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Bonheur, Courbet, and Monet.
ART443, Term 3—Covering the end of the 19th century to the present day, students this term encounter a range of artists, including Paul
Cézanne, Pablo Picasso, Käthe Kollwitz, Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, Cindy Sherman, El Anatsui, and Banksy. Among other topics,
students explore the fragmentation and disappearance of mimetic art, the global catastrophes of depression and war, the development of the
cinema, the feminist art movement and the challenges of intersectionality, the solidification of art as commodity (i.e., the economics of the
contemporary art market and the politics of museum display), and the postmodern dismantling of the Eurocentric tradition that permeates
contemporary visual culture. (Mr. Fox)
Prerequisite: Open to Lowers, Uppers, and Seniors, who may take one, two, or three terms; completion of ART222, 223, 224 or 350 is
recommended but not required.
Race and Identity in Indian Country: Decolonizing Museums and Healing the Wounds
HSS561
The Making of America? Industrialization, Immigration, and Identity in the Merrimack Valley, 1830–Present
HSS567
Environmental History
HSS579
Shamans, Sacrifice, and Ceremony: The Maya Spirit World from Antiquity to the Present
HSS583
Third-Level German
INT300 (may be taken as a German or Interdisciplinary course)
(T3) (END OF A THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
One credit assigned in German or Interdisciplinary.
INT300, Term 3—Berlin: From Imperial Capital to Weltstadt. One credit assigned in either German or Interdisciplinary. This course is
open to students who have successfully completed GER300B. Term 3 is designed to combine the study of the German language with the study
of German culture and history. The language classes will focus on the integration of immigrant youth in today’s Berlin. The course materials,
a 2010 documentary titled Neukölln-Unlimited, related newspaper articles, and music selections will provide students with the grammar and
vocabulary that will enrich their understanding of the city’s transformation from an imperial capital to a multicultural world city.
The history classes will be taught in English and use Berlin as a lens through which to study some of the most transformative moments in
German history: the unification in 1871, the First World War, the Weimar Republic, the rise of fascism and the Second World War, the
post-war division of Germany, and finally the reunification of a divided Germany from 1989 to 1990. Readings will combine historical nar-
rative with cultural studies of the art and architecture that form the Berlin landscape in order to understand how the city on the Spree was
shaped by shifts in the nature of German national identity. Successful completion of this course satisfies the diploma requirement in German.
Histories of Art
INT503HA1 (may be taken as an Art or Interdisciplinary course)
INT503HA2 (may be taken as an Art or Interdisciplinary course)
INT503HA3 (may be taken as an Art or Interdisciplinary course)*
(T1, T2, T3)
One credit assigned each term in Art or Interdisciplinary. Michelangelo’s David. A three-second Snapchat. The Rothko Chapel. Video of a
police officer shooting Tamir Rice. O’Keeffe’s flowers.
Images constantly and incessantly bombard us, yet how do we process, deconstruct, and understand them? How do we place them in larger
cultural, political, and social contexts? How do we wallow in beauty and magnificence? How do we discern a variety of meanings and best
ensure we are not victims of ideology?
In this three-term multidisciplinary course, students explore images and objects as primary sources unveiling the values and ideas of the
society in which they were produced. Particular attention is paid to the effects of class, economics, gender, national identity, politics, race,
religion, sexual orientation, technology, and urbanism on art and visual culture. By focusing on both form and context, students foster a
visual literacy that will serve them well for a lifetime. Although the course focuses primarily on the traditional “fine” arts, students develop
the skills and dispositions to navigate varied elements of contemporary visual culture, including Snapchats and amateur videos.
Throughout the year, students use local collections and exhibitions for the study of original works. Students enrolled in ART443 also are
eligible to join an optional study trip to Europe during Spring Break.
ART441, Term 1—Beginning with art as mimesis—as representation of “reality”—in Greece, Term 1 concludes with the further develop-
ment of art during the Renaissance in Italy. Along the way, students encounter creators such as Giotto and Leonardo and explore many
topics, including the development of organized labor, economics of the Medici Bank, evolution of the social status of some creators from
craftsman to artist, devastation caused by the Black Death, gendering of different media (e.g., tapestries versus sculpture), and the power of
monarchy and papacy.
ART442, Term 2—Term 2 stretches from the Reformation through Impressionism. Students examine themes throughout, including the
evolving tension over the obscuring of boundaries between the wonders of art and the wonders of nature; the gradual shift of sovereignty
from pope and king to individual and from patron to artist; the development of photography; the prevalence of rape imagery; the changes
in social regulation, spectacle, and exhibition; and the rise of “globalism” in London and Paris. Students study artists such as Caravaggio,
Rembrandt, Bonheur, Courbet, and Monet.
ART443, Term 3—Covering the end of the 19th century to the present day, students in Term 3 encounter a range of artists, including Paul
Cézanne, Pablo Picasso, Käthe Kollwitz, Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, Cindy Sherman, El Anatsui, and Banksy. Among other topics,
students explore the fragmentation and disappearance of mimetic art, the global catastrophes of depression and war, the development of the
cinema, the feminist art movement and the challenges of intersectionality, the solidification of art as commodity (i.e., the economics of the
contemporary art market and the politics of museum display), and the postmodern dismantling of the Eurocentric tradition that permeates
contemporary visual culture. (Mr. Fox)
Prerequisite: Open to Lowers, Uppers, and Seniors, who may take one, two, or three terms; completion of ART225 or a 300-level art elective is
recommended but not required.
Project-Based Statistics
INT509PSA (may be taken as a Math or Interdisciplinary course)
INT509PSB (may be taken as a Math or Interdisciplinary course)
INT509PSC (may be taken as a Math or Interdisciplinary course)
(THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
One credit assigned each term in Mathematics or Interdisciplinary. This is a community-based learning statistics course that will enable
students to implement learned knowledge to work with communities. This curriculum-driven project contains a civic responsibility compo-
nent that ties in with the concept of citizenship. Students will apply their knowledge immediately and beneficially as they “bring numbers
to life” in colloboration with the PA community and local nonprofit organizations. For instance, students potentially would be able to
collect, organize, interpret, analyze, and project data to help the Admissions Office, Dining Services, the Brace Center for Gender Studies,
College Counseling Office, Archives and Special Collections, and other departments of interest at PA. Similarly, students can assist worthy
causes in the wider community, working with those entities to tell stories with numbers.
Prerequisite: MTH350 or permission of the department.
Human Origins
INT510HO (may be taken as a Science or Interdisciplinary course)
(T1)
One credit assigned in Science or Interdisciplinary. Open to Uppers and Seniors. Take a look around. Regardless of where you are, the
consequence of three million years of human evolution is evident. This interdisciplinary science course uses insights drawn from history,
art, archaeology, and other disciplines to chart the human journey from hominid to the first civilizations that forecast the modern world.
Human Origins includes weekly field or laboratory work outside of the classroom; hands-on laboratory exercises emphasize use of Peabody
Museum of Archaeology collections and challenge students to apply ancient techniques to solve daily problems of survival. (Dr. Wheeler)
August Wilson’s View of the 20th Century: His Pittsburgh, Our America
INT511AW (may be taken as an English, Theatre, or Interdisciplinary course)*
(T1)
One credit assigned in English, Theatre, or Interdisciplinary. This course will use a selection of August Wilson’s plays to investigate how
our society’s view of race changed during the 20th century. Students will move through Wilson’s plays in chronological order, focusing on
the Aunt Ester plays in the Century Cycle in both a literary and theatrical way. This section will give students a glimpse into Wilson’s fiction-
alized Pittsburgh and insights into a more historically accurate Pittsburgh and America, as well as the man as a playwright. Students will look
for connections between Pittsburgh and other American urban environments, examining how cities changed during the 20th century. This
course is open to Seniors; it may be taken by Uppers with permission from the department chair. (Mr. Grimm)
What Is Critique?
INT512WC (may be taken as an English or Interdisciplinary course)
(T1)
One credit assigned in English or Interdisciplinary. This interdisciplinary course is a survey of questions and ideas about art, literature, and
society—their natures, their functions, their meanings, and their values. What about a work makes it look like it looks or read like it reads?
What gives a work meaning, and how does it do so? What makes a work good, and how do we justify it as such? What are the consequences
of judging some works good and others not, of inclusion and exclusion? Who gets to judge—historically, white men—and how do those
judgments establish and reflect the norms and values of societies as a whole? How might we understand and assess “critique” itself as form
of empowerment against injustice (as in Michel Foucault’s estimation, an “instrument for those who fight, resist, and who no longer want
what is”)?
To address these questions and others, we will read the works of many challenging theorists, including Walter Benjamin, Judith Butler,
Jacques Derrida, Sigmund Freud, Henry Louis Gates, bell hooks, Nanette Salomon, and Kathi Weeks, among others—and we will apply
their thinking to various art, film, and fiction. (Mr. Fox)
Gender Theory
INT513GT (may be taken as an English or Interdisciplinary or course)*
(T3)
One credit assigned in English or Interdisciplinary.
Foundational Gender Theory. This course introduces students to foundational texts in intersectional gender theory, including key con-
cepts from gender theory as they are understood and used in critical interdisciplinary studies of gender. We will explore how these concepts
are taken up from different perspectives to address specific social problems, particularly rape culture, and the implications of these critical
approaches for thinking about and acting in the world. It is most important, independent of degree of familiarity and expertise with this
CHI621, Term 1—Screening Contemporary China: Chinese Language, Culture, and Society through Films. The goal of this course is to
immerse students in authentic language and culture through Chinese films as a way to understand aspects of Chinese national and cultural
identity. It is hoped that the course not only will help students cultivate a greater command of language over analysis and theorization of
Chinese cinema, but also will help facilitate students’ understanding of Chinese cinema and culture in the context of globalization.
CHI622, Term 2—Modern Chinese Theater. During this course, students will read, study, and perform an original Chinese play,
Thunderstorm (Lei Yu), by iconic 20th-century Chinese playwright Cao Yu.
CHI623, Term 3—Chinatowns and the Asian American Immigrant Experience. One credit assigned in Chinese or Interdisciplinary.
The goal for the course is for students, regardless of whether or not they are of Chinese descent, to gain a deepened understanding of the
experience and the effects of Asian immigration into Northern California and beyond, through bilingual literature, archives, and film clips.
As part of the coursework, students will self-reflect on the meaning of racial and cultural identity, especially against the histories of the Asian
American experience. This term-based course is also experiential and will culminate in a class trip to the Bay Area or New York City.
Lockdown
INT518LD (may be taken as an English or Interdisciplinary course)*
(T2)
One credit assigned in English or Interdisciplinary. Prisons are a growth industry today in the United States. This course, through a blend-
ing of literature, film, and social sciences, will examine incarceration. By reading novels, memoirs, and poetry and viewing a few films, we
can gain a greater appreciation of the psychological effects of these institutions and the power of art as a means of coping with them (touch-
ing then on witnessing and testimonials). We will ask questions about ethics and justice, about self-expression, and about social control. The
course will include some experiential learning in the form of a trip to the Essex County Correctional Facility and to a nearby youth court.
Some possible titles may include: Orange Is the New Black, Gould’s Book of Fish, The Trial, Brothers and Keepers, A Place to Stand, One Day in
the Life of Ivan Denisovich, and Zeitoun. (Dr. Kane)
Women in Antiquity
INT524WA (may be taken as a Classics or Interdisciplinary course)*
(T2)
One credit assigned in Classics or Interdisciplinary. The literary woman in antiquity and the actual woman in antiquity are rather differ-
ent concepts. In classical literature, we can find numerous examples of powerful, erudite, and accomplished women; however, in classical
history, these examples are few. In this course, we will look at this variance and try to determine how it came to be, especially in societies
whose own deities were often female. We will pay close attention to literary figures such as Helen, Andromache, Medea, Lysistrata, Lucretia,
Lesbia, and Dido, and we will examine the life of the actual woman in the classical world in order to see how her experience compares with
her literary counterpart. Although not required, students with experience in Latin or Greek may continue working with ancient texts in the
original language. This course is open to all Seniors or with permission from the Classics Department chair.
Ancient Theatre
INT525AT (may be taken as a Classics or Interdisciplinary course)
(T3)
One credit assigned in Classics or Interdisciplinary. Ancient theatre produced two enduring genres, tragedy and comedy, which remain
with us today. We will explore the cultural history surrounding these two genres, from Greek festivals to Roman novels, and how they have
filtered down to us in modernity. Looking at modern corollaries and adaptations will be an important component of this course as we try to
identify the threads that connect these ancient dramatic arts to our modern experience. Although not required, students with experience in
Latin or Greek may continue working with ancient texts in the original language. This class is open to all Seniors or with permission from
the Classics Department chair.
Media Studies
INT530MS1 (may be taken as an English or Interdisciplinary course)
INT530MS2 (may be taken as an English or Interdisciplinary course)
INT530MS3 (may be taken as an English or Interdisciplinary course)
(T1, T2, T3)
One credit assigned each term in English or Interdisciplinary. Working from the premise that all messages are constructed, we will
examine the forces (explicit and subtle) that inform those constructions as well as the ways in which our daily and multiple interactions
with various media determine our sense of self, identity, truth, and desire. Students will read a range of media studies theory and then put
those theories into practice by examining the language, images, narratives, and truth we encounter in news sources, advertising, television,
politics, sports, and other cultural representations. Students will be expected to write every week. Term 1 will focus on the production and
consumption of commercial news media, the indeterminate lines between news and entertainment, and the importance of branding and
advertising. Terms 2 and 3 will look at contemporary television shows, examining questions of narrative, character, and identity; current
critical writing about TV; important aspects of TV production; and thematic treatment of topics such as nostalgia, heroism, or family.
This course does not currently meet requirements for NCAA eligibility.
American Conservatism—Colloquium
INT591CO (may be taken as a History or Interdisciplinary course)
(T1)
One credit assigned in History or Interdisciplinary. In the 1955 mission statement for the newly founded journal the National Review,
William F. Buckley wrote the following: “The profound crisis of our era is, in essence, the conflict between the Social Engineers, who seek
to adjust mankind to conform with scientific utopias, and the disciples of Truth, who defend the organic moral order. We believe that
truth is neither arrived at nor illuminated by monitoring election results, binding though these are for other purposes, but by other means,
including a study of human experience. On this point we are, without reservations, on the conservative side.” In its skepticism of social
change and its defense of natural order, Buckley’s National Review signified a mid-20th century renewal of American conservative thought,
a political counterweight to postwar New Deal liberalism, with intellectual roots stretching back to the founding of the nation. But what
specifically did it mean in 1955, and what does it mean now, to be “on the conservative side”?
In this version of the William Sloane Coffin Jr ’42 Colloquia Series, we will explore the many dimensions of American conservatism as
expressed in theory and in practice. Topics may include: the philosophy of conservatism; Edmund Burke and the American Revolution;
conservative laissez faire capitalism and the Chicago School of economics; race, gender, and the conservative commitment to individual
liberty; European and American conservatism in comparative study; anti-Communism; faith and science in conservative thought; and
American exceptionalism. We will also devote attention to those ideas and ideologies that have been offshoots of traditional conservativ-
ism, challenges to traditional conservatism, or both, such as libertarianism, neo-conservatism, Marxism, and neo-liberalism. Finally, we will
consider conservatism as a philosophical position that seeks stability, conservation, and tradition across disciplines ranging from the arts to
the sciences. The authors we read may include William F. Buckley, Edmund Burke, John C. Calhoun, Benjamin Disraeli, Ross Douthat,
Milton Friedman, Eugene Genovese, Barry Goldwater, Louis Hartz, Friedrich Hayek, Richard Hofstadter, Samuel Huntington, Robert
Kagan, Russell Kirk, Irving Kristol, Joseph McCarthy, George Nash, Reinhold Niebuhr, Peggy Noonan, Corey Robin, Phyllis Schlafly, Leo
Strauss, Sam Tanenhaus, Lionel Trilling, Richard Weaver, Garry Wills, and Gordon Wood.
Following the model of previous colloquia, we will meet Monday and Wednesday evenings from 8 to 9:30 p.m., and a different member of
the faculty will lead each meeting. (Dr. Jones, coordinating with faculty from various departments.)
Musical Theatre
MUS390 or THD390
Elementary Algebra
MTH100
(T1)
This course is for students who demonstrated, through a placement test, the need for a thorough review of first-year algebra. Stress is
placed on the understanding of the elementary structure and language of the real numbers system, the manipulative skills of simplifying
expressions, solving linear and quadratic equations, and graphing of linear and quadratic functions. The course includes work with word
problems, inequalities, absolute values, and rational expressions.
Elementary Algebra
MTH150
(T2)
MTH150 is a continuation of the thorough review of first-year algebra begun in MTH100. Students who successfully complete this
one-term course will be prepared for MTH210.
Elementary Algebra
MTH190
(T1)
A course for students who enter with a full year of algebra and who would benefit from a brief review of algebra. Stress is placed on the
manipulative skills of simplifying expressions and solving first- and second-degree equations, and on the study and graphing of polynomial
functions. Work is done with word problems, inequalities, irrational numbers, and right triangle trigonometry.
Prerequisite: A full year of algebra.
Geometry
MTH220
(T1, T2, T3)
This course continues the work of MTH210, with increased emphasis on the algebraic and numerical aspects of geometry.
Prerequisite: MTH210.
Algebra Consolidation
MTH300A
MTH300B
(T1, T2) (TWO-TERM COMMITMENT)
A two-term course for students who have completed a yearlong geometry course and would benefit from algebra review prior to entering
the precalculus sequence. The course begins with a comprehensive review of elementary algebra and concludes with topics in intermediate
algebra (as listed in the course description of MTH320). Upon completion of MTH300, the instructor and department chair will determine
whether a student takes MTH320 or MTH330 in Term 3.
Prerequisite: Placement by the department.
Precalculus
MTH320
(T1, T2, T3)
For returning students, this course is taken after MTH220 (Geometry). Topics include properties of real numbers; factoring; fractional and
negative exponents; radicals; absolute value; solutions of linear, quadratic, and radical equations; systems of equations and inequalities; and
word problems. In addition, students are introduced to the more advanced features of the TI-84 Plus graphing calculator.
Prerequisite: MTH220 or its equivalent. Students who earn a grade of 2 or 3 may re-take the course.
Precalculus
MTH330
(T1, T2, T3)
An introduction and exploration of functions with abstraction. Multiple representations of a function—as a table of values, as a graph, and
as an algebraic rule—are a central theme. Elementary functions (polynomial functions, in particular) and their transformations, composi-
tions, inverses, and applications are emphasized.
Prerequisite: MTH320 or its equivalent. Students who earn a grade of 2 or 3 may re-take the course.
Precalculus
MTH340
(T1, T2, T3)
This course focuses on rational, exponential, and logarithmic functions. The TI-84 Plus is used for continued study of non-linear data sets
with special attention to sets that grow exponentially and logarithmically. Elementary work with arithmetic and geometric sequences is
included. Note that entering Seniors whose prior work has not satisfied the diploma requirement must complete MTH340 or MTH400.
Prerequisite: MTH330 or its equivalent.
Accelerated Precalculus
MTH380A
MTH380B
(TWO-TERM COMMITMENT)
(T1, T2)
This two-term course begins with a review of polynomial functions and proceeds to cover logarithmic, exponential, and trigonometric
functions, inverse functions, parametric equations, polar coordinates, matrices, vectors, complex numbers, and sequences and series. Upon
successful completion of MTH380, students will be ready to study MTH580.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of MTH280 with a grade of 4 or higher or placement by the department.
Elementary Functions
MTH400
(T1)
A course primarily for entering Seniors who need to satisfy the diploma requirements in mathematics. The course focuses on functions
and their applications, including polynomial, exponential, logarithmic, circular, and trigonometric functions. Strong emphasis is placed on
graphing and the use of graphs as an aid in problem solving.
Prerequisite: Credit for three years of high school mathematics or permission of the department.
Elective Courses
Introduction to Calculus
MTH500A
MTH500B
(TWO-TERM COMMITMENT)
(T2, T3)
Primarily for Seniors. Topics include rates of change, limits, derivatives and antideriatives.
Prerequisite: MTH350, MTH400, or an equivalent course in trigonometry and elementary functions.
Calculus
MTH510
(T1)
Primarily for Seniors. Topics include rates of change, limits, derivatives and antideriatives.
Prerequisite: MTH360 or its equivalent or permission of the department chair.
Calculus
MTH520A
MTH520B
(TWO-TERM COMMITMENT)
(T2, T3)
This is a continuation of MTH510. Topics covered include the definite integral, the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, further differen-
tiation of functions, techniques and applications of integration. The most successful students will be in a position to do the AB Advanced
Placement examination in calculus.
Prerequisite: A grade of 3 or higher in MTH510 or permission of the department.
AP AB Calculus I
MTH560
(T3)
This is the beginning of the three-term calculus sequence that, together with MTH570, covers the syllabus of the AB Advanced Placement
examination. This term focuses primarily on differential calculus: limits, continuity, derivatives, and applications of derivatives. Graphical,
numerical, and analytic methods will be used throughout the course.
Prerequisite: MTH360 or its equivalent, with no grade lower than a 3 in MTH340, 350 and 360.
AP AB Calculus II
MTH570A
MTH570B
(TWO-TERM COMMITMENT)
(T1, T2)
This course continues the work of MTH560 finishing the syllabus for the AB Advanced Placement Examination. Topics include optimiza-
tion, integration, applications of integration, slope fields, and separable differential equations. Graphical, numerical, and analytic methods
will be used throughout the course.
Prerequisite: MTH560 completed with at least a 3 or MTH580.
AP Accelerated AB Calculus
MTH575A
MTH575B
MTH575C
(T1, T2, T3) (THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
A three-term commitment in calculus that begins only in Term 1. Satisfactory completion of this course prepares students for the College
Board AB Advanced Placement exam. This course does not prepare students for MTH650.
Prerequisite: MTH360 or its equivalent, with no grade lower than a 4 in MTH340, 350, and 360. Those students who do not meet this
requirement should take either MTH510 or MTH530.
AP BC Calculus I
MTH580
(T3)
This is the beginning of a four-term calculus sequence recommended for students who are well prepared in precalculus. With MTH590
it covers the syllabus of the BC Calculus Advanced Placement examination. Topics covered include primarily differential calculus: limits,
continuity, derivatives, the Chain Rule, related rates, and the Mean Value Theorem. Some integral calculus is also covered. Graphical,
numerical, and analytic methods are used throughout the course.
Prerequisite: MTH360 or its equivalent, with no grade lower than a 4 in MTH340, 350, and 360. Those students who do not meet this
requirement should take either MTH510 or MTH560.
AP BC Calculus II
MTH590A
(T1)
This course continues the work of MTH580 in preparation for the BC Advanced Placement examination. Topics include integration and
applications of integral calculus.
Prerequisite: MTH580 completed with a grade of at least a 4 or departmental permission.
AP BC Calculus III
MTH590B
MTH590C
(TWO-TERM COMMITMENT)
(T2, T3)
A continuation of MTH590, finishing the syllabus for the BC Advanced Placement examination.
Prerequisite: MTH590A completed with a grade of 3 or better, MTH570 or MTH575 completed with a grade of 5 or better, or permission of
the department.
AP Accelerated BC Calculus
MTH595A
MTH595B
MTH595C
(T1, T2, T3) (THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
A three-term commitment in calculus that begins only in Term 1. Enrollment is limited to the most able mathematics students. Satisfactory
completion of this course prepares students for the College Board BC Advanced Placement exam. In order to qualify for this course, return-
ing students must perform satisfactorily on a special precalculus qualifying examination given in the previous Term 3.
Prerequisite: MTH360 or its equivalent, with no grade lower than a 5 in MTH340, 350, and 360, plus permission of the department and
demonstrated excellence on the MTH595 qualifying exam.
Statistics
AP Statistics I
MTH530A
(T1)
The first term of a three-term sequence that prepares for the Advanced Placement examination in Statistics. This term primarily covers the
exploratory analysis of data, making use of graphical and numerical techniques to study patterns, and developing plans for data collection of
valid information.
Prerequisite: MTH350 or permission of the department.
AP Statistics II
MTH530B
MTH530C
(TWO-TERM COMMITMENT)
(T2, T3)
A continuation of MTH530, finishing the syllabus for the Advanced Placement examination in May. Topics include probability as the tool
for producing models, random variables, independence, normal distribution, simulation, sampling, statistical inference, confidence inter-
vals, and tests of significance.
Prerequisite: A grade of 3 or higher in MTH530A.
Project-Based Statistics
MTH531A (may be taken as a Math or Interdisciplinary course; official course number is INT509PSA)
MTH531B (may be taken as a Math or Interdisciplinary course; official course number is INT509PSB)
MTH531C (may be taken as a Math or Interdisciplinary course; official course number is INT509PSC)
(THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
One credit assigned each term in Mathematics or Interdisciplinary. This is a community-based learning statistics course that will enable
students to implement learned knowledge to work with communities. This curriculum-driven project contains a civic responsibility compo-
nent that ties in with the concept of citizenship. Students will apply their knowledge immediately and beneficially as they “bring numbers
to life” in collaboration with the PA community and local nonprofit organizations. For instance, students potentially would be able to col-
lect, organize, interpret, analyze, and project data to help the Admissions Office, Dining Services, Brace Center for Gender Studies, College
Counseling Office, Archives and Special Collections, and other departments of interest at PA. Similarly, students can assist worthy causes in
the wider community, working with those entities to tell stories with numbers.
Prerequisite: MTH350 or permission of the department.
Programming Fundamentals
CSC350
(T1, T2, T3)
This course begins with an introduction to computational thinking and programming in a block-based language such as Scratch, then
moves to programming in Python, JavaScript, Processing, or another text-based programming language. Students will learn about variables,
functions, conditional statements (if-else), and iterations (loops) and will design and code their own programming projects. The course may
include additional units such as programming Finch robots.
App Development
CSC450
(T1, T2, T3)
The proliferation of websites and demand for increasingly complex content have led to an explosion of programming solutions for develop-
ing Web pages. This course introduces students to building Web pages in the latest versions of HTML and CSS, and also to programming
in Javascript, the most popular option for offering dynamic behavior on the Web. Students explore the tools needed for deploying and
managing their own websites and get a preview of other aspects of programming for the Web, such as databases, server-side systems, and
Web frameworks. In Term 2, the topic of the course will be mobile app development for iOS with Swift.
AP Computer Science I
CSC500A
(T1)
The first term of a three-term course in algorithms, object-oriented programming, and data structures, guided by the College Board’s AP
Computer Science course description. The course covers Java language syntax and style, classes and interfaces, conditional and iterative
statements, strings and arrays.
Prerequisite: MTH340 or permission of the department.
AP Computer Science II
CSC500B
CSC500C
(T2, T3) (A TWO-TERM COMMITMENT)
This course is the continuation of CSC500. The emphasis is on Object-Oriented Programming (OOP), searching and sorting algorithms,
recursion, data structures, and the design and implementation of larger programs, including the College Board’s required case study and
team projects. This course completes the preparation for the Advanced Placement exam in computer science.
Prerequisite: CSC500A.
Music Placements
All entering students must complete the online music placement questionnaire to determine the level at which they will enter the music
curriculum.
• Students who matriculated as Juniors and Lowers should take their first music course (MUS225, 235, or 400 as placed) by the end of
lower year, which qualifies them for any 300-level Intermediate Elective or for some 400- or -500-level Advanced Electives. Students who
matriculated as Juniors or Lowers and placed into MUS225 who have not taken it by the end of lower year will take MUS350 during
upper or senior year to fulfill their introductory music diploma requirement. Students who matriculated as Juniors or Lowers and placed
into MUS235 who have not taken it by the end of lower year may enroll in a 300-level elective during upper or senior year to fulfill their
introductory music diploma requirement.
Note: Entering Juniors who have been placed into MUS400 and who wish to take the entire yearlong Advanced Music Theory sequence
during their upper or senior year will need to petition for permission to postpone their first term of music beyond the end of lower year.
• Students who matriculated as Uppers may fulfill their diploma requirement in the visual and performing arts with MUS350, a 300-level
elective, or MUS400, according to their placement.
• Entering Seniors have no diploma requirement in music or art, but should complete the music placement questionnaire if they wish to
take a music course.
Any students who place into MUS400 may opt instead to take MUS410 or MUS460 as their first music course (with permission of the
instructor).
The course into which each student is placed (MUS225, 235, 350, or 400) serves as the prerequisite for all electives. Exceptions are noted
in the descriptions below.
Introductory Courses
The following three courses contribute toward satisfying the diploma requirement in music.
Jazz History
MUS310
(T2)
This course begins by examining jazz’s mixture of African and European traditions and the subsequent pre-jazz styles of spiritual, blues,
and ragtime. It then proceeds with a study of 20th-century jazz styles, beginning with New Orleans and culminating with the multifaceted
creations of today’s artists. Along the way the course pays tribute to the work of some of jazz’s most influential innovators, including Louis
Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis. Original recordings, photographs, and videos are
used extensively throughout the term.
Electronic Music
MUS360
(T2, T3)
This composition course is designed to enable students with modest notational skills to use electronic equipment in order to compose
music. Equipment used includes mixing board, analog and four-track tape recorders, digital stereo and eight-track recorders, analog and
digitally controlled synthesizers, drum machine, Macintosh computer, and sequencing software (Professional Performer). Projects include
com-positions in the style of musique concrète and other sound collages using synthesizers. Space limitations in the electronic music studio
require that the course be limited to nine students per term. Students must reserve three two-hour private work sessions in the studio per
week. This course does not focus on popular music. MUS360, if failed, cannot be made up by examination. (Mr. Monaco)
Advanced Electives
Applied Music
All students who are interested in joining a vocal or instrumental performance ensemble are encouraged to do so. Participation in a music
ensemble is usually extracurricular, with no academic credit granted. Those wishing to receive academic credit for ensemble participation
must simultaneously take private lessons or attend a weekly music theory seminar. Whether participating for credit or as an extracurricular
activity, students are expected to attend all rehearsals and performances. Students wishing to receive academic credit for their ensemble
participation are expected to discuss their wishes with their ensemble director prior to selecting the course. A full list of expectations and
responsibilities is available through the music department.
Those who wish to enroll in a 900-level performance-based course (ensemble for credit) may do so at any time and, if they desire, repeat-
edly. Please note, however, that ensembles for credit (MUS900 through MUS906) cannot be counted toward fulfilling the diploma require-
ment in the arts.
Chorus
MUS900
(T1, T2, T3)
Open to all qualified students. The chorus is the Academy’s major singing group composed of mixed voices, and it performs a variety of
choral works, both sacred and secular. Those wishing to take the course on a non-credit basis need no previous choral participation, just a
desire to work hard and attend all the rehearsals. If they have not sung in the chorus before, they may take the course for credit only with
the permission of the instructor. (Dr. Siegfried)
Fidelio Society
MUS901
(T1, T2, T3)
Open to all classes. This small group of mixed voices is selected from the chorus (MUS900). It performs on numerous occasions through-
out the year both on chorus programs and on its own. Its repertoire includes music of all types, early and modern, sacred and secular.
Membership is by audition and is conditional upon continued good standing in the chorus. A student may take MUS901 and MUS900
simultaneously, but only one will be for credit. This course, if failed, cannot be made up by examination. (Dr. Siegfried)
Band
MUS902
(T1, T2, T3)
Open to all qualified students. Tryouts are held any time before the beginning of a term to test the student’s ability and to arrange for seating.
There are some school-owned instruments available for student use. All types of music for wind ensemble are rehearsed, including marches,
as well as classical, popular, and show music. Some sight-reading is done, and at least one public concert per term is given. (Mr. Monaco)
Jazz Band
MUS903
(T1, T2, T3)
Open to all qualified students. Auditions are held at the beginning of the term, as usually only one player per part is accepted. This
ensemble is in a typical big band format and performs the repertoire of the groups of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Thad Jones, and Woody
Herman, as well as contemporary Latin jazz and jazz/rock fusion compositions. Membership is conditional on continued good standing in
the band.
Chamber Orchestra
MUS906
(T1, T2, T3)
Open to all classes. Most of the music played is for string orchestra; the best winds in the school are invited to join for larger works. While
Chamber Orchestra may be elected as a credit-bearing course, it is also an activity in which all are invited to participate. (Dr. Jacoby and
Ms. Landolt)
Biology
Most Juniors will take BIO100 as their introductory science course. Uppers and Seniors are placed in BIO501 or BIO581 by the depart-
ment chair. In general, students who have had three-terms of biology and a 6 in CHM250 (or equivalent), a 5 or higher in CHM300 (or
equivalent), or a 4 or higher in CHM500, 550, or 580 (or equivalent) will be placed in the BIO580 sequence.
Introduction to Biology
BIO100A
BIO100B
BIO100C
(T1, T2, T3) (THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
This course is for Juniors. BIO100 is theme-based and focused on major biological topics. Studying a core text will be supplemented with
other readings, writing assignments, and data analysis and interpretation. Students will learn a variety of study skills and will have an
introduction to library research tools. Laboratory experiments and fieldwork are designed to acquaint students with fundamental biological
principles and to build skills in the methods and techniques used to elucidate those principles.
Animal Behavior
BIO420
(T1)
Open to Uppers and Seniors who have had one year of laboratory science, the course is designed to familiarize the student with the basic
principles of animal behavior. The topics that receive the greatest emphasis are territoriality, aggression, mating strategies, courtship, paren-
tal behavior, migration, dominance, and the evolution of behavior patterns. Throughout the course, an effort is made to relate the behavior
of animals to the behavior of humans. A project or a research paper will be required.
Ornithology
BIO421
(T3)
Open to Uppers and Seniors who have completed a yearlong science course.
No other group of chordates has captured the human imagination like birds. In the United States alone, approximately 30 million homes
have installed birdfeeders, and the sale of feeders, seed, binoculars, and bird guides has become a multibillion-dollar business. The goal of
this course is to provide an in-depth look into the world of birds by studying the behavior, anatomy, physiology, and natural history of these
feathered vertebrates. The Andover area is rich in habitat diversity and corresponding bird species. A portion of the course will be dedicated
Microbiology
BIO450
(T2)
Open to Uppers and Seniors who have had one year of laboratory science. From AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria to strep throat and the
common cold, bacteria, parasites, and viruses affect our quality of life and are major obstacles to world development. This course will exam-
ine public health threats posed by selected microorganisms. We will study the biology and epidemiology of these microorganisms, learn how
to keep ourselves healthy, and develop an awareness of personal and global public health issues.
Cellular Biology
BIO581
(T1)
Open to Uppers and Seniors. Following a brief review of chemical principles, the course examines the major classes of biomolecules and
how they are synthesized and degraded in the cell, with emphasis on reactions associated with energy conversion pathways such as respira-
tion and photosynthesis. Enzyme function is considered both in terms of mechanisms of action and with regard to kinetics. The relation-
ship between structure and function at the molecular level is emphasized in studies of molecular genetics and the control of genetic expres-
sion. Biotechnology is introduced through the laboratory. Not open to those who have completed BIO501, 502, and 503.
Prerequisite: A grade of 6 in CHM250, a 5 or higher in CHM300, or a 4 or higher in CHM500, 550, or 580. The department chair will
make final decisions about placement of students in BIO501 or BIO581.
Chemistry
The chemistry department offers two yearlong introductory courses in chemistry, each of which fulfills part of the diploma requirement for
a laboratory science. Placement in CHM250 and CHM300 series is generally based on concurrent mathematics placement. Students who
wish to take the Chemistry AP exam may prepare for it by taking CHM500, 550, or 580.
Introduction to Chemistry
CHM250A
CHM250B
CHM250C
(T1, T2, T3) (THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
An introduction to the chemical view of the material world, including atomic theory, atomic structure, chemical reactions, the nature of
solids, liquids, gases, and solutions, general equilibria, acid-base theories, electrochemistry, and aspects of nuclear chemistry. Emphasis is
placed on developing problem-solving skills as well as on making connections between chemical principles and everyday life. A college-
level text is used, but the pace of this course is adjusted to ensure that students have ample opportunity to ask questions. Laboratory work
is an integral part of the course. The syllabus is appropriate preparation for the College Board Subject Test. High honors work each term
adequately prepares a student for CHM580 series.
Corequisite: Registration in MTH210 or above.
NOTE: This course is NOT open to Juniors.
Interdisciplinary Science
Human Origins (may be taken as a Science or Interdisciplinary course; official course number is INT510HO)
SCI470
(T1)
One credit assigned in Science or Interdisciplinary. Open to Uppers and Seniors. Take a look around. Regardless of where you are, the
consequence of three million years of human evolution is evident. This interdisciplinary science course uses insights drawn from history,
art, archaeology, and other disciplines to chart the human journey from hominid to the first civilizations that forecast the modern world.
Human Origins includes weekly field or laboratory work outside of the classroom; hands-on laboratory exercises emphasize use of Peabody
Museum of Archaeology collections and challenge students to apply ancient techniques to solve daily problems of survival. (Dr. Wheeler)
Physics
Introduction to Physics
PHY100A
PHY100B
PHY100C
(T1, T2, T3)
A yearlong laboratory science course exclusively for 9th-graders (Juniors) who enter the Academy in MTH100. Topical in nature, this course
explores phenomena ranging from the motion of objects under various conditions to the nature of electromagnetic radiation and the energy
balance of the earth. After understanding important aspects of our own planet, students turn their gaze skyward, using the observatory and
considering questions about space exploration and the physical conditions required for extraterrestrial life. While grounded in physics, the
course also ventures into interdisciplinary territory, laying the foundations for later work in the science curriculum. Through inquiry-based
laboratory exercises, students gain deeper insight into the nature of science generally and build quantitative skills that complement their
work in our math curriculum.
Introduction to Physics
PHY300A
PHY300B
PHY300C
(T1, T2, T3) (A THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
This course is open to Lowers, Uppers, and Seniors. Its main purpose is to understand how scientists view the world by becoming scientists
ourselves. We will observe physical phenomena in the world around us and study them as scientific events. The course explores basic topics
in mechanics, electricity, and magnetism. Using these topics, students will learn about the scientific process and quantitative problem-solv-
ing. After completing this course, students are allowed to take PHY400 or PHY550 if they meet the math prerequisite. This course does not
provide an appropriate preparation for the College Board Subject Test in physics.
Corequisite: Registration in MTH210 or higher.
College Physics I
PHY400A
(T1)
This is the first term of non-calculus physics course, covering classical mechanics in Term 1. Laboratory work is an integral part of the
course. The yearlong syllabus for this course provides appropriate preparation for the College Board Subject Test in physics. Completion
of a chemistry sequence is not a pre-requisite for enrolling in PHY400A. However, for students who have completed a Chemistry sequence
prior to enrolling in Physics, those who have earned a 4 or better in CHM250, or have completed CHM300 or CHM550 should enroll in
PHY400A. Those who have completed CHM250 with less than a 3 should enroll in PHY300. Students who have previously completed
PHY300 can enroll in PHY400A.
Corequisite: Registration in at least MTH280 or MTH330 (or permission of the department chair if in MTH320 in Term 1).
College Physics II
PHY400B
PHY400C
(T2, T3) (A TWO-TERM COMMITMENT)
A continuation of PHY400A. The last two terms cover electricity, magnetism, wave motion, light, relativity, and atomic and nuclear
physics. Laboratory work is an integral part of the course. The year-long syllabus for this course provides appropriate preparation for the
College Board Subject Test in physics.
Prerequisite: Completion of Term 1 PHY400A.
Robotics
PHY420
(T1, T2, T3)
This course is open only to postgraduates in the fall and is open to all students in the winter and spring. Students wishing to take Robotics
for multiple terms may do so with the permission of the instructor. Students will create an independent robot capable of complex behavior
by the end of the term while exploring all the different aspects of robot design and how they come together in the creation of a robot,
including ethical and cultural elements surrounding the use of artificial intelligence. A hands-on, project-based course, students will use the
engineering process to engage in science-driven decision making, and review physical concepts involved in the design and construction of a
robot.
Electronics
PHY520
(T2)
A course in modern solid state electronics that considers passive circuit elements and their combinations, diodes, transistors, and integrated
circuits. There will be considerable laboratory work.
Prerequisite: Previous completion of or concurrent enrollment in PHY400 and completion of MTH360.
Astronomy Research
PHY530
(T1, T2, T3)
In this course students will spend extensive time in the Phillips Academy Observatory, where they will learn to operate the telescope, dome,
and CCD camera. Students will learn techniques for visual observing, astrophotography, and photometry. Students will engage in research
projects designed to provide an introduction to research techniques in astronomy. When appropriate, results will be submitted for publica-
tion. In addition to conducting ongoing research projects, the class will take time out to observe interesting current events (observing the
pass of a near-Earth asteroid, a recent supernova flare-up, a transit of the ISS across the moon, etc.). The class will meet four class periods a
week. In addition, students will be expected to spend several hours a week in the observatory. Given weather constraints in New England,
observing nights will vary.
Prerequisite: PHY440
Corequisite: Completion or concurrent enrollment in MTH510 or MTH570 or higher. Students may enroll in PHY530 for multiple terms;
scheduling preference will be given to students who are currently enrolled in PHY530. Students not meeting the prerequisite or corequisite may take
the course with the permission of the instructor.
Advanced Courses
Calculus-Based Physics
PHY550A
PHY550B
PHY550C
(T1, T2, T3) (THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
PHY550 prepares students for both Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism of the C level Advanced Placement examination, and
entrance to honors-level programs in physics at the university level. Calculus will be used as required. Open to students who (a) will be
enrolled in at least MTH590 or who have completed MTH575, and (b) have earned a 4 or higher in their two most recent terms of math.
PHY400 is also an option for these students.
Fluid Mechanics
PHY630
(T1)
Students taking this course will learn about fluid statics and dynamics. Dimensional analysis and derivation of Bernoulli and Navier-Stokes
equations will provide the methods necessary for solving problems.
Prerequisite: Completion of MTH590 or -595, and PHY550 or -580.
Physics Seminar
PHY650
(T2)
The focus of this course is intermediate mechanics. Topics will vary according to the interests of the instructor and the students.
Prerequisite: Completion of MTH590 and Term 1 of PHY550 or PHY580.
Sense of Place
SCI405
Physical Geology
PHY450
Darwin’s (R)Evolution
SCI475
Introduction to Ethics
PHR340
(T1, T2, T3)
Not open to Juniors. Students in this discussion course will be introduced to a variety of approaches to ethical reflection. Through the use
of classical texts and personal and literary stories, students will develop a common vocabulary with which to understand and critically evalu-
ate their moral experience. 300-level courses are intended for Lowers, but are also open to Uppers.
Ethics: Medicine
PHR460
(T1)
Open to Uppers and Seniors. Modern medical research and practice present society with new opportunities and significant challenges.
Students in this course will look at various case studies at the intersection of medicine, scientific research, health care, and ethics. Possible
case studies may include debates about abortion, euthanasia, animal rights, and broader environmental implications of scientific and mate-
rial progress in the 21st century. Classical and contemporary philosophers will be read as part of our investigation into these topics.
Feminist Philosophies
PHR480
(T2)
This course will address feminist moral and political theories. There is no singular ‘feminism’, and feminists disagree with each other on the
answers to many of those moral and political claims. We will survey a variety of feminisms, including liberal and radical feminisms, woman-
ism, and others. The course will also cover topics including sex and gender, the nature of oppression, intersectionality (including discussions
of race, disability, gender identity, and class), and sexual ethics. Special topics will be chosen by students for further focus, but could include
topics such as body shaming, trafficking, or understandings of masculinity.
Existentialism
PHR500
(T1)
Open to Uppers and Seniors. The term “existentialism” covers a broad range of attitudes and values joined together by an emphasis on
human existence. The authors brought together in its name share a characteristic concern for the problems of meaning, identity, freedom,
and choice that confront humans in everyday life. Class discussions and readings are designed to help us locate and express these problems
as they confront each of us in our own lives. This includes topics such as self-knowledge, self-deception, bad faith, subjectivity, rationality,
and value. Readings incorporate both literary and philosophical texts—classical and contemporary—that span across a range of thinkers
who share a concern for these problems. These may include works by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Sören Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul
Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, and others.
Global Islams
PHR535
(T1, T3)
With nearly two billion adherents globally, Islam is one of the fastest growing religious traditions in the world today. Yet, with less than
1 percent of the U.S. population identifying as Muslim, it is also one of the most misunderstood. What is Islam? Where is it practiced?
What do Muslims believe? This course aims to introduce students to the vast internal complexities of the Islamic tradition through a
combination of primary and secondary sources in history, scripture, law, art, and popular culture. In addition to exploring the origins of the
tradition in the Middle East and its subsequent expansion, students will also examine a variety of contemporary issues, such as the rise of
Islamophobia in West; the role of gender, jihadist, and fundamentalist movements; and Muslim immigration in the United States.
Applied Logic
PHR405
Physical Education
PHD200
(T1, T2, T3)
For Lowers—PHD200 is designed to teach lifetime wellness. Emphasis is placed on self-improvement and personal challenges, and an
indoor ropes course provides students with an opportunity for challenge-based learning. Because PHD200 is a Pass/Fail course, effort is the
critical factor in determining a student’s performance. Each student is expected to participate fully in discussions, in the fitness center, in
the pool, and on the ropes course. In addition, the Department of Physical Education partners with the wellness team from the Sykes
Wellness Center to cover topics such as hygiene, healthy relationships, and drugs and alcohol; safe decision making and personal responsi-
bility are stressed.
Psychology: An Introduction
PSY420
(T3)
Psychology informs our daily lives in innumerable ways. We make decisions based on what we believe to be true about ourselves and about
the world. But how do we arrive at these beliefs? How much are we influenced by the genes we’ve inherited, the ways we were raised, the
stories we’ve been told, the sociopolitical forces that surround us? For centuries great thinkers have researched and explained what makes
us who we are. In PSY420, we will explore some of the most compelling theories of human behavior, from unconscious mental conflicts
to mirror neurons. This one-term seminar course introduces areas of study within the broad field of psychology. Through reading, writing,
and class discussions, we will examine psychological research, developmental psychology, clinical psychology, psychological assessment,
and topics in neuroscience. In addition, students will research peer-reviewed journal articles and write a paper in American Psychological
Association (APA) format. Seniors only.
Acting I
THD210
(T1, T2, T3)
Open to Lowers and Juniors only, this course is designed for students with little or no acting experience. By doing exercises in movement
and voice production, reading, improvisation, and scenes, a student who is curious about the theatre may determine whether he or she has
ability or interest in acting while learning something of the process of characterization—the major responsibility of the actor. The emphasis
is on the variety of acting experiences rather than on a polished final product.
Introduction to Dance
THD211
(T2)
Introduction to Dance is designed for students who have never studied ballet or modern dance in depth and to be taken in conjunction with
dance as a sport. This course will investigate the underlying principles of these forms. Students will learn the historical beginnings and tech-
nical developments, along with the basic terminology and the fundamental building blocks of these disciplines. While this course will put
modern and ballet in a cultural context, the focus of the course will be dance technique and the marriage of skills with an understanding of
terms, kinesthetic principles, and aesthetic styles. (J. Wombwell)
Acting I
THD310
(T1, T2, T3)
Open to Uppers and Seniors, this course is designed for students with little or no acting experience. By doing exercises in movement and
voice production, reading, improvisation, and scenes, a student who is curious about the theatre may determine whether he or she has abil-
ity or interest in acting while learning something of the process of characterization—the major responsibility of the actor. The emphasis is
on the variety of acting experiences rather than on a polished final product.
Lighting
THD320
(T1, T2, T3)
The course will introduce the student to the art of lighting design while also providing an opportunity to observe light in nature, art, stage,
screen, and created environments. The course will allow the individual to gain applied practical understanding regarding the color theory of
light, the psychology of color and light, and controllable qualities of light. The design process will be utilized as a method of dramatic inter-
pretation. Artistic expression will be achieved through practical use of lighting instruments, laboratory projects, experiments, and school
productions when applicable. (Mr. Murray)
Scene Design
THD325
(T2)
This course will introduce the student to the elements that inform the scenic designer’s choices (the theme and mood of a script, lines of
action, focus, constraints, whimsy) and discuss methods of formulating cohesive, functional, and effective design for a show. The student
will be introduced to many materials and techniques available to a designer for realizing his or her ideas as a physical product. Special
attention will be paid to the process of the design concept: collaboration, formulation, presentation, discussion, evaluation, and reworking.
Students will be graded on both design projects and classroom participation. This is a seminar class that relies upon the open and frank
exchange of ideas to stimulate creativity. (Mr. Josef )
Directing
THD360
(T3) (NOT OPEN TO JUNIORS)
Since directing plays is the most complex of theatrical tasks, this course will focus on methods to unlock the life of a script in the realiza-
tion of production. Studies will include historic styles and productions, emphasizing their staging. Students will learn the dynamics of floor
plans and their effect on blocking, the potentials for lighting and its effect on mood, the importance of rhythm and spectacle, and strategies
to harness them. While no class on directing can function without including discussion of the actor’s craft, this class will only touch on this
area. (Mr. Grimm)
Choreographic Elements
THD365
(T3)
This course examines the aesthetic elements of movement through various dance styles. Students will be led through explorations and
formal exercises to learn how to generate and manipulate movement in clear and innovative fashions. Coursework will culminate in a final
presentation of original compositions. This class will provide an in-depth study of dance elements and choreographic tools, drawing upon
models set forth by Laban, Balanchine, Doris Humphrey, Judson Church, Mark Morris, and Rennie Harris, among others. Ultimately,
students will deepen their understanding of movement as a form of communication and expression. This course will require students to
rehearse on their own outside of class, as part of the standard four to five hours of homework per week. (Ms. Wombwell)
Prerequisite: Previous dance experience or permission of the instructor.
Stage Craft
THD380
(T3)
Open to Lowers and Juniors only. This is a practicum course in which students work on the technical elements for faculty-directed dance
and theatre productions being produced by the department in that term. Skills learned will depend on the requirements of the particular
show. Some lab hours to be arranged outside of class time. (Mr. Josef )
Musical Theatre
THD390 or MUS390 (may be taken as a Theatre, Music, or Interdisciplinary course; official course number is INT301MT)
(NOT OFFERED IN 2018–2019)
One credit assigned in Theatre, Music, or Interdisciplinary. Open to any student (no prerequisites). Musical Theatre is an interdisciplinary
and experiential class that will explore both the history and performance elements of American Musical Theatre. Beginning with the 1920s
and culminating with present day, students will explore the historical context of a significant musical in a particular decade each week.
Students also will perform a number from that musical each week, challenging themselves in the discipline of performance. Over the course
Public Speaking
THD420
(T1, T2, T3)
Not open to Juniors. The course has a dual objective: to learn how to speak easily in front of others, and to learn how to construct a speech
and perform the speech in English. Students give prepared speeches on a variety of topics. (Mr. Heelan)
Acting II
THD510
(T1, T2)
By audition only. This course is designed for students with acting experience and a serious commitment to the art form. Students will build
on their existing skills through in-depth character work and scene study, pushing their understanding of themselves and acting by exploring
challenging scenes and exercises. Special emphasis will be placed on the performance of subtext, compositional texture, and character analy-
sis through verbal and nonverbal communication in a rigorous rehearsal setting.
Prerequisite: Previous completion of THD210 or completion of THD900-level course.
August Wilson’s View of the 20th Century: His Pittsburgh, Our America
THD531 or ENG531AW (may be taken as a Theatre, English, or Interdisciplinary course;
official course number INT511AW)
(T1)
One credit assigned in Theatre, English, or Interdisciplinary. This course will use a selection of August Wilson’s plays to investigate how
our society’s view of race changed during the 20th century. Students will move through Wilson’s plays in chronological order, focusing on
the Aunt Ester plays in the Century Cycle in both a literary and theatrical way. This section will give students a glimpse into Wilson’s fic-
tionalized Pittsburgh and insights into a more historically accurate Pittsburgh and America, as well as the man as a playwright. Students will
look for connections between Pittsburgh and other American urban environments, examining how cities changed during the 20th century.
This course is open to Seniors; it may be taken by Uppers with permission from the department chair. (Mr. Grimm)
Studio Production
THD910
(T3)
By audition only. This course is composed of the students’ performance of a faculty-directed play or musical in a workshop setting. This
show will be a part of the department’s season and can vary from contemporary to classical plays (including Shakespeare), and small-scale
musicals. Plays will be chosen with the intent to expand our ability as a department to present a wider array of the human experience.
Consideration will be given to World Language and bilingual works.
Play Production
THD920PP
THD920DP
THD920AP
(T1, T2, T3)
By audition only. This course is comprised of the performance of a faculty-directed, full-length production. All students are invited to
audition.
Play Writing
ENG507PW
Choreography II
THD565
Chinese
Standard Chinese (a.k.a. Mandarin) boasts the largest number of native speakers of any language in the world and is learned in school by
all Chinese people regardless of local dialect. In addition to its burgeoning economy, China is also known for its rich history and culture,
and the knowledge of Chinese can open doors to a wide variety of opportunities. Because Chinese words are tonal (varied in pitch) and
uninflected (unmodified due to person, tense, number, gender, etc.), and because the script consists of characters rather than an alphabet,
the study of Chinese offers a unique learning experience.75 Return to Table of Contents
All Chinese courses develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills (using the simplified script). Intermediate and advanced levels
introduce and develop the reading and writing of Chinese using computers. Opportunities are available for students to participate in the
five-week study/travel program in China and an academic year program, both run by School Year Abroad (SYA) in Beijing, China.
First-Level Chinese
CHI100A
CHI100B
CHI100C
(T1)
This course is designed for those students who have had little or no previous world language experience. It provides an introduction to
spoken and written Chinese, with an emphasis on pronunciation, the Pinyin Romanization system, and the building blocks (radicals) of
Chinese characters.
First-Level Chinese
CHI110
(NOT OFFERED IN 2018–2019)
This course is designed for those students who have had previous experience in Chinese, but who are not sufficiently prepared for the
second-level course. It provides a review of the Pinyin Romanization system and the building blocks (radicals) of Chinese characters, and
emphasizes tonal accuracy.
First-Level Chinese
CHI110A
CHI110B
(TWO-TERM COMMITMENT)
(NOT OFFERED IN 2018–2019)
This course, a continuation of CHI100 and CHI110 First-Level Chinese, prepares students for CHI200 the following year.
Second-Level Chinese
CHI200A
CHI200B
CHI200C
(T1, T2, T3) (THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
This course continues to emphasize proficiency in everyday situations. Students enlarge their inventory of words and phrases while also
developing a deeper understanding of the essential features of Chinese grammar.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of CHI110 or equivalent.
Third-Level Chinese
CHI300A
CHI300B
CHI300C
(T1, T2, T3) (THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
This course provides more emphasis on reading and writing. Students are introduced to longer texts, covering such topics as family life,
social issues, and aspects of Chinese culture.
Fourth-Level Chinese
CHI400A
CHI400B
CHI400C
(NOT OFFERED IN 2018–2019)
Increased use of authentic materials is employed as more sophisticated aspects of language and culture are explored. In particular, students
are exposed to the more formal written style of Chinese, which is prevalent in newspapers, on street signs, etc.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of CHI300 or equivalent.
CHI621, Term 1—Screening Contemporary China: Chinese Language, Culture, and Society through Films. The goal of this course is to
immerse students in authentic language and culture through Chinese films as a way to understand aspects of Chinese national and cultural
identity. It is hoped that the course not only will help students cultivate a greater command of language over analysis and theorization of
Chinese cinema, but also will help facilitate students’ understanding of Chinese cinema and culture in the context of globalization.
CHI622, Term 2—Modern Chinese Theater. During this course, students will read, study, and perform an original Chinese play,
Thunderstorm (Lei Yu), by iconic 20th-century Chinese playwright Cao Yu.
CHI623, Term 3—Chinatowns and the Asian American Immigrant Experience. One credit assigned in Chinese or Interdisciplinary.
The goal for the course is for students, regardless of whether or not they are of Chinese descent, to gain a deepened understanding of the
experience and the effects of Asian immigration into Northern California and beyond, through bilingual literature, archives, and film clips.
As part of the coursework, students will self-reflect on the meaning of racial and cultural identity, especially against the histories of the Asian
American experience. This term-based course is also experiential and will culminate in a class trip to the Bay Area or New York City.
CLASSICS
Greek
Through the study of Greek, the Department of Classics offers students a direct entry into Greek literature. The Greek alphabet is easily
mastered in the first few class meetings, and students quickly discover that the poetic and expressive qualities of Greek language and litera-
ture stimulate the imagination and illuminate the early political and intellectual development of the Mediterranean basin.
Women in Antiquity
CLA552 (may be taken as a Classics or Interdisciplinary course; official course number is INT524WA)
(T2)
One credit assigned in Classics or Interdisciplinary. The literary woman in antiquity and the actual woman in antiquity are rather differ-
ent concepts. In classical literature, we can find numerous examples of powerful, erudite, and accomplished women; however, in classical
history, these examples are few. In this course, we will look at this variance and try to determine how it came to be, especially in societies
whose own deities were often female. We will pay close attention to literary figures such as Helen, Andromache, Medea, Lysistrata, Lucretia,
Lesbia, and Dido, and we will examine the life of the actual woman in the classical world in order to see how her experience compares with
her literary counterpart. Although not required, students with experience in Latin or Greek may continue working with ancient texts in the
original language. This course is open to all Seniors or with permission from the Classics Department chair.
Ancient Theatre
CLA553 (may be taken as a Classics or Interdisciplinary course; official course number is INT525AT)
(T3)
One credit assigned in Classics or Interdisciplinary. Ancient theatre produced two enduring genres, tragedy and comedy, which remain
with us today. We will explore the cultural history surrounding these two genres, from Greek festivals to Roman novels, and how they have
filtered down to us in modernity. Looking at modern corollaries and adaptations will be an important component of this course as we try to
identify the threads that connect these ancient dramatic arts to our modern experience. Although not required, students with experience in
Latin or Greek may continue working with ancient texts in the original language. This class is open to all Seniors or with permission from
the Classics Department chair.
First-Level Latin
LTN100A
LTN100B
LTN100C
(T1, T2, T3) (THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
The purpose of the course is to teach students the basic features of the Latin language and of Roman culture in relation to other cultures,
e.g., family life and societal relationships, slavery, travel, sports, life in the big city, entertainment, and education. Students learn the
traditional forms and syntax. All six tenses, indicative and passive, are covered, as well as all five declensions of nouns, three declensions of
adjectives, and the standard pronouns. There is extensive practice in recognizing endings of nouns, adjectives, pronouns, and verbs, as well
as case uses and normal Latin sentence structures, with the goal of mastering basic techniques of accurate translation and comprehension of
Latin sentences and stories.
Second-Level Latin
LTN200A
LTN200B
LTN200C
(T1, T2, T3) (THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
During Term 1, the linguistic and cultural approach of LTN100 is continued as the class reviews and completes the basic grammar (includ-
ing participles, subjunctives, and indirect statements) and reads about other aspects of Roman life. In Term 2 and Term 3, students read
selections from Caesar, Livy, and Ovid.
Advanced Courses
Vergil/Caesar
LTN520A
LTN520B
LTN520C
(T1, T2, T3) (THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
Students read the entire Aeneid in English and substantial selections of Books I, II, IV, and VI in Latin, examining Vergil’s literary form
and technique, as well as the philosophical and political dimensions of his age. Students then turn to Latin prose, reading selections from
Caesar’s Commentaries on the Gallic War. Cicero himself called Caesar the most eloquent of all Romans. His Latin, pure and unadorned,
provides an excellent balance to Vergil’s tragic style.
Prerequisite: A grade of 5 or higher in LTN300 or permission of the department.
French
French is a world language spoken on five continents and in many international organizations, such as the United Nations, UNESCO, and
NATO. It is an official language of more than 30 countries, including Belgium, Canada, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Guinea, Haiti, Senegal, and Switzerland. L’Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie has 56 member states. While France is
the most visited country in the world and famous for many reasons—including its cultural heritage, beauty, food, and art of living—the
importance of French extends far beyond France.
The French Department offers courses at six different levels, from beginning through Advanced Placement and beyond to courses for fluent
speakers. At all levels, classes are conducted entirely in French, and in all courses French is taught in cultural contexts. The first two years
emphasize basic language structures; the third serves as a transition to advanced courses that offer in-depth study of the literature and civi-
lization of France and other French-speaking areas, especially those in Africa and North America. Each year, the Academy enrolls French-
speaking students from abroad who provide important firsthand contact with Francophone cultures. Students may spend a full academic
year or a summer in Rennes through the School Year Abroad program. Information on this and other off-campus opportunities can be
obtained from the Department of World Languages.
First-Level French
FRE100A
FRE100B
FRE100C
(T1, T2, T3) (THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
This course is designed for those students who have had little or no previous world language experience and those who are not sufficiently
prepared for the second level course. The course emphasizes the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in the cultural context of
the Francophone world. Assignments are regularly required in the Language Learning Center.
Second-Level French
FRE200A
FRE200B
FRE200C
(T1, T2, T3) (THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
For students who have completed FRE100, or for new students who qualify through a placement test. Students practice the idiomatic
expressions that are most useful in everyday situations. While continuing to develop aural-oral skills, this course involves reading nontechni-
cal French prose and writing simple compositions.
Third-Level French
FRE300A
FRE300B
FRE300C
(T1, T2, T3) (THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
This yearlong course develops listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills through a review of grammar and the study of French films
and francophone texts. Articles from magazines and newspapers, online resources, and poems and recitations complement this core pro-
gram. (Text: Le Petit Nicolas, Sempé and Goscinny; Séquences, Bissière)
FRE622, Term 2—Translation and Interpreting. Do you trust what you read in translation? Should you? What can Google Translate
do and not do? Can you do it better? Find out in this advanced seminar course that will lead you from the critical comparison of several
translations of the same text to the theory and methodology of translation to doing your own translations from English to French (Version)
and French to English (Thème). Learn how to judge translations as well as produce them professionally with reliable tools. Translate a wide
variety of texts, such as news articles, literature, U.N. speeches, user’s manuals, and popular songs. Become an official TED translator for
your term project as you create and publish subtitles in translation for a TED Talk of your choice on the TED translator’s interface Amara.
In the process, we will review French grammar in depth and study contemporary idioms. At the end of the term, you will be ready to try
the ultimate challenge of consecutive and simultaneous interpreting. Translation and interpreting are eye-opening practices as well as prom-
ising career options. Come try them out!
Prerequisite: Completion of FRE520.
FRE623, Term 3—French Philosophers and Current Events. In this seminar conducted entirely in French, you will connect the works of
renowned French philosophers Descartes, Pascal, Voltaire, Rousseau, Foucault, Sartre, De Beauvoir, and Derrida, among others, to contem-
porary issues such as social justice, the science of genetics, or social media. We will use an actual philosophy textbook used in French high
schools, paired with relevant news articles you will find. You will link the concepts and news reports in discussions and mediated debates,
and then craft argumentative essays in French around each theme we tackle. You will produce short speeches designed to convince an audi-
ence of a theory discussed in class. You will be encouraged to find your voice in French, express yourself, and explore your own values to
become an informed global citizen and critical thinker.
Prerequisite: Completion of FRE520.
German
The German Department offers courses at six different levels, from beginning through Advanced Placement and beyond. At all levels,
current events, film, songs, poetry, and theatre enhance the study of grammar, reading, writing, listening, and speaking. During the school
year, there is a weekly “language table” in the dining hall where students can practice listening and speaking skills. Beginners through native
speakers are welcome to pull up a chair! No prior world language experience is necessary to begin the study of German; many students
discover that learning German enhances their comprehension of English grammar.
Study abroad opportunities facilitated by the German Department include a three-week homestay program offered by the American
Association of Teachers of German and the Tang Institute’s Berlin Week (a Learning in the World program) in June, as well as the Congress
Bundestag Gap Year program.
First-Level German
GER100A
GER100B
GER100C
(T1, T2, T3) (THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
A yearlong elementary course in speaking, reading, writing, listening comprehension, and culture. No previous experience in German or
any other world language is needed to enroll in this course. GER100 offers significant daily structure and support in order to facilitate suc-
cessful language learning. Current text: Deutsch Aktuell 1, 7th edition, digital version supplemented by digital exercises, contemporary films,
songs, and adapted short stories.
Third-Level German
GER300A
GER300B
INT300 (may be taken as a German or Interdisciplinary course; official course number is INT300)
(T1, T2, T3) (THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
One credit assigned in German or Interdisciplinary.
GER300A, Term 1—Open to students who have successfully completed GER200 or its equivalent. This course continues to develop
language skills in speaking, listening comprehension, reading, and writing. Greater emphasis on classroom discussion as well as short
essay writing is introduced. Current text: Vater und Sohn, by E.O. Plauen. This is the first course in the yearlong sequence of GER300A,
GER300B, INT300.
GER300B, Term 2—Open to students who have successfully completed GER300A or GER250 or its equivalent. The emphasis this term
is on vocabulary building, reading, and more advanced grammar (introduction of relative clauses, the subjunctive and the passive). Current
text: The novel Emil und die Detektive, by Kästner.
INT300, Term 3—Berlin: From Imperial Capital to Weltstadt. One credit assigned in either German or Interdisciplinary. This course is
open to students who have successfully completed GER300B. Term 3 is designed to combine the study of the German language with the study
of German culture and history. The language classes will focus on the integration of immigrant youth in today’s Berlin. The course materials,
a 2010 documentary titled Neukölln-Unlimited, related newspaper articles, and music selections will provide students with the grammar and
vocabulary that will enrich their understanding of the city’s transformation from an imperial capital to a multicultural world city.
The history classes will be taught in English and use Berlin as a lens through which to study some of the most transformative moments in
German history: the unification in 1871, the First World War, the Weimar Republic, the rise of fascism and the Second World War, the
post-war division of Germany, and finally the reunification of a divided Germany from 1989 to 1990. Readings will combine historical nar-
rative with cultural studies of the art and architecture that form the Berlin landscape in order to understand how the city on the Spree was
shaped by shifts in the nature of German national identity. Successful completion of this course satisfies the diploma requirement in German.
Fourth-Level German
GER401
GER402
GER403
(T1, T2, T3)
Open to students who have successfully completed GER300 or its equivalent. This course is ideal for students who are looking to review the
first three years of grammar as well as broaden vocabulary and improve conversational skills.
GER401, Term 1—Grammar; Biedermann und die Brandstifter by Frisch
GER402, Term 2—Grammar, short stories, concrete poetry, film
GER403, Term 3—Film, current events, Goethe’s poem Erlkönig
Prerequisite: GER300 or permission of the department chair.
Greek—see Classics
Japanese
First-Level Japanese
JPN100A
JPN100B
JPN100C
(T1, T2, T3) (THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
Open to all students. Seniors may take the course, but in situations of high enrollment, priority will be given to younger students to fulfill
language requirement. Students will learn to express themselves in a variety of conversational situations and to read and write hiragana,
katakana, and about 15 kanji, or Chinese characters. Classroom instruction will be based on Adventures in Japanese, Book 1, and its cor-
responding workbook. Students will learn not only the basic grammatical structures but also important elements of Japanese culture.
Second-Level Japanese
JPN200A
JPN200B
JPN200C
(T1, T2, T3) (THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
Open to students who have successfully completed first-level Japanese or its equivalent. A continuation of JPN100, the instruction will be based
on Adventures in Japanese, Book 2, and its workbook. In this course there is an increased emphasis on grammar and an additional 150 kanji.
Third-Level Japanese
JPN300A
JPN300B
JPN300C
(T1, T2, T3) (THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
Open to students who have successfully completed second-level Japanese or its equivalent. Instruction is given based on Adventures in
Japanese, Book 3, and its workbook. Emphasis is placed on more conversational practice using the previously learned grammar and more
Fourth-Level Japanese
JPN400A
JPN400B
JPN400C
(T1, T2, T3) (THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
Open to students who have successfully completed third-level Japanese or its equivalent. Using the advanced textbook of Adventures in
Japanese, Book 4, and its workbook, students will learn to express themselves more creatively and to communicate with status-appropriate
word usage. Students will learn an additional 150 kanji by the end of the course. Emphasis is placed on more advanced Japanese culture and
understanding Japanese history and values. Projects include interviews, research, and the final papers.
Advanced Japanese
JPN601
JPN602
JPN603
(T1, T2, T3)
Advanced Japanese is offered upon approval of the department chair.
Latin—see Classics
Russian
With the demise of the Soviet Union and resulting rapid expansion in East-West activity, the ability to communicate in Russian and knowl-
edge of Russian culture have lost none of their importance. At the beginning of the 21st century, there are more contacts now with Russia
and countries of the former Soviet Union than ever before. Not only are American business, science, and technology clamoring for Russian
speakers to work in and with the new Russia, but Russian remains the lingua franca in all the former Soviet republics, making it extremely
important now for national security reasons as well.
No prior world language experience is necessary to begin the study of Russian and students begin Russian coming from all sorts of back-
grounds—some having studied another world language, others not. Before studying Russian, many consider it strange and difficult, but its
alphabet and vocabulary have the same sources as English, and it follows many of the same principles of grammar. Continuous oral, visual,
and instructional use quickly make Russian familiar and enjoyable.
The Russian department offers a five-year course of study. This well-established program ensures confident progress in speaking, aural com-
prehension, reading, and writing. Elementary courses use a unique digital textbook to strengthen grammar skills and improve vocabulary
learning. At the upper levels, students continue to use iPads for reading in Russian with built-in dictionaries. Video is used throughout to
improve understanding of culture as well as language. Students who have had success in another world language or who have some prior
experience with Russian are encouraged to consider taking RUS150 after the first term of RUS100A. It is the policy of the Division of
World Languages to use the target language exclusively in the classroom. Students enrolled in all Russian courses are required to have an
iPad in lieu of textbooks or workbooks throughout their Andover Russian career.
Third-Level Russian
RUS300A
RUS300B
RUS300C
(T1, T2, T3) (THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
Students will improve conversation and composition skills through work with selected 19th- and 20th-century short stories and with video
materials. A review of problematic areas of grammar is integrated into the course. Work with video and audio materials constitutes an
important component of the course.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of RUS200 or RUS250.
Fourth-Level Russian
RUS401
RUS402
RUS403
(T1, T2, T3)
Expanded work in conversation, listening comprehension, and composition. Extensive use of videos as a source of culture and for conversa-
tion and understanding daily speech. Texts will become less modified as the year progresses.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of RUS300.
Spanish
The Department of Spanish offers a six-year course of study. Students learn to understand, speak, read, and write the language, and also are
given a comprehensive introduction to the literature and culture of Spain and Latin America. To enhance a student’s language experience,
the opportunity to study in Madrid, Spain, is offered through the INESLE program; the opportunity to study in Zaragoza, Spain, is offered
through the School Year Abroad (SYA) program. Information is available through the Tang Institute, learning in the world programs.
First-Level Spanish
SPA100A
SPA100B
SPA100C
(T1, T2, T3) (THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
This course is designed for language learners who enter at the Novice Low category according to ACFTL standards and, over the course
of the year, will prepare learners to reach the Novice High to Intermediate Low status. This course emphasizes interpersonal, presentational,
interpretive, and intercultural modes of communication evenly and makes use of authentic sources of input and rigorous forms of output.
All class work is conducted in Spanish.
Second-Level Spanish
SPA200A
SPA200B
SPA200C
(T1, T2, T3) (THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
This course is designed for language learners who enter at the Novice High category according to ACFTL standards and, over the course
of the year, will prepare learners to reach Intermediate Mid status.This course emphasizes interpersonal, presentational, interpretive, and
intercultural modes of communication evenly and makes use of authentic sources of input and rigorous forms of output. All class work is
conducted in Spanish.
Third-Level Spanish
SPA300A
SPA300B
SPA300C
(T1, T2, T3) (THREE-TERM COMMITMENT)
SPA300 is a course for students who have completed SPA200 or have been otherwise placed at this level in Spanish by demonstrating an
intermediate-mid level of proficiency, as described by the ACTFL proficiency scale.
Term 1—Students read authentic texts from a variety of genres: poetry, songs, short stories, a short play, newspaper opinion articles, and
cartoons, essays, and interviews. Created by prestigious authors, all of them are thematically connected around the notions of self, otherness,
identity, equity, social inclusion and exclusion. All the grammar notions and communicative functions presented are closely intertwined
with the texts.
Term 2—Students read authentic texts from a variety of genres: poetry, songs, short stories, newspaper opinion articles, and reports. All of
them have a common topic: children’s rights. As in Term 1, all the linguistic input is derived from or connected with the texts.
Term 3—Students read the Chronicle of a Death Foretold, written by Nobel Laureate Gabriel García Márquez. As they become acquainted
with one of the most beloved Latin American writers, students have the opportunity to explore for the first time a long, complex literary
text in Spanish. This reading also allows for a discussion of some cultural and social issues pertaining to Latin American reality.