Advice from Departments

What would you tell a first-year student about African American Studies?

African American Studies at Colby focuses on the cross-cultural and cross-temporal experiences of peoples of African descent in the United States and connects those experiences to the literatures, histories, and cultures of Africa and of Latin America and the Caribbean.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

Students can major or minor in African American Studies.

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program?

We recommend that students take AA 125 (Introduction to African American Cultures) and AA 247 (African-American History, from Slavery to Freedom) in their first year.

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement?

Most of our courses fulfill at least one distribution and/or diversity requirement.

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

Our transdisciplinary program of study includes a wide variety of courses offered in other departments (e.g. American Studies, Anthropology, English, Government, Latin American Studies, Philosophy, and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies). We encourage students to deepen their academic experience through study-abroad programs or through off-campus study at historically Black institutions in the United States.

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Chandra Bhimull, Associate Professor of Anthropology and African American Studies, The Audrey Wade Hittinger Katz and Sheldon Toby Katz Associate Professorship for Distinguished Teaching, Chair of African American Studies

What would you tell a first-year student about American Studies?

American Studies majors ask how power works in order to imagine a more just world. They examine race, class, gender, sexuality and nation to understand how these shape culture–as well as how culture shapes lived experiences. By taking courses from across the college, students learn to think critically about how knowledge is produced. And by working closely with a mentor, they actively shape a course of study aligned with their distinct interests and abilities (see next section).

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

Students work with their advisors to create a focus area for their coursework. These have included (but are not limited to):

• Race and Place
• Urban Planning/Design
• Asian American Culture
• Decolonialism and Indigeneity 
• Mass Incarceration
• Cultures of Capitalism
• Cultural Geography
• Film and Graphic Novels
• Archives/Knowledges/Narratives
• Comparative Race and Ethnicity
• Queer Identities and Politics
• Neoliberalism and Culture
• Religion and Culture
• Visual Culture/Visual Storytelling
• Popular Culture

American Studies also offers a 7-course minor.

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

AM171: Introduction to American Studies – offered in both semesters

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

AM171: Introduction to American Studies, both semesters, U.S. Diversity

AM232: Queer Identities and Politics, Fall, U.S. Diversity

AM254: Surveillance Culture, Fall, U.S. Diversity

AM238: Making Modern Science, Spring, Historical Studies  and U.S. Diversity

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

National studies show that majors in humanistic disciplines find employment at rates equal to majors in finance and many STEM fields, and they often have greater job satisfaction. And because American Studies teaches you to do what a computer/AI cannot–think, ask questions–you are unlikely to be replaced by one.

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Benjamin D. Lisle, Associate Professor and Chair of American Studies

What would you tell a first-year student about Anthropology?

Anthropology students explore the great diversity of human social and cultural experience, complex social identities, and patterns of globalization, all of which are fundamental to understanding the workings of the world. Whether your interest is in local communities or global connections, anthropology offers tools for understanding how people everywhere both shape and are shaped by the dynamism of cross-cultural intersections, history, and meaning. Graduates of the program have a sophisticated understanding of complex cultural differences and research skills including visual and systemic cultural analysis and how to conduct and analyze interviews, archival material, and participant observation fieldwork. Our small classes and close faculty mentorship help our majors develop as holistic thinkers and skilled communicators.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

While Anthropology is a 4-field discipline, our department focuses on cultural anthropology with some linguistic anthropology courses offered as well. We can guide students interested in archeology or biological anthropology to study abroad offerings. We offer a major and a minor in Anthropology, and encourage students to double major in complementary fields.

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

Our gateway course is AY112 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology, which is required for all 200-level and above Anthropology courses. We offer multiple sections of this course in the fall and the spring. This course can also be counted as an elective for the Global Studies major.

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

AY112 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology fulfills the International Diversity and the Social Sciences distribution requirements. We offer multiple sections of this course in the fall and the spring.

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

The Anthropology 10 course major and 6 course minor allows students to be flexible and creative with their studies, exploring a wide range of topics and places. Students can also choose to explore particular issues in great depth and through independent, original research in an honors thesis project their senior year. All students leave the major with experience conducting ethnographic research and analysis.

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Britt Halvorson, Associate Professor and Chair of Anthropology

What would you tell a first-year student about Art?

We offer two majors, one in Studio and one in Art History–each major requires course(s) in the other–and a Minor that offers the possibility of a combination of both. I would stress the kind of skills acquired in both majors and how they are by far not limited to the practice of studio art or art history. In Studio, we offer concentrations in Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Digital Media. In Art History, we offer courses that cover the entire chronological span of history, from introductory surveys to more focused courses as well as thematic courses, seminars, and humanities labs.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

Studio Art, Art History, Art Minor. We also often supervise students who design an independent major in Architecture.

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

AR101W: Reading Images is offered either in the fall or spring. The course is also occasionally offered as a Janplan (but then, it’s not a W1). 100-level Surveys can also be good although not required.

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

We offer many different courses that fulfill the Arts distribution requirement–too many to list here. Also, they are not always taught in the same semester. 

Here’s a sampling of them:

AR101: Reading Images (as noted, it is also a W1 course), AR111: Introduction to Western Art: Prehistory through the Middle Ages, AR112: Introduction to Western Art: Renaissance to Today, AR125:  Islamic Art 622-1258, AR126:  Islamic Art, 1258-1914, AR157:  American Art Since 1619

We also offer 200-level courses that fulfill the Arts requirement. Again, here’s a sampling: AR227:  History of Architecture I, AR215:  Ancient Near-East Art Archaeology, AR253:  Late Antique Art, AR252:  Medicine and Visual Culture, AR257:  Renaissance Art, AR233 Mannerism and Baroque Art, AR238 Surrealism, AR278:  19th-Century European Art, AR238:  Surrealism, AR236:  Vienna 1900.

Studio courses that fulfill the Arts requirement are AR131: Introduction to Studio Art (offered during regular semesters and during JanPlan) and AR221: Drawing I.

AR319:  Art, Medicine, and Race fulfills the US diversity requirement.

AR157:  American Art Since 1619 fulfills both the Arts and US diversity requirements.

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Contact the Chair of Art, until June 30: Véronique Plesch, Professor of Art; after June 30: Daniel Harkett, Associate Professor of Art

What would you tell a first-year student about Biology?

Biology is the study of life. Colby’s Biology department faculty and academic program span all scales of investigation in the subject from molecules to ecosystems. Students interested in basic biology, medicine, biotechnology, neuroscience and behavior, genomics and bioinformatics, ecology and conservation will find courses in these areas.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

Majors in Computational Biology and Biology, with optional concentrations in Cellular, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry (CMBB), Neuroscience, or Ecology & Evolutionary Biology.

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

BI163 (Fall), CH141 (Fall), BI164 (Spring), CH142 (Spring). Students should also strongly consider taking calculus in their first year, following the math department’s guidelines.

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

BI118 Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems (Fall, JanPlan, Spring) Natural Sciences

BI128 Human Genetics (Fall) Natural Sciences

BI133 Microorganisms and Society (Spring, typically) Natural Sciences

BI135 Biochemistry of Food (occasionally) Natural Sciences/Natural Sciences with lab

BI137 Biology for Voters (JanPlan) N/NL

BI42 Cancer: From the Clinic to the Lab and Back (Spring, typically) Natural Sciences

BI163 The Cellular Basis of Life (Fall) N/NL, not recommended only to satisfy N/NL

BI164 Evolution & Diversity (Spring) N/NL, not recommended only to satisfy N/NL

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Dave Angelini, Associate Professor and Chair of Biology

What would you tell a first-year student about Chemistry?

Chemistry is an experimental discipline that uses applied principles and new skills to solve scientific problems. Through foundational courses and collaborative research with professors, Colby chemistry students gain an understanding of chemical processes and acquire the tools to apply that knowledge in innovative ways. Faculty-mentored student projects emphasize modern techniques and instrumentation and use Colby’s research-grade facilities and laboratories.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

The Department offers a major in chemistry as well as chemistry majors that concentrate in biochemistry, cell and molecular biology/biochemistry, and environmental science. These options give you the opportunity to focus on a particular area of interest. In addition, a minor in chemistry can be pursued.

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

An ideal first year for a prospective chemistry major

•  General Chemistry (one of the options listed below) and what to take for a minor
•  Calculus (through multivariable, MA 160 or MA 165)
•  BI 163 (fall) and BI 164 (spring) for biochemistry or cell and molecular  biology/biochemistry concentrations (BI 164 is a prerequisite for BI 279)

• General chemistry options:
  • CH 141 (fall) & CH 142 (spring): for students with less exposure to chemistry before Colby; these represent a standard two-semester college general chemistry sequence with lab
    OR
  • CH 147 (fall, spring): for students with a strong high school chemistry background (best if Honors, AP, or IB); this is an accelerated one-semester college general chemistry course with lab, which also gives credit by exam for CH 141 upon passing the course with a C– or higher

OR

• Students with the highest AP (4 or 5) or IB HL (6 or 7) chemistry scores who also have a strong lab background and consult with and gain permission from the Chemistry Department Chair may instead take: CH 241 (fall) & CH 242 (spring), which is organic chemistry with lab.

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

All of the general chemistry courses satisfy the N,Lb (natural science distribution requirement with lab): CH 141 (fall) & CH 142 (spring) plus CH 147 (fall, spring).

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

To allow for maximum flexibility in selecting upper-level courses and participating in independent research or study abroad programs, the Chemistry Department recommends that all chemistry majors complete the following courses by the end of the sophomore year: CH 141+142 (or CH 147), MA 160 (or 165), PH 141+145 (or PH 143+145), and CH 241+242. Students pursuing the biochemistry or cellular and molecular biology/biochemistry majors should also strive to complete BI 163+164.

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Karena McKinney, Associate Professor and Chair of Chemistry

What would you tell a first-year student about Cinema Studies?

Cinema Studies at Colby College offers a minor emphasizing the study of film and related media in their historic, aesthetic, and cultural contexts. This six-course minor provides Colby students with ample opportunities to explore and expand their interest in cinema and other media through a sequence of courses and an extensive series of co-curricular events scheduled throughout the academic year.

Cinema Studies complements multiple majors in the humanities (English, Art, American Studies, Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, etc.) and the social sciences (Anthropology, Government, History, etc.) and it also provides students majoring in the sciences with an opportunity for a focused encounter with the humanities.

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to minor in Cinema Studies? 

Students contemplating a Cinema Studies minor are encouraged to enroll in CI142 “Introduction to Cinema Studies” during their first year. Those students seeking only one or two film courses as part of their encounter with a liberal arts education might also consider CI210, CI251 and/or CI252 (History of International Cinema I and II) or some of the film-related courses offered through East Asian Studies, German and Russian, French and Italian, Religious Studies, and several other departments across the College.

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution requirement? 

Several of our courses fulfill the Arts distribution requirement.

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

Cinema Studies often offers an introductory course as part of an Integrated Studies cluster of courses (CI138). The Integrated Studies program allows first-year students to fulfill a range of distribution requirements in a series of low-enrollment, interrelated courses attended by the same students.

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Steve J. Wurtzler, Associate Professor and Chair of Cinema Studies

What would you tell a first-year student about Classics?

Classics is the study of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds, and their relations with the ancient Mediterranean region more broadly. Colby faculty conduct research in, and teach courses on, ancient languages and literatures as well as the history, myth, science and technology, archaeology, and environment of these ancient worlds.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

Students can focus on the ancient languages and literatures (Classics), or pursue a major that does not require study of either ancient Greek or Latin (Classical Civilization). We also have joint majors with English and Anthropology.

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

Students planning to major in Classics should take ancient Greek and/or Latin in the first year. Beginning ancient Greek is offered in the spring; beginning Latin is offered in the fall. Students planning to major in Classical Civilization should take at least one 100-level or 200-level course in the first year. We offer several courses to choose from in both semesters.

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

Fall Semester

CL138, Heroes of the World

CL154, Ancient Medicine: H

CL158, Ancient Greece, Near East: H

CL197, Gorgons to Godzilla: L

GK112, Intermediate Ancient Greek: Language

GK248, Topics in Ancient Greek Literature: L and Language

LT111, Introductory Latin: Language

LT131, Introduction to Latin Literature: Language

LT256, Ovid’s Heroides: L

January

CL156, Underworlds and Afterlives: S

CL177, The Trojan War: H

Spring

CL133, Greek Myth and Literature: L

CL162, Art and Archaeology of Ancient Greece: A

CL247, Myth, Art, Life

GK111, Introductory Ancient Greek: Language 

GK131, Introduction to Greek Literature: Language

GK248, Topics in Ancient Greek Literature: L and Language

LT112, Intermediate Latin: Language 

LT343, Environmental Latin Literature: L

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

• Our majors often study abroad in Athens and Rome.  
• A number of courses in Philosophy, Government, History, and Art may be taken for credit toward Classics and Classical Civilization majors. 
• Latin Placement Exam in early September; Ancient Greek placement by request

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

 Kerill O’Neill, Julian D. Taylor Professor and Chair of Classics

What would you tell a first-year student about Computer Science?

The Colby Computer Science Department is committed to integrating computer science and the liberal arts. Our goal is to provide Colby students with a strong background in CS, while also teaching them how to integrate their knowledge with other disciplines in order to produce new and innovative discoveries. Whether you want to be a major, minor, or just take a few courses, whatever your interests, knowing more about computers and computation will give you the ability to expand your possibilities.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

Majors: Computer Science, Computer Science with a concentration in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Computational Biology, Computational Psychology, Environmental Computation, Theater and Dance: Interdisciplinary Computation, Music: Interdisciplinary Computation

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

CS151/2 (fall/spring): this is an introductory programming course for students with little to no programming experience

CS231 (fall/spring): this is the second course in our introductory sequence and is for students who have already learned a language (and its memory model) well and are familiar with inheritance and recursion

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

CS15X and CS231 all fulfill the Quantitative Reasoning  requirement

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

We have a placement exam students can take to determine if they are ready for CS231 or should take CS15X.

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Stephanie Taylor, Professor and Chair of Computer Science or Oliver Layton, Associate Professor and Associate Chair of Computer Science

What would you tell a first-year student about Creative Writing?

We’re a thriving community of poets and writers dedicated to imaginative writing as a process of hard work and play that leads to discoveries. The poet Marvin Bell says that “learning to write is a simple process: read something, then write something; read something else then write something else. And show in your writing what you have read.” This we believe one hundred and twelve percent. We are fortified by too many additional values or aspirations to list here, though we can say that we constantly remind ourselves to slow down enough to think and feel sufficiently enough to make what we say to others a real act of generosity on the one hand and courage on the other. And when we say “our” here, we mean our students most of all.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

Students can major in English with a concentration in Creative Writing or get a minor in Creative Writing.

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

EN278 Writing Fiction 1; EN279 Writing Poetry 1; and EN280 Writing Creative Nonfiction–offered both semesters.

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

EN278 Writing Fiction 1 – Arts; EN279 Writing Poetry 1 – Arts; and EN280 Writing Creative Nonfiction -Arts –offered both semesters.

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

Colby’s Program in Creative Writing offers a rich assortment of readings, events, and other experiences for students outside of class from two writer-in-residence programs to a course in Kalimpong, India working at the intersection of civic engagement, creative writing, and environmental humanities. For more information: https://www.colby.edu/academics/departments-and-programs/creative-writing/

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

The Director of Creative Writing, until June 30:  Adrian Blevins, Professor of English; after June 30: Arisa White, Associate Professor of English

What would you tell a first-year student about East Asian Studies?

We teach courses on China, Korea, and Japan, to equip students with the knowledge and skills to navigate this important region. East Asia is home to 20% of the world’s population and has some of the largest economies (China is the second largest economy; Japan is fourth; and South Korea is thirteenth).

We offer four years of instruction in Chinese and Japanese languages, but can also advise students interested in studying Korean language (not offered at Colby).

Colby has courses about East Asia in the following subjects: Cinema Studies, Literature, History, Folklore, Art History, Anthropology, Education, Philosophy, Economics, Political Science, and Religious Studies.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

East Asian Studies major or minor; Chinese minor; Japanese minor

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

Plan to take EA 150 “Foundations in East Asian Studies” as soon as possible; it is offered every semester.

Also, begin or continue your study of Chinese or Japanese language. Our year-long courses begin in the fall, so if you are a complete beginner plan to start in the fall.

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

CN & JA 125, 126, 127 (College Language Requirement)

EA 150 “Foundations in East Asian Studies” (Historical Studies and International Diversity) Fall and Spring 

EA 252 “Hell on Earth” (Literature) Spring

EA 276 “Zen and the Arts in East Asia” (Arts) Spring 

EA 297 / CI 297 “Nuclear Disasters and Trauma in Japanese Cinema and Beyond” (Arts and International Diversity) Fall

EA 298 “Tales of the Samurai” (Literature) Spring 

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

Students with prior background in Chinese or Japanese should take an online language placement test.  For the Chinese language test, contact Kim Besio.  For the Japanese language test contact Laura Nuffer.

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Ankeney Weitz, Ziskind Professor of East Asian Studies and Art, and Chair of East Asian Studies

What would you tell a first-year student about Economics?

Economics is a toolkit that can be used to ask and answer questions about human behavior with the goal of improving people’s lives.  Our program will teach you the theoretical and empirical tools that economists use to understand decision-making by individuals, firms, institutions, and governments, and how to apply those tools to solve human problems.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

Majors: Economics; Economics with a Concentration in Financial Markets.

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

Students interested in economics should look to have completed EC133, EC134 (requires EC133), and calculus (MA120 or higher) by the end of their first year.  If students arrive with credit for EC133 and/or EC134, they might consider taking an EC200-level elective course or re-taking EC133/EC134 to gain experience taking economics courses at the college level within our department.  EC133, EC134, and calculus are offered every semester.  Our EC200-level elective offerings vary by term, but at least some are offered every semester.  Note, too, because students often ask: First-year students are ineligible to take EC223, EC224, or EC293.

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

EC133 and EC134 both satisfy the Social Sciences distribution requirement and are offered every semester.

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

Our faculty are interested in models that center decision making and economic variables to help understand behaviors, study social issues, inform policymakers, and apply economic decision-making tools to financial market problems and the financial analysis of market participants.  We offer a major in Economics and a major in Economics with a concentration in financial markets. Colby, being a liberal arts institution, does not offer courses in business administration, management, marketing, or advertising.

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Daniel LaFave, Associate Professor of Economics

What would you tell a first-year student about Education?

Education examines the impact of cultural assumptions, societal norms, and institutional policies on individuals and groups. Students critically analyze oppressions resulting from educational practices by considering the values and politics within educational institutions, as well as the practical issues of teaching and organizing schools. They ask critical questions about the origins of accepted theories and practices, and who benefits from them. Additionally, they attend to differences in gender, race, social class, sexual orientation, and ability that lead to marginalization and inequality, particularly for children and youth. Beyond critique, students are encouraged to create and implement practices that promote social justice and equity in schools and society.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

The Education Department offers a major and a minor in Educational Studies. Students can also obtain professional certification with either the major or minor. Students who complete Colby’s professional certification program are eligible to apply for teacher licensure in Maine for secondary public school teaching (grades 6-12). Maine has reciprocity for teacher licensure with 43 other states; therefore, students pursuing certification can be licensed to teach in these other states.

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

Students should take ED101: Social Justice and Education during their first year. The course is offered both in the fall and spring terms.

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a 

distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

The introduction course in Education, ED101: Social Justice and Education, fulfills the U diversity distribution requirement, as do several courses in Education.

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

Virtually all courses in the program include the opportunity to work with children and youth in greater Waterville in service learning and civic engagement projects. Numerous opportunities are also available to collaborate with department faculty on cutting-edge educational research.

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Adam Howard, Charles A. Dana Professor and Chair of Education

What would you tell a first-year student about English?

Colby students who major or minor in English take courses with distinguished scholars, studying literature ranging from the tenth century to the twenty-first century, by English-language writers from all over the world. Students interested in creative writing choose from classes in fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, documentary radio, and various just-now-emerging hybrid forms. We have also recently introduced a popular concentration in Literature and the Environment, where students learn environmental humanities approaches to the climate challenges that face us. 

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

We have a major and minor in English; a major concentration and a minor in creative writing; a major concentration in Literature and the Environment.

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

We recommend that you take your W1 in the fall semester and EN200, Foundations of Literary Studies (the entry to the English major and minor) in the spring of your first year or fall of your sophomore year, if possible. Two sections of EN200 are offered each semester. Students who plan to pursue an English major with a concentration in creative writing should also consider a 200-level creative writing course in their first year.

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

Many (but not all) of our courses carry the Literature requirement. Our creative writing courses carry the Arts  requirement. Some of our courses carry the U.S. or International Diversity requirement.

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

The IB exam and AP exam do not translate into the Literature credit. You must take a Literature course here at Colby. We do not accept creative writing courses taken outside of Colby (whether domestically or abroad).

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Megan Cook, Associate Professor and Chair of English

What would you tell a first-year student about Environmental Studies?

Environmental studies offers majors in science, policy, and computation that prepare students to solve big environmental problems like climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Our interdisciplinary program addresses these problems from multiple perspectives examining not only the basic science behind these problems, but also the intersections with social sciences and humanities with courses in economics, history, philosophy, literature, anthropology and more. This multi-faceted approach provides our students with the tools to solve these complex interconnected environmental problems.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

We have three majors and a minor in Environmental Studies: Environmental Science, Environmental Policy, and Environmental Computation (a combination of environmental studies and CS/Data science courses). 

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

The ES majors and the ES minor require that students take an introductory ES course: ES118 or ES120. Students interested in Environmental Science, Environmental Policy, or Environmental Computation should take ES118 or ES120 (not both) in the fall or spring semester of their first year. Students interested in Environmental Science should also take Biology (BI163 & BI164) in the fall and spring of their first year. Students interested in Environmental Policy should also take Microeconomics (EC133) in the fall or spring semester of their first year.

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

Our distribution requirement classes include some core ES courses but also cross listed courses from other departments. 

• BI271/ES271 Ecology offered in the fall meets the Natural Sciences with a lab requirement. 
• EN283/ES283 Environmental Humanities offered in the fall meets the Literature requirement. 
• HI348/ES348 US Environmental History offered in the fall meets the History requirement and the U.S. Diversity requirements. 
• ES368 Global Climate Policy, offered in the fall, meets the Social Sciences requirement. 
• ES235 EnviroComputation, offered in the spring meets the Quantitative Reasoning requirement.
•  ES234  International Environmental Policy offered in the spring meets the International Diversity requirement. 
• ES323  Sustainability Science, offered in the spring, meets the Social Sciences requirement. 
• ES270  Applied Ecology, offered in the spring meets the Natural Science with a lab requirement.

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

Students often ask us about the kinds of careers that are available to students with an Environmental Science or Environmental Policy degree. Our students go on to a wide variety of careers that include jobs in the renewable energy sector, agriculture and food systems, conservation work with a government agency or an NGO, environmental law, environmental advocacy, environmental consulting, or even environmental research science and environmental policy research. Many of our students go on to graduate and/or professional degrees after Colby. Others go straight into working in the public sector, private sector, or an environmental non-profit.

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Justin Becknell, Associate Professor and Chair of Environmental Studies

What would you tell a first-year student about French, Francophone and Italian Studies?

It is the goal of the French faculty at Colby to introduce students to the visual and literary culture of the French-speaking world. We firmly believe that language is the key that opens many doors and pride ourselves in helping students reach exceptionally high levels of fluency. All of our classes, from day one of the first-semester course through the upper levels, are taught exclusively in French.

In our increasingly integrative and interdisciplinary curriculum, we try to strike a balance between courses dealing with France and the Francophone world. In all instances, we look to probe various forms of cultural production that deepen our understanding of the human experience and that awaken our students to values other than their own. We hope to provide a personally enriching and broadening experience that is fundamental to building a career as well as to improving the quality of one’s life.

As a first-year student at Colby, you can extend your classroom experience by joining the French and Italian Clubs, in addition to dining with your classmates at the French and Italian tables. We also provide tutors who work closely with students in our language courses.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

French: Students can pursue a major and minor in Francophone studies

Italian: Students can pursue a minor in Italian studies

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

The Francophone Studies major:

• Students should take the online French placement test to be placed at the appropriate level in French. This test can only be taken once. 
• If students are placed in FR125/126 or FR127 after taking the placement test, and if they wish to major in Francophone Studies after completing the language requirement, they only have 9 courses (or 8+1 elective) to take to complete the major including FR128 or FR131. Students who are placed directly in FR128 or FR131 also only have 9 courses (or 8+1 elective) to complete the major.
  • FR125, FR126 and FR127 (Fall)/FR126 and FR127 (Spring usually)  
  • FR128 and FR131 (Fall or Spring) 

• If students start French at the 200-level after taking the French placement test or after being exempted from the language requirement because of their AP score/high placement score, they will need to take 10 courses (or 9+1 elective) in French to complete the major.
• Several 200-level courses are offered in the fall and spring (FR224 ; FR231; FR232; FR233; FR252;  FR236 ; FR237; FR238; FR258 or equivalent)
• FR231 is our advanced grammar and composition course and all majors have to take it. 
• Study abroad is strongly recommended, but is not a requirement for the major (this applies to the class of 2027 and beyond)

The Francophone Studies minor:

• After completing FR125/126/127, students only take 5 courses for the minor.
• For students starting at the 200 level, students take 6 courses to complete the minor. Study abroad is not a requirement. 
• FR231 is our advanced grammar and composition course and all minors have to take it.

 Italian minor:

• IT 125 (Fall), unless students have prior experience in which case they should reach out to Professor Gianluca Rizzo (head of the Italian section)
• IT126 (Spring)
• IT127 (Spring)
• IT144 (Fall)
• A placement exam is also administered in Italian and it takes place right before the beginning of the fall semester. 

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

• French Language Sequence: 
  • FR 125 (Fall & Spring); 
  • FR 126 (Fall & Spring); 
  • FR 127 (Fall, JanPlan & Spring).
• Selected 200 level course fulfill “Arts”, “Literature” and International Diversity requirement (Fall & spring)
• Selected 300 level courses fulfill “History”, “Literature” and International Diversity requirement (Fall & Spring)
• Italian Language Sequence:
  •  IT 125 (Fall or JanPlan); 
  • IT 126 (Spring); 
  • IT 127 (Fall).
• Selected 300 Level courses fulfill “Literature” requirement

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

For more information about the French and Francophone studies program or the Italian studies program, please consult our department website (https://www.colby.edu/academics/departments-and-programs/french-and-italian/).

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Mouhamédoul Amine Niang, Associate Professor of French and Chair of Francophone and and Italian Studies through June 30; after June 30 contact Valérie Dionne, Professor of French and Chair of Francophone and Italian Studies

What would you tell a first-year student about Geology?

Geology is the ultimate interdisciplinary science, in that geologists use knowledge of chemistry, physics, mathematics and biology to understand the history of the entire planet. Geologists are charged with locating virtually all non-biological resources on Earth, and are also at the forefront of understanding and mitigating the environmental impacts of human activities. They are also foremost among the scientists studying the other planetary bodies of our solar system. Through classroom study, hands-on research experience, and internships, Colby geology majors are prepared to enter this exciting world either as beginning professionals or exceptionally well-prepared graduate students.

The Department of Geology will become the Department of Earth Sciences starting in academic year 2025-26. Our course offerings and major and minor curricula will remain the same, but the two-letter prefix for our courses will change from “GE” to another prefix as yet to be determined.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

We offer a major and a minor in Geology (soon to be Earth Sciences).

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

• Students interested in Geology should take one of our introductory courses (GE123, 125, 128, or 129). 
• Students who take an introductory Earth Sciences course in the fall and wish to continue the subject should take either GE228 or GE262 in the spring. 

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

GE123, 125, 128, and 129 fulfill the Natural Sciences with a lab (N-L) requirement. Two or three of these courses are offered each semester. Most of the seats are reserved for first-year students, therefore there is limited space for sophomores and above. So, we encourage students to enroll during their first year.

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

Students interested in geology should email Professor Dunn (below) to be added to the department listserve.

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Before June 30 students should contact Prof. W. Sullivan; from July 1 onwards contact Prof. T. Dunn.

What would you tell a first-year student about German?

The German program offers language instruction from the beginning to the advanced level as well as a range of German Studies courses with a dual focus on literature and culture. Recent courses have included “Mission Impossible: Multicultural German Literature and Film,” “Black Germany,” “Weird Fictions,” “Animals, Hybrids, and Machines: Franz Kafka and the Non-Human,” and “Sex, Madness, and Transgression in German Literature”. In light of Germany’s important economic and political role in Europe and the world and its long literary traditions, we encourage students to choose German to fulfill Colby’s three-semester language requirement. Students often have the opportunity to pursue internships in Germany during JanPlan. Regularly, students also complete the WiDaF (Wirtschaftsdeutsch als Fremdsprache) exam from the Franco-German Chamber of Commerce which is administered in Colby’s own WiDaF-Testzentrum.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

German Studies Major; German Minor

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Arne Koch, Associate Professor and Chair of German and Russian

What would you tell a first-year student about Global Studies?

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Maple Razsa, Chair and Professor of Global Studies

What would you tell a first-year student about Government?

The Government Department teaches what at other institutions would be called political science. We focus on the contestation for, and exercise of, political power — mostly, but not exclusively by governments. We offer all four of the principal subfields in political science — courses in American politics, comparative politics (the study of political institutions and processes outside the United States), international relations, and political theory.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

We offer a major only, although high-performing students in the major also have the option of writing a year-long senior thesis to pursue honors in Government. Although we have no officially-designated pathways through the major, students should plan to work with their Departmental advisers to to design and pursue, through their choice of elective and seminar courses, some area of specialization within the major.

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

Typically, students begin the Government major by taking the 100-level introductory courses; these may be taken in any order and are offered in both semesters. Students who go on to major in government usually take two of these in their first year, but that is not a strict requirement.

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

All our introductory courses carry the S (social science) designation; these are typically offered in both semesters.

The 200-level “introduction” to the politics of some region courses all carry the “S”; these are offered once per year. 

In 2025-26:

• GO 252 (fall) Introduction to Middle East Politics
• GO 253 (fall) Introduction to Latin American Politics
• GO 255 (spring) Introduction to African Politics
• GO 256 (spring) Introduction to East Asian Politics
• GO 259 (spring) Introduction to European Politics

Courses open to first-year students that satisfy area requirements beyond “S” (social sciences):

• GO 171 (offered both semesters) also satisfies the “I” (international diversity) requirement
• GO 228 (fall) also satisfies the “U” (US diversity) requirement

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

Students who have earned a grade of “5” on the AP US Government exam may elect not to take GO 111. Students who opt out of our introductory course must take instead at least one 200- or 300-level course in the American politics subfield in order to complete the major. (American politics courses are typically indicated by numbers between 211 and 229 and 311 and 329).

Students need take only 10 courses to complete the major; of these, two may be taken abroad (although our required introductory and seminar courses must be taken at Colby). The Government major is easily combined with a second major.

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Joseph Reisert, Harriet S. Wiswell and George C. Wiswell Jr. Professor of American Constitutional Law and Chair of Government

What would you tell a first-year student about History?

History helps us to understand the present and the future. Our world faces significant challenges, from accelerating climate change to increasing political polarisation. Historical study provides us with the tools for finding the roots of contemporary problems, and for developing potential solutions. As a history major, you will draw on history faculty’s expertise in a range of regions, including Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Russia, East Asia, Europe, the United States, and Africa. You will also study themes – from food to death – which cut across regional divides. But the study of history is more than the accumulation of data: you will also analyze primary and secondary sources; hone your critical thinking skills; and learn to research and write essays. You will develop your abilities as a reader, thinker, and writer.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

The history major offers incredible flexibility to students to explore their own interests. Instead of a prescribed list of potential concentrations, students are asked to, in consultation with their advisor, articulate a concentration in the fall of their sophomore year or upon declaring as a history major (e.g., comparative history of religion, reproduction and gender, power and racial inequality, nations and nationalism, etc.). In other words, students are invited to consider what their major means to them. 

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

Students interested in pursuing a history major should take a 100-level course, which introduces students to the historical discipline and focuses on a particular region and time period. These classes are lecture-based, but often include discussion. 100-level courses prepare students for more advanced classes at the 200-level and beyond.

For students who already know they want to major in history and have some prior experience (i.e. AP course work in history) should feel encouraged to take classes at the 200-level, our intermediate courses that offer a topical or thematic approach to the study of the past.

A course of particular interest for would be majors is HI276: Patterns and Processes in World History, which is a required course for history majors for taking classes at the 300-level. This course is offered every semester.

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

ALL history courses count towards the Historical Studies (H) requirement and many also count to either the International or US diversity requirements.

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

The Chair of History, until June 30: Arnout van der Meer, Associate Professor of History; after June 30: Sarah Duff, Associate Professor of History

What would you tell a first-year student about Jewish Studies?

Jewish Studies explores experiences, expressions, and conceptions of Jewishness past and present in their diversity and complexity. Students of all backgrounds learn how to critically assess competing ideas and how to analyze intersecting identities within their social contexts. They develop leadership and social entrepreneurship skills, along with an appreciation for communal engagement, through hands-on collaboration. Jewish Studies courses foster the values of intellectual rigor, mutual respect, ongoing self-reflection, and concern for marginalized voices. The Department’s faculty members devote particular attention to personal mentorship.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

Major in Jewish Studies or Minor in Jewish Studies

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

Any 100-level course is a great place to start! We especially recommend JS 181, “Conceptions of Jews and Judaism” (fall) and JS 182 “Jews, Judaism, and the Modern World” (spring).

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

Students can fulfill nearly most distribution requirements through Jewish Studies courses!

• Foreign Language (Hebrew): JS 125 (fall), JS 126 (spring), JS 127 (fall)
• History (H) and International Diversity (I): JS 181, “Conceptions of Jews and Judaism” (fall); JS 182, “Jews, Judaism, and the Modern World” (spring)
• History and US Diversity (U): JS 265, “Jews and the Black Freedom Struggle” (fall)
• International Diversity (I) and Social Science (S): JS 124, “Frameworks of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict” (fall)
• Literature (L): RE/JS 144, “Introduction to the New Testament” (fall); JS 229, “Israeli Arab Literature” (spring); JS 367 “The Art of Scriptural Translation” (fall)
• Quantitative (Q): JS 1xx “American Jews by the Numbers” (spring)

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

We encourage all students, regardless of their background, perspectives, or major/minor intentions, to enroll in JS 123, “Jewish Ideas Lab,” when add/drop opens in August. This one-credit, nongraded course meets over dinner every other Tuesday evening.  Participants discover and co-construct meaning with fellow students through conversation about texts that address significant ideas and raise essential questions. FMI: https://web.colby.edu/ideaslab/

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

David Freidenreich, Pulver Family Professor and Chair of Jewish Studies

What would you tell a first-year student about Latin American Studies?

The Latin American Studies Program provides students with the opportunity to deepen their understanding of this fascinating region of the world. The interdisciplinary program, which offers both a major and a minor, is a collaboration between the departments of Anthropology, Government, History, Economics, and Spanish. Our students explore social, political, and economic issues, tensions, and inequalities that challenge the area, while also attaining an awareness of and appreciation for the rich cultural diversity of the Americas.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

Major in Latin American Studies and Minor in Latin American Studies 

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

If possible take LA 173: History of Latin America, 1491 to 1900 (offered every fall) and LA 174: Introduction to Latin American Studies (offered every spring). Also make sure to sign up for a Spanish course. If you are a heritage speaker of Spanish, please consider SP127H or SP131H.

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

LA 173: History of Latin America, 1491-1900 (fall) or LA 174: Introduction to Latin American Studies (spring) meeting the “H” or history and “I” or international diversity requirements; Spanish 135 (every semester) and classes in the Spanish Department covering the literature, film, and theater of Latin America at the 200+ level generally fulfill the L requirement; all LAS cross-listed courses in government, anthropology, or economics fulfill the social science requirement; LA 227: Social Movements (offered annually) fulfills the US diversity requirement.

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

We have a small, close-knit program with a very strong community. LAS majors and minors benefit from the Walker Fund, which provides our students with funding to explore internships, cultural immersion and language training, and independent research in Latin America and/or dealing with Latinx issues in the U.S.

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Ben Fallaw, Professor of Latin American Studies

What would you tell a first-year student about Mathematics?

Mathematics is an art of thought, and Colby mathematics embodies this view. Our program is a significant step up from high school mathematics. The emphasis in our courses is on creative thinking, deep comprehension, analytical skills, and mathematical communication. (This is in contrast to high school mathematics classes that traditionally emphasize algorithmic skills and drills.) We offer a broad variety of courses and create research opportunities for our students. Colby mathematics students are intellectually curious explorers who love to take on challenges and to figure things out. As such, they learn to work hard, and to recognize that making mistakes is a natural part of a learning process. We encourage and support both individual perseverance and collaboration, and our faculty are eager to interact with students in and out of the classroom. Our community is driven not by competition, but by our common dedication to exploring and communicating mathematics.  All are welcomed here.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

Major in Mathematics, Major in Mathematical Sciences, Minor in Mathematics

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

Top recommendation for prospective majors: MA135 (Fall) – MA165 (Spring). Possible alternatives: MA160 (Fall) – MA274 (Spring), or MA130 (Fall) – MA160 (Spring), or MA125 (Fall) – MA160 (Spring), or MA119 (Fall) – MA120 (JanPlan) – MA160 (Spring), or MA160 (Fall) – MA253 (Spring).

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

• Quantitative reasoning requirement (Q):  MA111 (offered irregularly), MA120 (JanPlan), MA125 (F-S), MA130 (F-S), MA135 (F), MA160 (F-S), MA165(S).
• Historical Studies (H): MA376 (offered in alternate years)
• W-2: MA274 (F-S)”

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

We employ a placement system for calculus courses. Incoming students must fill out a placement questionnaire before they can enroll in any calculus course. The description of the placement system can be found on the Starting Out page on the Mathematics Department website, and the link to the questionnaire can be found on the Calculus Placement page.

Students who have not previously taken an introduction to calculus class (and hence have received a placement marker MA019 after filling out the questionnaire), but feel confident enough in their pre-calculus skills to aim for MA125, will have to pass a MA125 placement test, a link to which can be found on the Calculus Placement page.

We discourage advanced students from taking Linear Algebra as their first Colby math course in the fall of their first year. For most advanced students, MA135 is a better choice.

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Leo Livshits, Professor and Chair of Mathematics

What would you tell a first-year student about Music?

The Music Department offers a rich variety of academic courses and performance opportunities. Academic topics covered range from musical sampling (praxis; ethics); to conducting musical ethnographies of campus; to Rock History and Samurai music; to music and graphic design; as well as courses on Western classical music and non-Western music. Performance opportunities include: chamber music, choir, Broadway musicals, jazz ensemble, orchestra, and private lessons on a range of instruments.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

Music major; Music minor; Music-Interdisciplinary Computation Major (shared with the CS Department). Students can choose to focus on the following academic pathways–theory, composition, history and culture–and all Music students have a performance requirement (lessons + ensembles).

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

MU111 (Introduction to Music), offered 1x/year; or MU153 (Music Theory through DAW -digital audio workstation) or MU181 (Music Theory I), depending on their background in Music Theory and/or whether they are seeking more computer-oriented theory (MU153); or any one of the 200-level electives that piques their interest. These courses are all taught 1x/year, although not in any particular semester.

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

Most, if not all, of our academic courses fulfill the Arts (A) distribution requirement. A number of our courses also fulfill the Diversity and International Diversity requirements (including: MU244 (Sampling); 252 (World Music Survey); 262 (Ethnomusicology Seminar); MU275 (Samurai Culture): 298 (Afro-Diasporic Drumming).

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

We have designed the major in a way that allows for a foundation in Music studies coupled with students shaping the major based on their interests.

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

For academic-related questions: Natalie Zelensky, Associate Professor and Co-Chair of Music

For performance-related questions: Brendon Wilkins, Director of the Jazz Band and Wind Ensemble and Co-Chair of Music

What would you tell a first-year student about Performance, Theater, and Dance?

The Department of Performance, Theater, and Dance emphasizes performance practice and study as paths to engaged citizenship. Our public season includes faculty-led student productions and professional guest artists and companies. 

Production experiences and courses are open to non-majors. Under its umbrella, the disciplines of Theater, Dance, Design, Media and Performance, and Performance Studies integrate theory and practice; give students avenues to follow myriad curiosities; and teach students to become thoughtful collaborators and leaders. 

As students progress through the flexible major, they create their own pathways according to their primary interests. Students leave prepared to make changes in changing fields–whether that is in performing arts or elsewhere.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

The department encompasses many areas (theater, dance, design, performance studies, stage management, technical theater, hybrid performance ) but each student carves their own path through the major.

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

There is a W1 course each fall, and that is a great course.  

If students are particularly interested in acting or dance, they should take: 

• TD171 Acting 1 (4 credits) or 
• TD220 Intermediate Dance Techniques in (2 Credits, for students with dance experience; this is a pre- or co-requisite for TD320, the advanced technique class, 1 credit; meaning first year students who are advanced dancers are eligible to take both at the same time if they want to be in technique class four days per week)
• TD120 (4 credits, for students without experience)

AUDITIONS for performing ensembles

• First year students interested in dance should sign up for the faculty-led first year dance experience and should audition for student work with the Colby Dance Company on Saturday September 6 (auditions for the student club are the same day, and there is much overlap between students on the Dance Team Club an in departmental productions)
• Auditions for the faculty directed fall plays are Sept 5

Stagecraft:

• TD139, Stagecraft, is also a sought after entry level course—with four seats per section, only the luckiest get in!

Stage Management and Design

• Intro to Design will be taught in the spring; but there are opportunities for students interested in stage management and design to get involved in fall productions. Interested students should contact the department chairs.

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

Many of our courses fulfill the Arts distribution requirement!

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

The Gordon Center Welcome Meeting is on Thursday, September 4 at 4:30 and will be a great way to learn about opportunities in the department, including workstudy and meet faculty, staff, and students from Music, Cinema Studies, Performance, Theater and Dance, the Lyons Arts Lab and the Arts Office

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

General: Gwyneth Shanks, Assistant Professor of Performance, Theater, and Dance

Department Chairs: Matthew Cumbie, Assistant Professor (Dance area) and Bess Welden, Senior Lecturer (Theater area)

What would you tell a first-year student about Philosophy?

Colby’s philosophy program challenges students to understand what it means to live morally in an often unjust world, to deliberate rationally about knowledge, freedom and meaning, and to appreciate deeply the natural and aesthetic dimensions of our lives. Our courses provide the historical depth, cosmopolitan breadth, and multiplicity of perspectives necessary for participating in the philosophical conversation that spans human history and reaches around the globe. The philosophy department cultivates skills in effective writing, close reading, clear reasoning, and creative thinking, enabling students to join this ongoing conversation. 

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

Philosophy Major, Philosophy Minor

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

Take a 100-level introductory themed course in philosophy, offered both Fall and Spring. Also take PL151 Logic and Argumentation (usually both Fall and Spring).

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

• PL111 (Social Sciences) Fall; 
• PL117 (International Diversity) Fall; 
• PL114 (Literature) Fall; 
• PL113 (Social Sciences) Both semesters; 
• PL151 (Quantitative Reasoning) Both semesters; 
• PL211 (Social Sciences) Fall; 
• PL231 (Historical Studies) Fall; 
• PL232 (Historical Studies) Spring; 
• PL245 (Historical Studies) Both semester;  
• PL255 (Arts); 
• PL266 (Literature) Fall; 
• PL274 (Social Sciences); 
• PL314 (Social Sciences);
• PL352 (Historical Studies); 
• PL359 (Historical studies); 
• PL311 (International Diversity); 
• and many more

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

Sophomore year you should start the history of philosophy sequence in the Major: PL231 Ancient philosophy in the Fall, and PL232 History of Modern Philosophy in the Spring. 

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Keith Peterson, Associate Professor and Chair of Philosophy

What would you tell a first-year student about Physics and Astronomy?

Physics and astronomy are expansive scientific disciplines that seek understanding of the natural world at all scales, from the smallest known building blocks of matter to the largest known structures in the universe. The study of physics and astronomy intersects and complements many other disciplines, including philosophy, mathematics, chemistry, biology, and geology, as well as history, literature, art, and many other fascinating subjects you can explore at Colby. Our program is built to be as flexible as possible.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

We offer a classic physics major, a physics major with a concentration in astrophysics, a physics minor, and an astronomy minor.

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

The foundations sequence of PH141 or PH143 in the fall, followed by PH145 in the spring, is required of all majors and minors in our department. If you’re considering a major or a minor, taking this sequence during your first year is a good idea. It is possible to complete the major in three years, however, so some majors start the sequence in the fall of their sophomore year. We also have two introductory courses, AS151 or AS172, that are required for the astro minor but not the major.

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

Our intro astro courses, AS151 and AS172, are popular with students looking to satisfy a natural science requirement. Our intro physics courses (PH141, PH143, and PH145) satisfy this requirement as well, but are more popular with students interested in medicine, engineering, and chemistry. We also offer a W1 course, but are not able to offer it every year.

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

Students with high advanced placement, IB, or A-level exam scores may be able to receive Colby credit for prior coursework. Most of our majors and minors start with PH141, PH143, or PH145, however, as these courses provide a strong foundation for further study. Please consult the documentation provided by the college and reach out to us with any additional questions.

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Dale Kocevski, Associate Professor and Chair of Physics and Astronomy

What would you tell a first-year student about Psychology?

The study of psychology at Colby revolves around research at all levels of the curriculum. Students and professors collaborate in courses and the lab to explore interesting phenomena in cognition, development, emotion, health, language, motivation, neuroscience, perception, personality, psychopathology, and social psychology. With different options for focused study in upper-level courses, access to state-of-the-art research equipment, and faculty mentors who have a broad range of expertise, students graduate with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel professionally or in graduate study.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

Psychology; Psychology with a concentration in neuroscience; Computational psychology

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

PS111 Introduction to psychology (either semester)

BI163/164 Introduction to biology sequence (fall and then spring; neuroscience concentration only)

CS151, 152, or 153 Computational thinking (either semester; computational psychology only)

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

PS111 Introduction to psychology (Social Sciences requirement; either semester)

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

AP scores of 4 or 5 can substitute for PS111, in which case students may start the major with a 200-level elective (other than PS214). Students may also receive AP credit in biology (equivalent to BI 163/164 for the neuroscience concentration) and computer science (equivalent to CS151 for the computational psychology major).

Students are encouraged to take the PS214/215 sequence (Research Methods and Statistics in Psychology I and II) in their sophomore year. Students who take this sequence in their junior year will need to be on campus for both semesters.

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Erin Sheets, Associate Professor of Psychology (and Chair of Psychology starting July 1)

What would you tell a first-year student about Religious Studies?

Religious Studies Department trains students to critically analyze the ways in which individuals and communities conceptualize the transcendent, that which they regard as vitally significant. Our courses explore diverse religious traditions, regions, and time periods. Students personally find our courses meaningful. We offer a space for them to freely question the religious traditions they were brought up in, and we expose them to texts, ontologies, ethical systems, aesthetic perspectives, and material cultures that may be foreign to them.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

Students are welcome to concentrate on any of the world’s religions to strengthen their interest and approach to the moral and ethical challenges of our global society — related to health, economy, climate change, politics.

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

RE 128: Introduction to the Study of Religion, and any of our 100-level courses.

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

• RE 128 Fall (Intro to the Study of Religion) fulfills Social Sciences requirement  
• RE 117 Fall (India and the Western Imagination) fulfills Literature 
• RE 143 Fall (Intro to the Old Testament) fulfills Literature 
• RE 111 Spring (Intro to the Religions of India) fulfills Social Science & International Diversity
• RE 144 Spring (Intro to New Testament) fulfills Literature 
• RE 218 Fall (South Asia: Literature, Art, Environ) fulfills Literature & International  Diversity
• RE 226 Spring (American Christianity, Am Capitalism) fulfills Historical Stud. & US Diversity
• RE 237 Spring (Cults in America) fulfills US Diversity 
• RE 298 Spring (Buddhism in America) fulfills US Diversity 
• RE 319: Spring (Bollywood and Beyond) fulfills Literature and International Diversity 
• RE 326 Fall (Sensuous Religion) fulfills Literature and International Diversity 

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

Being a small department, one of our primary strengths is the intimate intellectual relationship which we develop with our students. We welcome majors from other departments. Students in quantitative and science disciplines find our values-oriented courses particularly enriching.

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Nikky Singh, Crawford Family Professor and Chair of Religious Studies

What would you tell a first-year student about Russian?

We offer all levels of Russian language at Colby. Some of our students have studied Russian in the past; if you know some Russian already, you can start at a higher level. The majority of our students have not studied Russian before and begin with our introductory course. They learn the Cyrillic alphabet quickly, and by the end of the first semester, they can already discuss their views on a variety of topics, as well as their personal and professional lives.

We offer both a Major and a Minor in Russian, and both these tracks combine language study with courses in English translation on topics such as: Slavic Vampires and Werewolves; Soviet and Post-Soviet Cinema; National Identity and Ethnicity in the USSR and post-Soviet space; Russian Sci-Fi, Technology and Propaganda; Russian Women and Gender Studies; Russian Literature and the Environment; and much more. We have a small, close-knit community that organizes weekly Russian language tables, film nights, art workshops, as well as larger trips to cultural events such as ballets and other performances. We also offer a wide range of study abroad opportunities, as well as positions working on research projects with Colby faculty.  We mentor our students throughout their career at Colby and beyond. German and Russian leads other language departments in the Fulbright-Teaching Scholarship awardees.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

Major in Russian Language and Culture; Minor in Russian Language and Literature

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

RU125: Elementary Russian I; Russian 126: Elementary Russian II. 

Recommended: RU125 is offered in the fall semester only, so start in the fall. 

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

Fall:

• RU297: Russian Civilization and Its Discontents (History, International Diversity). No knowledge of Russian necessary, first-year students are welcome.
• RU325/RU425: Russian Poetry (Literature). Advanced level of Russian required.

Spring: 

• RU242: Russian Cinema from Lenin to Putin (Art, International Diversity). No knowledge of Russian necessary, first-year students are welcome. 
• RU326/ RU428: Advanced Russian (Literature). Advanced level of Russian required.

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

The majority of the students who do start taking Russian with us end up pursuing a Russian major or minor, as evidenced in this response from student evaluations: “I started Russian to fulfill my language requirement, but I have truly found a love for the language, which I think is mostly due to the people in my class and the professor!” 

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Elena Monastireva-Ansdell, Associate Professor of Russian

What would you tell a first-year student about STS?

STS is an disciplinary field where the sciences and humanities meet. We require coursework across these areas of study so that students can approach science and technology from a variety of critical perspectives.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

Major in STS; Minor in STS.

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

Prospective majors and minors in STS should take ST112: Intro. to STS, which is offered every semester. Upper-level courses often list ST112 as a prerequisite, so it is valuable to enroll in this course early in your studies at Colby. If there are no remaining seats in the fall sections, first-year students should consider enrolling in a 100- or 200-level elective, such as the following:
ST120 Central Philosophical Issues: Mind and Machine
ST120D Artificial Intelligence and Society: Exploring Use and Misuse
ST154 Ancient Medicine
ST229 Consciousness from the Biomolecular to the Artificial

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

ST112 fulfills the “S” distribution requirement. STS electives are regularly offered across all of the distribution requirements and some also fulfill the “U” or “I” diversity requirements.

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

STS isn’t typically offered as a course option in high school, so if you want to learn more about the field and the STS major, feel free to reach out to any STS faculty.

A complete list of courses at Colby that can offer credit toward the STS major or minor is available here.

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Chair of STS: Tanya Sheehan, Ellerton M. and Edith K. Jettée Professor of Art

What would you tell a first-year student about Sociology?

Sociology is the study of society — the social contexts and interactions that shape our everyday lives in profound but often subtle ways. Sociologists study a wide array of phenomena — such as inequality, politics, social control, immigration, race relations — using both qualitative and quantitative social scientific methods. Taking courses in sociology will help you think about how our individual choices are shaped by larger social forces that affect what options are available to us and how we understand the world around us.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

Major in sociology, minor in sociology

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

SO131, offered fall and spring

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

Social Sciences (S) – SO131 is offered both semesters. Other courses fulfilling the S requirement that are regularly offered but not on a set schedule include: SO224, SO227, SO236, SO238, SO241, SO248, SO262, SO266, SO268, SO276, SO297, SO346, SO364, SO366, and SO372.

US Diversity (U) – SO131 is offered both semesters. Other courses fulfilling the U requirement that are regularly offered but not on a set schedule include: SO213, SO227, SO228, SO252, SO276, SO322, SO325, SO328

International Diversity (I) – courses fulfilling the I requirement that are regularly offered but not on a set schedule include: SO224, SO262, SO324, SO346

Quantitative Reasoning (Q) – SO271 is offered every year in the fall and spring semesters.

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

Many of our 200-level courses are open to non-majors/minors and do not have prerequisites. Although we encourage first-year students to take SO131 first, we also welcome first-years to consider substantive courses as their introduction to the discipline.

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Damon Mayrl, Associate Professor and Chair of Sociology

What would you tell a first-year student about Spanish?

We offer courses in language acquisition, literature, film, and cultural studies from the Spanish-speaking world, including the U.S. and Africa. Our upper-level courses focus on three themes: Culture and Identity; Gender and Sexuality; and Health and Environment. One of our courses per year is taught at our Colby location in Salamanca, Spain. We also have a Heritage track (127H and 131H) for students who speak Spanish at home.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

We have a major in Spanish, which is manageable for all students no matter their language level when they start at Colby. Many of our majors are double majors with a wide variety of other subjects.

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

Depending on where you place via the online placement test–which is mandatory for all students with experience with Spanish–you might take a course in the language sequence (125-127, 127H); or SP 128, which bridges language and cultural courses; or SP 131H if you are a heritage learner who wants to work on your writing; or SP 135, which is the first course in the major and focuses on a particular theme; or SP 231, which is an advanced grammar course. All of these courses are offered Fall and Spring semesters. 

Online Spanish Placement Exam (OSPE) Scores:

• 200-450 SP 125 (unless the student has 3 years or more experience with Spanish in high school; then SP 126)
• 460-530 SP 126
• 540-630 SP 127
• 640-680 SP 128
• 690-800 SP 135 or 231

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

• SP 127 (or higher placement via the placement exam) fulfills the language requirement
• SP 127H fulfills the language requirement and the US diversity requirement
• SP 131H fulfills the US diversity  requirement
• SP 135 fulfills the Literature requirement

All of these courses are offered Fall and Spring semesters, except SP 127H, which is only offered in the Fall. 

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

You must take the placement exam in order for a chance to be enrolled in a SP course. If you do not have a placement score, you will not be able to enroll in any Spanish course except SP 125. If you feel like you did not perform your best on the placement exam, make an appointment with the chair for an interview to re-evaluate your language level.

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Brett White, Associate Professor and Chair of Spanish

What would you tell a first-year student about Statistics?

Statistics is useful regardless of what you ultimately decide to major in!  We currently can only  accommodate sophomores, juniors, and seniors in SC212.  If you’re interested in Statistics or Data Science, we recommend taking MA160, CS15x, and/or MA253 your first year and taking SC212 in your sophomore year.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

A minor in Statistics and a major in Statistics; a minor in Data Science and a major in Data Science, jointly with the Departments of Computer Science and Mathematics.

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

MA160 (offered fall and spring), CS15x (offered fall and spring), MA253 (offered fall and spring)

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

Fulfills the Quantitative reasoning requirement: SC212 (offered fall and spring); SC110 (offered only occasionally)

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Liam O’Brien, Charles A. Dana Professor of Statistics and Statistics Chair

What would you tell a first-year student about WGSS?

Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies at Colby is committed to feminist anti-racist scholarship and teaching. We offer interdisciplinary classes that are intersectional and transnational, with commitments to critical race and critical caste scholarship, queer theory and queer of color critique, disability studies, masculinity studies, indigenous feminisms, and transnational activisms. Our students tend to be double majors, activists on campus and beyond, and extremely committed to social justice research.

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

Major in WGSS; Minor in WGSS

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

WG101 Introduction to Sexuality Studies (Fall and Spring)

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

• WG101 – US diversity (Fall and Spring)
• WG215 – International diversity and S (Spring)
• WG232 – US diversity (Fall )
• WG234 – US diversity and Literature (Spring)

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

The WGSS curriculum includes many courses offered in other departments (such as American Studies, African American Studies, Anthropology, Education, English, Philosophy, Religion, Performance Theater and Dance, among others). Students can choose from among a wide variety of classes to take as electives. Many WGSS courses also incorporate opportunities for civic engagement.

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Tariq Ahmad, Professor of Biology, Charles C. and Pamela W. Leighton Research Fellow, and Chair of WGSS

What would you tell a first-year student about Writing?

The mission of the Writing Department is to support a culture of writing at Colby and foster students’ ability to write, research, and communicate effectively. We view writing not simply as a skill but, rather, as a complex practice that requires an understanding of audience, context, purpose, research, and form to be effective. Writing is both a way of learning and a means of communication. 

Our faculty teach and do research in the interdisciplinary fields of writing studies, rhetoric, linguistics, and communication. We explore all aspects of written communication to prepare students for a world where writing is not only textual but also multimodal, digital, social, and networked. The Writing Department offers many first-year writing courses (W1s) and a selection of upper-level courses on topics like communicating across differences, writing and generative AI, professional writing, and sociolinguistics. Lastly, the Farnham Writers’ Center, which offers peer-to-peer tutoring in writing from any class, is an important part of the Writing Department. 

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

The Writing Department does not offer a major or minor at this time.

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

All sections of WD115 we offer fulfill the first-year writing (W1) graduation requirement.

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

During their first year, all students must complete a First-Year Writing course (designated W1 in the catalog) at Colby. W1 courses are offered through 10-12 different departments each year, with the largest number of courses offered through the Writing Department and English Department. AP credit and courses taken at other institutions can not be used to satisfy this requirement. (Transfer students are an exception.)

W1 courses all have individual themes, though many have the same course number or title beginning. Please be sure to check the full titles and individual course descriptions.

The Writing Department urges students to take a W1 course in the Fall if they (1) are at all concerned about their college-level writing abilities and/or (2) have writing concerns because English is not their first language. To this end, there are more W1 course sections offered each fall vs. spring.

Transfer Students: those who have completed an equivalent writing course at their previous institution may request W1 credit. To do so, students should send an email request and course syllabus to Stacey Sheriff ([email protected]), Chair of the Writing Department, with a copy to the Registrar ([email protected]).

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Stacey Sheriff, Associate Professor and Director of the Writing Program

What would you tell a first-year student about the Integrated Studies Program?

Integrated Studies offers several clusters of first-year seminars each fall. These are typically three courses, taught by faculty in different disciplines, that all focus on the same theme. These themes vary from year to year, but some examples are Artificial Intelligence, the Ancient World, Utopias, interwar America, and exploring the interplay of mind and body through yoga. The professors in each cluster work hard to integrate their courses, and often attend one-another’s classes. Students in the clusters sign up for all three clusters, and usually form a close intellectual community. The current ISP clusters are described here: https://www.colby.edu/academics/departments-and-programs/integrated-studies/current-integrated-studies/

What majors/minors/concentrations can students pursue in your department/program?

We do not offer a major, but each ISP cluster covers a range of distribution requirements, and provide students a great springboard into a range of majors, including Computer Science, English, History, Government, and STS.

What course(s) should a student plan to take in their first year if they intend to major/minor in your department/program? 

Does not apply.

What course(s), if any, does your department/program offer that would fulfill a distribution and/or diversity requirement? 

All of our clusters contain a course fulfilling the W1 requirement, and usually several others.

What else would be helpful for first-year students to know?

Integrated Studies are a great way to experience Colby’s tight-knit intellectual community, and to take an in-depth plunge into a topic that interests you. They are a unique Colby experience!

Who can students contact if they have additional questions?

Jesse Meredith, Visiting Assistant Professor of History, Director of the Integrated Studies Program