Colby’s Liberal Arts Curriculum
Our commitment to the liberal arts ensures that students in all programs leave Colby with a comprehensive education that positions them for success and leadership in any arena.
While students will gain considerable depth in a discipline from their majors, minors, and concentrations, the breadth of our curriculum will be experienced by completing 3- or 4-credit courses that satisfy our area and diversity requirements. First year students are also required to take a writing-intensive course (W1) and should begin work on their foreign language requirement. These requirements are described in more detail below and, for your convenience, there are lists of courses offered in the fall that are suitable for first-year students that meet each requirement. You can find the course descriptions, and days/times that courses are offered using the “curriculum search” under the “Academics” tab in your myColby Portal.
Diversity Requirements
Students are required to pass two three- or four-credit-hour courses that are centrally concerned with:
- the structures, workings, and consequences of; and/or
- efforts at political and cultural change directed against; and/or
- progress in overcoming
prejudice, privilege, oppression, inequality, and injustice.
One of these courses must deal with these issues as they concern the United States (U designation in course description), and one must deal with these issues in a context other than the United States (International; I designation in course description).
Many of our courses look at diversity through the lens of an area requirement, such as literature, art, history, or social sciences. In the sections below, you can find lists of courses that meet just U, just I, or a U or I along with an area requirement; area requirements are described in more detail below.
By Department – US Diversity requirement only
African American Studies
- AA171 Introduction to American Studies (To register for this course, select AM171)
American Studies
- AM171 Introduction to American Studies
- AM232 Queer Identities and Politics (To register for this course, select WG232)
- AM254 Surveillance Culture
- AM351 Machigonne to Portland: A Digital Atlas
Sociology
- SO397 Sociology of Law
Spanish
- SP127H Spanish Language for Heritage Learners
Science, Technology, and Society
- ST254 Surveillance Culture (To register for this course, select AM254)
Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
- WG101 Intro Sexuality Studies
- WG232 Queer Identities and Politics
By Department – US Diversity and Arts (U and A)
African American Studies
- AA157 American Art: Identity and Belonging Since 1619 (To register for this course, select AR 157)
American Studies
- AM157 American Art: Identity and Belonging Since 1619 (To register for this course, select AR157)
- AM255 Sounding the Great Migration: 1900-1945 (To register for this course, select MU255)
Art
- AR157 American Art: Identity and Belonging Since 1619
Music
- MU255 Sounding the Great Migration: 1900-1945
By Department – US Diversity and Historical Studies (U and H)
African American Studies
- AA221 Race and Democracy in the Nation’s Capital
- AA234 Race and Reconstruction
- AA247 African-American History, from Slavery to Freedom (To register for this course, select HI247)
- AA334 The Great Depression: America in the 1930s (To register for this course, select HI334)
History
- HI131 Survey of U.S. History, to 1865
- HI221 Race and Democracy in the Nation’s Capital (To register for this course, select AA221)
- HI234 Race and Reconstruction (To register for this course, select AA234)
- HI247 African-American History, from Slavery to Freedom
- HI334 The Great Depression: America in the 1930s
- HI341 U.S. Empire
By Department – US Diversity and Social Sciences (U and S)
African American Studies
- AA228 Introduction to Race, Ethnicity, and Politics (To register for this course, select GO228)
American Studies
- AM242 Sexuality, Gender, Feminism (To register for this course, select GO244)
Education
- ED101 Education and Social Justice
Government
- GO228 Introduction to Race, Ethnicity, and Politics
- GO244 Sexuality, Gender, Feminism
Sociology
SO131 Introduction to Sociology
By Department – International Diversity requirement only
African American Studies (AA)
- AA231 A Caribbean Cultures (To register for this course, select AY231)
Anthropology (AY)
- AY231 Caribbean Cultures
Jewish Studies (JS)
- JS297 Bodies and Embodiment in Jewish Thought
Latin American Studies (LA)
- LA231 Caribbean Cultures (To register for this course, select AY231)
- LA260 Latin American Philosophy (To register for this course, select PL260)
Philosophy
- PL117 Central Philosophical Issues: Constructions of Difference
- PL260 Latin American Philosophy
Religious Studies
- RE297 Bodies and Embodiment in Jewish Thought (To register for this course, select JS297)
Fall 2024 – By Department – International Diversity and Arts (I and A)
African American Studies
- AA124 Performance, Politics, and Practice (To register for this course, select TD124)
Anthropology
- AY250 Introduction to World Music (To register for this course, select MU252)
East Asian Studies
- EA275 Cultured Tough Guys: Samurai Devotion, Music, Poetry, and Art (To register for this course, select MU275)
Music
- MU252 Introduction to World Music
- MU275 Cultured Tough Guys: Samurai Devotion, Music, Poetry, and Art
Performance, Theater, and Dance
- TD124 Performance, Politics, and Practice
Fall 2024 – By Department – International Diversity and Historical Studies (I and H)
African American Studies
- AA162 History of the Atlantic World (To register for this course, select HI162)
- AA266 Introduction to African History,1800-1994: Cultural Artefacts in Museums (To register for this course, select HI266)
East Asian Studies
- EA144 Patterns in East Asian History, to 1600 (To register for this course, select HI144)
- EA150 Foundations in East Asian Studies
- EA255 Becoming “China”: A History to 1800 (To register for this course, select HI254)
- EA297 Gender and Sexuality in Modern China (To register for this course, select HI297)
- EA343 Sense and Sensibility: Gender and Sexuality in Confucian China (To register for this course, select HI343)
History
- HI141 Genocide and Globalization: 20th-Century World History
- HI144 Patterns in East Asian History, to 1600
- HI162 History of the Atlantic World
- HI173 History of Latin America, 1491 to 1900 (To register for this course, select LA173)
- HI183 History of the Premodern Middle East
- HI254 Becoming China: From Heaven’s Mandate to People’s Republic
- HI266 Introduction to African History, 1800-1994: Cultural Artifacts in Museums
- HI277 The Maya (To register for this course, select LA277)
- HI285 Foundations of Islam
- HI297 Gender and Sexuality in Modern China
- HI343 Sense and Sensibility: Gender and Sexuality in Confucian China
- HI397B Trauma and Memory in Modern East Asia
Latin American Studies
- LA173 History of Latin America, 1491 to 1900
- LA277 The History of the Maya
Fall 2024 – By Department – International Diversity and Literature (I and L)
Classics
- CL136 Myth and Magic
- CL197 Gorgons to Godzilla: Monsters in Greco-Roman Myth and Beyond
English
- EN366 Writing the Crisis: Post-Apartheid Literature in Focus
Fall 2024 – By Department – International Diversity and Social Sciences (I and S)
Anthropology
- AY112 Cultural Anthropology
Government
- GO171 Introduction to Political Theory
Global Studies
- GS101 Introduction to Global Studies
- GS234 Postcolonial Asia
Jewish Studies
- JS148 Inclusion and Exclusion: Dilemmas in Israeli Society
Religious Studies
- RE148 Inclusion and Exclusion: Dilemmas in Israeli Society (To register for this course, select JS148)
Sociology
- SO245 Sociology of Immigration
Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
- WG341 Gender and Human Rights
Distribution Areas
Students are required to pass one 3- or 4-credit-hour course in the Areas of Arts, Historical Studies, Literature, Quantitative Reasoning and Social Sciences and two 3- or4-credit-hour courses in the Area of Natural Sciences, one of which must have a lab. Courses that satisfy these requirements are listed in the sections below. Note that some of these also appear in the diversity course lists.
Fall 2024 Arts Courses
Designated with the letter A, these are courses in the history, theory, and/or practice of the creative arts.
Fall 2024 – By Department – Arts requirement only
Art
- AR112 Introduction to Western Art: Renaissance to Today
- AR173 Survey of East Asian Art, to 1300 (To register for this course, select EA273)
- AR213 Dark Ages? Introduction to Late Antique and Early Medieval Art
- AR238 Surrealism
- AR278 19th-Century European Art
Cinema Studies
- CI142 Introduction to Cinema Studies
East Asian Studies
- EA273 Survey of East Asian Art, to 1300
- EA297B Japanese Cinema and Culture
English
- EN142 Introduction to Cinema Studies (To register for this course, select CI142)
French
- FR240 Surrealism (To register for this course, select AR238)
Music
- MU111 Introduction to Music
- MU181 Music Theory I
Performance, Theater, and Dance
- TD139 Stagecraft I
- TD171 Acting I
- TD235 Intermediate Design
- TD254 People, Place, Practice: Intro to Community-Based Performance
Fall 2024 – By Department – Arts and International Diversity (A and I)
African American Studies
- AA124 Performance, Politics, and Practice (To register for this course, select TD124)
Anthropology
- AY250 Introduction to World Music (To register for this course, select MU252)
East Asian Studies
- EA275 Cultured Tough Guys: Samurai Devotion, Music, Poetry, and Art (To register for this course, select MU275)
Music
- MU252 Introduction to World Music
- MU275 Cultured Tough Guys: Samurai Devotion, Music, Poetry, and Art
Performance, Theater, and Dance
- TD124 Performance, Politics, and Practice
Fall 2024 – By Department – Arts and US Diversity (A and U)
African American Studies
- AA157 American Art: Identity and Belonging Since 1619 (To register for this course, select AR 157)
American Studies
- AM157 American Art: Identity and Belonging Since 1619 (To register for this course, select AR157)
- AM255 Sounding the Great Migration: 1900-1945 (To register for this course, select MU255)
Art
- AR157 American Art: Identity and Belonging Since 1619
Music
- MU255 Sounding the Great Migration: 1900-1945
Russian
- RU120 Reel Russia (also satisfies the first year writing requirement)
Fall 2024 Historical Studies Courses
Designated with the letter H, these are courses that investigate human experience by focusing on the development of cultures and societies as they evolve through time.
Fall 2024 – By Department – Historical Studies requirement only
Classics
- CL154 Ancient Medicine
- CL158 History of Ancient Greece and the Near East
- CL231 History of Ancient Greek Philosophy (To register for this course, select PL231)
French
- FR232 French Cultural History: Eating the Other – From Colonialism to Cannibalism
History
- HI276 Patterns and Processes in World History
- HI376C Doing History: 1940 as the Fulcrum of the Twentieth Century?
- HI397 Defeating the Boss: Labor and Radicalism, 1600-Present
Philosophy
- PL231 History of Ancient Greek Philosophy
Science, Technology, and Society
- ST154 Ancient Medicine (To register for this course, select CL154)
Fall 2024 – By Department – Historical Studies and International Diversity (H and I)
African American Studies
- AA162 History of the Atlantic World (To register for this course, select HI162)
- AA266 Introduction to African History, 1800-1994: Cultural Artifacts in Museums (To register for this course, select HI266)
East Asian Studies
- EA144 Patterns in East Asian History, to 1600 (To register for this course, select HI144)
- EA150 Foundations in East Asian Studies
- EA255 Becoming “China”: A History to 1800 (To register for this course, select HI254)
- EA297 Gender and Sexuality in Modern China (To register for this course, select HI297)
- EA343 Sense and Sensibility: Gender and Sexuality in Confucian China (To register for this course, select HI343)
History
- HI141 Genocide and Globalization: 20th-Century World History
- HI144 Patterns in East Asian History, to 1600
- HI162 History of the Atlantic World
- HI173 History of Latin America, 1491 to 1900 (To register for this course, select LA173)
- HI183 History of the Premodern Middle East
- HI254 Becoming China: From Heaven’s Mandate to People’s Republic
- HI266 Introduction to African History,1800-1994: Cultural Artefacts in Museums
- HI277 The Maya (To register for this course, select LA277)
- HI285 Foundations of Islam
- HI297 Gender and Sexuality in Modern China
- HI343 Sense and Sensibility: Gender and Sexuality in Confucian China
- HI397B Trauma and Memory in Modern East Asia
Latin American Studies
- LA173 History of Latin America, 1491 to 1900
Fall 2024 – By Department – Historical Studies and US Diversity (H and U)
African American Studies
- AA221 Race and Democracy in the Nation’s Capital
- AA247 African-American History, from Slavery to Freedom (To register for this course, select HI247)
- AA334 The Great Depression: America in the 1930s (To register for this course, select HI334)
History
- HI131 Survey of U.S. History, to 1865
- HI221 Race and Democracy in the Nation’s Capital (To register for this course, select AA221)
- HI247 African-American History, from Slavery to Freedom
- HI334 The Great Depression: America in the 1930s
Fall 2024 Literature Courses
Designated with the letter L, these are courses that focus on literary works of the imagination and/or written texts in which ideas and creative or aesthetic considerations play a crucial role.
Fall 2024 – By Department – Literature requirement only
French
- FR128 Cultural Encounters: Engaging with Literature and Media
Italian
- IT397 Italy, Travel, and Migration from Marco Polo to Lampedusa
Jewish Studies
- JS143 Introduction to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament (To register for this course, select RE143)
Religious Studies
- RE117 A Passage to India: India and the Western Imagination
- RE143 Introduction to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
Russian
- RU232 Science Fiction, Technology, and Propaganda in Slavic Culture
Science, Technology, and Society
- ST232 Science Fiction, Technology, and Propaganda in Slavic Culture (To register for this course, select RU232)
Fall 2024 – By Department – Literature and International Diversity (L and I)
Classics
- CL136 Myth and Magic
- CL197 Gorgons to Godzilla: Monsters in Greco-Roman Myth and Beyond
English
- EN366 Writing the Crisis: Post-Apartheid Literature in Focus
Fall 2024 – By Department – Literature and W1
East Asian Studies
- EA120 Nature in East Asian Literature and Culture
Fall 2024 Quantitative Reasoning Courses
Designated with the letter Q, these are courses that focus on quantitative or analytic reasoning about formally defined abstract structures.
Fall 2024 – By Department – Quantitative Reasoning requirement only
Computer Science
- CS152 Computational Thinking: Science
- CS154 Computational Thinking: Natural Language Processing (This course is one of three in an Integrated Studies cluster)
- CS166 Computational Thinking: Computer Vision
- CS231 Data Structures and Algorithms
Government
- GO281 Concepts and Methods of Political Science Research
Mathematics
- MA125 Single-Variable Calculus
- MA130 Single-Variable Calculus I Revisited
- MA135 Honors Calculus I
- MA160 Series and Multi-variable Calculus
Philosophy
- PL151 Logic and Argumentation
Statistics
- SC212 Introduction to Statistics and Data Science
Fall 2024 Natural Sciences Courses
Designated with the letter N, these are courses that focus on the understanding of natural phenomena through observation, systematic study, and/or theoretical analysis. Students take two N courses and one of them must contain a substantial laboratory component (Lb for required lab; OptLb for optional lab).
Fall 2024 – By Department – Without Labs (N)
Biology
- BI128 Human Genetics: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Science, Technology, and Society
- ST134 Science of Consciousness, Biological and Artificial [this course is one of three in an Integrated Studies cluster]
Fall 2024 – By Department – With Labs (N,Lb)
Biology
- BI163 The Cellular Basis of Life
Chemistry
- CH121 Earth Systems Chemistry I
- CH141 General Chemistry I
- CH147 Comprehensive General Chemistry
Geology
- GE121 Earth Systems Chemistry I (To register for this course, select CH121)
- GE125 From Stardust to Planets
Physics
- PH141 Foundations of Mechanics
- PH143 Honors Physics
Fall 2024 Social Sciences Courses
Designated with the letter S, these are courses that focus on theoretically and methodologically directed inquiry into various aspects of human behavior and interaction.
Fall 2024 – By Department – Social Sciences requirement only
Anthropology
- AY352 Liberation Struggles (To register for this course, select GS352)
Economics
- EC133 Principles of Microeconomics
- EC134 Principles of Macroeconomics
Government
- GO111 Introduction to American Government and Politics
- GO131 Introduction to International Relations
- GO145A Leadership in the Ancient World [this course is one of three in an Integrated Studies cluster]
- GO252 Introduction to Politics of the Middle East
- GO259 Introduction to European Politics
Global Studies
- GS259 Introduction to European Politics (To register for this course, select GO259)
- GS352 Liberation Struggles
Jewish Studies
- JS252 Introduction to Politics of the Middle East (To register for this course, select GO252)
Philosophy
- PL113 Central Philosophical Issues: On Being Human
Psychology
- PS111 Introduction to Psychology
Religious Studies
- RE128 Introduction to the Study of Religion
Science, Technology, and Society
- ST112 Science, Technology, and Society
Fall 2024 – By Department – Social Sciences and International Diversity (S and I)
Anthropology
- AY112 Cultural Anthropology
Government
- GO171 Introduction to Political Theory
Global Studies
- GS101 Introduction to Global Studies
- GS234 Postcolonial Asia
Jewish Studies
- JS148 Inclusion and Exclusion: Dilemmas in Israeli Society
Religious Studies
- RE148 Inclusion and Exclusion: Dilemmas in Israeli Society (To register for this course, select JS148)
Sociology
- SO245 Sociology of Immigration
Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
- WG341 Gender and Human Rights
Fall 2024 – By Department – Social Sciences and US Diversity (S and U)
African American Studies
- AA228 Introduction to Race, Ethnicity, and Politics (To register for this course, select GO228)
American Studies
- AM242 Sexuality, Gender, Feminism (To register for this course, select GO244)
Education
- ED101 Education and Social Justice
Government
- GO228 Introduction to Race, Ethnicity, and Politics
- GO244 Sexuality, Gender, Feminism
Sociology
- SO131 Introduction to Sociology
Fall 2024 W1 Courses
“W1” courses are the foundation of Colby’s writing-intensive curriculum. These courses focus on our shared principles of excellent writing, no matter the discipline. First-year students are expected to complete a W1 during their first year.
African American Studies
- AA120L Language, Thought, and Writing: Language + Race + Power (To register for this course, select EN120L)
East Asian Studies
- EA120 Nature in East Asian Literature and Culture
English
- EN120A Language, Thought, and Writing: Styles of Persuasion
- EN120B Language, Thought, and Writing: How to Read a Book
- EN120J Language, Thought, and Writing: True Crime
- EN120L Language, Thought, and Writing: Language + Race + Power (cross-listed with African American Studies)
- EN120Q Language, Thought, and Writing: Scenes of Displacement, Migration, and Exile
- EN178 Language, Thought, and Writing: Introduction to Creative Writing
Environmental Studies
- ES120E Writing a Path to Sensible Environmental Solutions
Government
- GO145B The Ancient Mind: Literature and Philosophy of the Ancient World (This course is one of three in an Integrated Studies cluster)
Jewish Studies
- JS120 Psychology, Religion, Ethics, Love
Religious Studies
- RE120 Psychology, Religion, Ethics, Love (To register for this course, select JS120)
Russian
- RU120 Reel Russia
Science, Technology, and Society
- ST120D Artificial Intelligence and Society: Exploring Use and Misuse (This course is one of three in an Integrated Studies cluster)
Writing
- WD115A First-Year Writing: Rhetoric, Writing, and Social Change
- WD115C First-Year Writing: Reimagining the Essay
- WD115C First-Year Writing: Reimagining the Essay
- WD115I First-Year Writing: Landscape and Place
- WD115K First-Year Writing: Where are You Going, Where Have You Been?
- WD115L First-Year Writing: Cross-Cultural Ideas of Family and AI
- WD115Q First-Year Writing: Reimagining Academic Writing
- WD115R First-Year Writing: What is the Role of the Museum and Why Does It Matter?
- WD120A Language, Thought, and Writing: Literary Conversations
In order to graduate, Colby students must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language. They can do so through successful completion of a language course designated as 127; languages taught at Colby are Chinese, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Spanish, and Russian. Alternatively, students may fulfill this requirement by means of a proficiency exam.
Here are the various ways to complete this requirement:
- If you want to study a language you have not studied before, register for the first of the three courses (125).
- To continue studying a language you learned in high school, register for the course recommended to you upon completion of your language placement exam.
- If you are a native speaker of a language taught at Colby, contact the chair of that department to establish your proficiency level and have your foreign language requirement marked as fulfilled. You will not need to take a language while at Colby.
If you are a native speaker of a language not taught at Colby, fill out this form to begin the process of proficiency testing. We use an outside service to assess languages not taught at Colby.
If you took a placement exam, you can find your score under “Academic Records” in your myColby portal, which is under the “Academics” tab. For your reference, the table below shows which course you should register for based on your score.
Language Placement Cut-Offs for Course Enrollment
Score
French
German
Italian
Spanish
200-450
FR125
GM125
IT125
SP125
460-530
FR126
GM126
IT126
SP126
540-610
FR127
GM127
IT127
SP127
620-630
FR128 or 131*
GM127 or 128 *
IT127 or 128 *
SP127
640-660
FR231 and above
GM231 or above *
IT141 or above *
SP128
670-690
FR231 and above
GM231 or above *
IT141 or above *
SP131
700-800
FR231 and above
GM231 or above *
IT141 or above *
SP135 or 231
* contact department for advice