Catalog

Academics > Catalog > 2021–2022 > Courses of Instruction

Important COVID-19 Considerations

This catalog constitutes the basic agreement between the college and its students and prospective students with regard to the Bates College academic experience. Every effort is made to provide the most accurate information possible on the college's academic and financial policies, curriculum, and courses. However, the coronavirus pandemic has created uncertainties that can alter elements of this catalog. The catalog lists all courses in the curriculum. The courses offered in the fall and winter semesters and the Short Term appear in the Course Schedule. Evolving public health circumstances may result in changes in course offerings; the college reserves the right to cancel a course, reschedule the meeting time for a course, change the mode of instruction, or change the instructor if deemed necessary.

In addition, the pandemic may impact the residential experience generally, requiring modifications to and limitations on students' participation in extracurricular and other activities of residence life. In the event of a major surge or spike in COVID-19 cases in Maine or nationally, or of other unforeseen effects of the pandemic, it may be necessary for the college to suspend all residential operations, including in- person instruction.

Welcome to the Bates College catalog for the 2021–2022 academic year.

The Bates College Catalog is a comprehensive guide to the academic program. It outlines official academic policies and procedures followed by students, faculty, and administration. The major and minor requirements and course descriptions are organized by departments and programs, below.

The catalog describes the college curriculum in full and does not reflect courses offered in a single semester or Short Term. Information on courses offered during a specific semester is available in the Course Schedule.

Courses of Instruction

Africana

American Studies

Anthropology

Art and Visual Culture

Asian Studies

Biology

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Classical and Medieval Studies

Greek
Latin

Digital and Computational Studies

Earth and Climate Sciences

Economics

Education

English

Environmental Studies

European Studies

Extra-disciplinary Studies

First-Year Seminars

French and Francophone Studies

Gender and Sexuality Studies

German and Russian Studies

Hispanic Studies

History

Interdisciplinary Courses

Interdisciplinary Studies

Latin American and Latinx Studies

Physics and Astronomy

Politics

Psychology

Religious Studies

Rhetoric, Film, and Screen Studies

Sociology

Theater and Dance

The Catalog offers brief descriptions of courses offered by the faculty. The course description provides a range of information. The course number indicates the level of the course, with the exception of the first-year seminars, all of which are open only to first-year students. Generally in other cases, courses numbered 100 to 199 are introductory and open to first-year students. Courses numbered 200-299 are designed primarily for sophomores, juniors, and seniors, though many are also open to first-year students. Courses numbered 300-399 are designed for juniors and seniors. Courses at the 400 level represent specialized work for senior majors in the departments and programs.

Generally, Short Term courses are numbered accordingly: s10-s29 normally have no prerequisites, although they may require permission of the instructor; s30-s39 normally have prerequisites; s40-s49 are designed primarily for majors; s50 is the designation for independent study.

Courses that fulfill General Education requirements are identified with tags at the end of the course description (e.g., [W1], [S], [L]). Many courses may be used to fulfill one or more General Education concentrations; these concentrations are listed in the online catalog only, and may be found by mousing over the word “Concentrations” at the end of the course description.

Other attributes that appear at the end of a course description (e.g., Critical Thinking, Latin American, Institutional Politics, Diversity) pertain to major requirements in English, history, politics, and psychology, but appear in the course description even if the course is cross-listed in another department or program.

Information appears in the Catalog and the Garnet Gateway to assist students in planning their academic program. If a course is offered one-time only, every semester, or every year, this is noted in the course description. Otherwise, the course is offered with varying frequency.

Course descriptions also indicate prerequisites or corequisites, instructor permission to enroll, and enrollment limits.

Curricular offerings, class meeting times, and instructors for the next semester or Short Term appear on the Garnet Gateway (www.bates.edu/garnet-gateway/). The College reserves the right to cancel courses due to changes in teaching personnel, under-enrollment, the need to balance sections upon the instructor's request, or other unforeseen circumstances.

Subject Codes for Courses

Courses are listed sequentially with numbers preceded by subject codes under each department and program. Subject codes with a slash indicate that the course is cross-listed in two departments or programs. The subject code INDS indicates that the course is cross-listed in more than two departments and/or programs, which are identified in the course description.

Course Subject

Subject Code

Cross-listed Subject Code