This is an archive. The current Bates College catalog is available at https://www.bates.edu/catalog/

Catalog Archive

2007-2008

Catalog

Academics > Catalog > 2007-2008 > Courses of Instruction > GEC

General Education Concentrations

General Education requirements for students entering the College as members of the Class of 2011 and beyond are described in detail on page XX. One of those General Education requirements is the successful completion of two General Education concentrations. Concentrations challenge students to develop both breadth and depth in areas of study outside their major. Each concentration consists of four courses chosen from a faculty-designed menu that is structured on the basis of a clearly articulated organizing principle. Some concentrations focus on a particular issue or topic or area of inquiry identified by several professors working across different disciplines; others are formed within a single discipline. Some concentrations may include relevant co-curricular experiences such as significant community service, orchestra, chorus, or volunteer work. The concentration requirements may also be fulfilled by completing a minor or a second major. General Education concentrations appear on the transcript.

The concentrations currently offered are described briefly below. A full description of each concentration¿including its requirements, course list, and eligible co-curricular components¿is available in the online catalog (www.bates.edu/catalog).

Concentrations

Ancient Greek (C020)

A concentration that provides students with skills and insights in Greek language and literature. H. Walker.

Requirements

Four courses, with only two may be taken at the 100-level and only two may be taken at the 200-level.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

The Ancient World (C054)

This concentration introduces students to peoples of the Greco-Roman and Judaic traditions in the ancient world. Students examine the history, literature, religions, social practices, and material cultures of the Greeks, Romans, and Israelites, as well as the different methodologies scholars employ to understand a distant and different past that still critically shapes the experience of the modern Western world. M. Imber.

Requirements

Any four courses/units.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Applying Mathematical Methods (C006)

This concentration encourages students to appreciate the utility of mathematics, make connections between mathematics and other subjects, and apply mathematical methods in a relevant discipline (e.g., natural or social sciences, arts, humanities) or in a real-world setting (e.g., traffic control, scheduling, manufacturing). B. Shulman.

Requirements

Two mathematics-based courses/units from the following list: BI/MA 155, BIO 244, ECON 250 and 255, MATH 205, 206, 218, 219, 314, 315, 341, 365D, s45J, s45K, PHYS 301. The other two applications-based courses/units should be drawn from the remainder of courses/units offered in the concentration. One of the courses/units may be replaced by a supervised research position or internship approved by the appropriate department. In addition to the four courses/units or co-curricular components, students are expected to complete an integrative project that demonstrates mastery of applied mathematical methods. This project is usually completed in the context of a course or co-curricular experience. Students are expected to present their project in a public forum (e.g., class presentation, conference, Mount David Summit). Students are required to consult with the Concentration Coordinator as early as possible for advice and guidance in completing this project.

Courses
Co-curricular Activities

Research Experience/Internship.

A supervised research experience such as an NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) position or an appropriate internship may replace one mathematics-based or one applications-based course, depending on the content. Supervised by Appropriate Department.

Return to the list of concentrations.

Archeology and Material Culture (C025)

This concentration acquaints students with archeology, the subfield of anthropology dealing with the study of material remains. E. Eames.

Requirements

Four courses/units, one of which must be a methodology class from the following list: ANTH 103, 219, s32, s24. One co-curricular component involving substantial archeological fieldwork may be substituted for a course/unit, at the discretion of the anthropology department.

Courses
Co-curricular Activities

Fieldwork.

Substantial fieldwork on an archeological dig Supervised by Anthropology Dept..

Return to the list of concentrations.

Asian Art and Literature (C033)

This concentration focuses on Asian art history, visual cultures, and traditional literature. T. Nguyen.

Requirements

Four courses/units, with not more than two courses/units from any one department/program.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Asian Modernity (C053)

This concentration offers students an opportunity to consider the effects of imperialism, globalization, and rapid development on the societies of Asia. S. Kemper.

Requirements

Any four courses/units. One co-curricular component may be substituted for a course/unit.

Courses
Co-curricular Activities

Off-campus Study.

Participation in an off-campus study program in Asia may substitute for one course/unit. Supervised by Off-Campus Study Office.

Return to the list of concentrations.

Asian Narrative Traditions (C052)

This concentration explores stories and strategies of storytelling in Asian traditions past and present in literature and in film and other visual arts. S. Kemper.

Requirements

Any four courses/units.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Beauty and Desire (C055)

What does beauty mean? Who arbitrates the boundary between the beautiful and the aberrant? How do we embody desire? This concentration analyzes the manufacture and manipulation of beauty, the politics of desire, and their cultural significance. R. Corrie.

Requirements

Four courses/units, with no more than two from any one department/program.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Bridging El Atlántico (C016)

The Spanish language has been a bridge to communicate experiences and artistic proposals on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. This concentration explores the cultural productions of the Spanish-speaking people of both sides of the Atlantic region, which include but are not limited to the courtly love tradition that emerged among Spanish-speaking Arab and Jewish poets, and its modern home in Latin American popular music; issues of environmental justice, gender, and race; the development of a transnational Spanish-language cinema industry that facilitates the circulation of artists and ideas; and the tradition of human rights in Latin America and Spain. B. Fra-Molinero.

Requirements

Four courses/units, with no more than two from among SPAN 207, 208, and 211.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Buddhism (C002)

This concentration brings together courses on Buddhism from a variety of perspectives. J. Strong.

Requirements

Any four course/units. Participation in an appropriate off-campus study program may be substituted for one course/unit.

Courses
Co-curricular Activities

ISLE Program.

Study abroad in Sri Lanka Supervised by Off-Campus Study Office.

SIT Program, Dharmsala.

Tibetan studies off-campus study Supervised by Off-Campus Study Office.

Antioch College Buddhist Studies in Japan Program.

Buddhist studies in Japan Supervised by Off-Campus Study Office.

Antioch College Buddhist Studies in India.

Study abroad in Bodhgaya, India Supervised by Off-Campus Study Office.

Return to the list of concentrations.

Chemistry (C003)

This concentration exposes students to core principles in chemistry and selected additional topics that students can tailor to their interests. R. Austin.

Requirements

(1) CHEM 107A or CH/ES 107B

(2) CHEM 108A or CH/ES 108B

(3) Any two other courses/units, which may include CHEM 217 or CHEM 218 but not both. A departmentally-approved summer research experience may be applied in place of one of these two courses/units. AP credit may not be used in lieu of any of the requirements in (1) or (2) above. Students with AP credit are encouraged to complete a chemistry minor. Biology and neuroscience majors are also encouraged to complete a chemistry minor.

Courses
Co-curricular Activities

Independent Research.

A departmentally-approved summer research experience may be applied towards this concentration. Supervised by Chemistry Department.

Return to the list of concentrations.

Children, Adolescents, School (C030)

This concentration integrates the study of children and adolescents with the study of education. H. Regan.

Requirements

Four courses/units, two of which must be in psychology and two of which must be in education. In taking these courses/units, students must complete three field placements of at least thirty hours each. All education courses carry a thirty-hour field placement and some psychology courses do as well. Students who select a psychology course that does not include field placement, but who need one to meet the three field placement requirement of the concentration work with the Harward Center for Community Partnerships to establish an appropriate placement. In this case, the service-learning coordinator oversees the placement with the student.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Chinese Language (C044)

This is a concentration in the study of Chinese language. S. Kemper.

Requirements

Any four courses/units listed. Students entering Bates with proficiency in the language should begin the sequence of four courses of the concentration at the level at which they are initially placed. No more than two language courses taken in an approved study abroad program in China may be counted toward the concentration.



Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Chinese Society and Culture (C047)

The concentration offers courses and units from a range of disciplines including history, literature, religion, economics, and language, all of which focus on China. S. Kemper.

Requirements

Four courses/units, with no more than two of the following: CHI 101, 102, 201, 202, 301, 302, 401, 402. Up to two courses on a study abroad program in China may be counted toward the concentration.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

The City in History: Urbanism and Constructed Spaces (C057)

This concentration addresses the role of urban centers in human culture from their emergence in earliest recorded history to the present. The study of urban forms, architecture, and spaces is by definition interdisciplinary,
integrating social, political, historical, theoretical, geographical, technological, and aesthetic considerations. R. Corrie.

Requirements

Four courses/units, including at least two from among the following: AA/RH 391C; BSAV 002; CM/HI 102, 106, 108, 109, 207; CMS 210; ECON 348; EN/RH s14; ENVR 200; FRE s35; GER 254; HIST 141, 282, 390Ll INDS s27; REL s24.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Class, Inequity, Poverty, and Justice (C008)

This concentration focuses on class inequality and poverty from a social justice perspective. Courses are drawn from a variety of disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives, and include attention to national and international issues, the gendered and raced dynamics of class, material inequality and poverty, and social movements and social change. E. Kane.

Requirements

Four courses/units with a maximum of two courses/units from the same department/program. At least one course/unit must include a community engagement component, including the following: AC/HI 390B; ACS 220; ANTH 339; ED/SO 242; EDUC 250; EDUC S27; ED/WS 280; HIST 390W; PLTC s21; PY/SO S18; SOC 250; SOC 395K

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

The Collaborative Project (C012)

To collaborate is to labor cooperatively with others toward an intellectual goal. In this concentration, students gain experience in an array of methods used to achieve effective collaboration in different contexts. Each course emphasizes collaborative process to generate action, original work and/or live performance.
P. Johnson.

Requirements

Four courses/units or three courses/units and one co-curricular component, with a maximum of two courses/units from any one department/program.

Courses
Co-curricular Activities

Music Performance.

Participation for two consecutive semesters in any one of the following ensembles may replace one course: College Choir, College Orchestra, Fiddle Band, Gamelan, Jazz Ensemble, Steel Orchestra Supervised by Music Department.

Return to the list of concentrations.

Colonialism (C059)

Colonial expansion of European societies has had a profound effect in shaping the modern world culturally, politically, demographically, and ecologically. Its implications are addressed in one way or another by a majority of humanities and social science courses offered at Bates, and it has important implications for the sciences as well. This concentration addresses colonialism itself, allowing an examination of the commonalities and differences that have characterized the phenomenon since Roman times. B. Bourque.

Requirements

Any four courses/units.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Color: Sight and Perception (C036)

The perception of color is contextual and culturally determined. This concentration provides the opportunity to study color in theory and in practice, as cultural construct, and as concrete physical phenomenon. P. Johnson.

Requirements

Four courses/units, with no more than two from any one department/program.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Conflict and Threat: War and Disease (C064)

This concentration explores war and militarism, conflict and panic in the face of real and perceived threats, and the various social, cultural, political, and scientific responses to them. R. Corrie.

Requirements

Four courses/unit, with no more than two from the same department/program.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Considering Africa (C022)

This concentration focuses on North and sub-Saharan Africa. Through a variety of disciplines students develop a complex understanding of the many African cultures, histories, social practices, art forms, political policies, economic challenges, and ecological issues. A. Dauge-Roth.

Requirements

Four course/units. One approved co-curricular component may substitute for one of the courses/units. As a capstone, senior concentrators present a reflection on their work in the concentration at the Mount David Summit.

Courses
Co-curricular Activities

Museum Project.

Long-term (one semester or one summer) museum project on Africa. Supervised by Alexandre Dauge-Roth.

Volunteer Work.

Long term (one semester or one summer) volunteer work with an African migrant community, including journal-writing. Supervised by Alexandre Dauge-Roth.

Off-campus Study.

Off-campus study on the African continent of one semester or longer. Supervised by Alexandre Dauge-Roth.

Return to the list of concentrations.

Culture and Meaning (C026)

This concentration focuses on culture and meaning, the interpretive subfield of anthropology. E. Eames.

Requirements

ANTH 101, ANTH 333, and any two additional course/units.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Dance (C011)

Focusing on dance as a performing art form, the concentration considers the practice of the art, its production, and an understanding of its cultural context. C. Dilley.

Requirements

Four courses/units, one of which must concentrate on dance theory (DANC 250, AA/DN 252, or DN/PL 290) and
one of which must focus studio dance (DANC 240, 241, 340, 341, or two courses in the DANC 270 series).

Courses
Co-curricular Activities

Dance Performance.

Performance in five dance pieces within Dance program productions, for which no academic credit was recieved. Supervised by Director of Dance.

Return to the list of concentrations.

Diasporas (C038)

The concept of the diaspora plays an extraordinarily important role in our understanding of contemporary culture. Through the diasporic processes of movement and displacement, cultures become caught up in an ongoing flow that links local communities to a rich global network of cultural practices and worldviews. These flows raise a number of questions: In what way do diasporic cultures respond to the dynamics of displacement, migration, and oppression? How might different media or diverse perspectives offer alternative understandings and expressions of these responses? In what way do diasporas from previous eras differ from those that have emerged from the contemporary contexts of globalization, the migration of refugees, and the turbulence of contemporary geopolitics? D. Chapman.

Requirements

Four courses/units from at least two departments/programs. Courses must include at least one course/unit from each of the following lists:

List A: AA/AN 251; AA/AV s20; AA/EN 223, 268; AA/HI 390E; EN/ES 201; FRE 365H; INDS 220, 235, 262, 339;
List B: AN/RE 266; ANTH 264; AS/PT s28; ENG 260; EN/WS 121G, 395S; FRE 208, s35, HIST 390Z.
Students are encouraged to participate in service-learning experiences with local diasporas in Lewiston/Auburn and Maine. One approved co-curricular component may be substituted for one of the four required courses/units. As a capstone, senior concentrators present their work in the concentration at the Mount David Summit.

Courses
Co-curricular Activities

Service-Learning.

Long-term (one semester or one summer) service-learming project in a local diasporic community. Supervised by Harward Center.

Return to the list of concentrations.

Early Modern World (C066)

This concentration comprises courses that address the cultural and historic developments related to the development and expansion of Europe between about 1450 and 1800 C.E. J. Hall.

Requirements

Four courses/units from at least two different departments/programs.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Environment, Place, History (C068)

This concentration explores the interconnections between ecological change, community history, and the social construction of place. It has a marked, but not exclusive, focus on Maine, including inquiry into Maine's transformations and conflicts over environmental, economic, and community change. The concentration is strongly interdisciplinary, mixing ecological learning, social-historical and ethnographic inquiry, and cultural studies. It includes community partnerships and public-environmental projects. D. Scobey.

Requirements

Four courses/units, two of which must be from list A (foregrounding scientific study in geology or ecology) and two of which must be from list B (foregrounding social, cultural, historical, or literary study). At least one of these courses/units from list A or B must also appear on list C (courses/units involving significant field or community-based experience). Alternatively, students may meet the community/field requirement by completing one co-curricular component, substituting it for one of the four course/units. Students should consult with the Harward Center to determine if a particular course or co-curricular experience qualifies.

List A: ENVR 240, 310; ES/GE s37; Geo 103, 104, s31, s39.
List B: AC/HI 390B; EN/ES 201; ENVR 200, 204, 213, s36, s46; ES/Hi 211; INDS 219, s24.
List C: AC/HI 390B; ENVR200, 310 s46; ES/GE s37; GEO s31, s39; INDS s24.

Courses
Co-curricular Activities

Environmental Internships.

Internship in the Short Term or summer with a conservation, advocacy, policy, or stewardship group. Supervised by Environmental Studies.

Summer Research.

Summer-long projects on environmental or community-based research. Supervised by Environmental Studies.

Haward Fellowships.

Summer-long community placements or community-based research on environmental or urban place projects. Supervised by Harward Center.

Community Work-Study.

Long term (academic year or summer) Community Work-Study placments in advocacy, conservation, stewardship, or policy groups. Supervised by Harward Center.

Volunteer Work.

Intensive volunteer work during the academic year in regional community organizations such as Lots to Gardens, land trusts, or at the Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Area. Supervised by Harward Center.

Return to the list of concentrations.

Evidence: Documentation and Reality (C017)

This concentration is a study of documentation and representation, including consideration of persuasive strategies often employed in representations—and misrepresentations. Emphasis is on the use of images as points of inquiry, including photographs, film, broadcasts, documents, and printed matter, as well as speech and artifacts. E. Morris.

Requirements

Four courses/units, with no more than two from any one department/program.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Field Studies: Natural Science (C058)

Field studies are the primary mode of data collection for natural scientists studying the earth and its ecosystems. This concentration offers an introduction to field methods used in ecology, environmental science and geology. Courses include a strong component of data collection and/or sampling in the field, and/or mapping from field data. J. Eusden.

Requirements

Four courses/units, at least one of which must be from list A, one from list B, and one from list C.
List A: BI/GE 112; GEO 103, 104;
List B: BIO 211, 265, 313, 323; ENVR 217, 310; GEO 210, 223, 230, 240;
List C: BIO s32, s37; ENVR s38; ES/GE s37; GEO s31, s34, s39.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Film and Media Studies (C019)

An interdisciplinary concentration that focuses on the history, theory, production, and criticism of cinema and other moving image media. Courses examine cinema's artistic and cultural contributions, moving image media as practices of social significance, and techniques of directing, acting, and editing sound and image. A. Dauge-Roth.

Requirements

Four courses/units, with no more than two from the same department/program. Students are encouraged to take one course with a film production component, such as FRE 235, SPAN 354, THEA 242, THEA 371.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

French and Francophone Studies (C034)

This interdisciplinary concentration encompasses the language, literatures, and cultures of the French-speaking world. It aims to develop increased linguistic proficiency in oral and written French and knowledge of the rich cultural production of the French-speaking regions of the globe over time using a variety of critical approaches. M. Rice-DeFosse.

Requirements

Four courses/units, one of which must be from list A, one of which must be from list B, and one of which must be from list C. Only one of the following courses, taught in English, may be counted toward the concentration: HIST 223 or 224. One co-curricular component may be substituted for one of the courses from list [A or C].
List A (Language): FRE 205, 235, 270, 271

List B (Literature): FRE 240E, 240F, 240G, 250, 251, 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 365A, 365D, 365G, 365H, s34, s35; HIST 223

List C (Culture and Civilization): FRE 207, 208, 240E, 240F, 240G, 261, s35, s36; HIST 223, 224

Courses
Co-curricular Activities

Community Service.

Significant community service in the French-speaking community, such as participation in the Franco-American Oral History Project, over the course of one semester, one Short Term, or one internship period may be substituted for one course/unit. Supervised by French Faculty/Harward Center.

Return to the list of concentrations.

The Geosphere (C007)

The Earth is in a constant state of change. Creation and destruction of the lithosphere with attendant earthquakes and volcanoes and interactions of the atmosphere and hydrosphere producing climate change illustrate the interconnection of the geosphere and humankind. The study of geologic processes span scales of time measured in minutes to billions of years; such studies are a key to understanding past, present, and future global and planetary environmental changes. To fully understand and appreciate such changes, the courses in this concentration emphasize the integration of field- and laboratory-based inquiry both in New England and, remotely, on more distant worlds.
J. Creasy.

Requirements

Two courses from list A and two courses from list B; or two courses from list A, one course from list B, and one unit from list C.

List A: AT/GE 110, GEO 103, GEO 104

List B: GEO 210, GEO 223, GEO 230, GEO 240

List C: ES/GE s37, GEO s30, GEO s31, GEO s34, GEO s39, GEO s46, BI/GE s38

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

German Language (C071)

This concentration encourages students to study German language, culture, and literature. D. Browne.

Requirements

Four courses/units. Up to two courses in German language, culture, or literature taken in an off-campus study program may substituted for up to two courses/units with approval of the Off-Campus Study Committee.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Globalization (C014)

Globalization may be defined as the set of economic, political, social, technological, and cultural changes that give rise to growing interdependence and interactions among people, cultures, and corporations scattered around the world. It is one of the defining paradigms of the early twenty-first century, and perhaps the most controversial. Students in this concentration examine the phenomenon of globalization—its positive and negative aspects—from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. J. Hughes.

Requirements

Four courses/units from at least three departments/programs, including at least two courses/units from among the following: AS/EC 229, AS/EC 231, ECON 221, SPAN s31, PLTC 224, PT/WS s32, AN/SO 232, ANTH 339.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Hazards in Nature (C063)

For human populations, living on planet Earth means living with the risk of natural hazards and living with the unintended consequences of our interactions with the natural world. Earthquakes, floods, and climate change, and emerging infections, invasive plant species, and environmental toxins are examples of global challenges presented by the physical and biological world. The courses offered in this concentration explore this interface between human populations and the natural world.
J. Creasy.

Requirements

GEO 103, GEO 104, and any two other courses/units.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

The Human Body (C027)

This concentration focuses on knowledges acquired through observation, articulation, and experience of the body. P. Heroux.

Requirements

Four courses/units, with no more than two from any one department/program. Any two DANC 270A or 270B seried courses may complete one concentration credit.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Identity, Race, and Ethnicity (C037)

The goal of this concentration is to encourage students to think in an interdisciplinary manner about the construction of racial and ethnic identities in social, cultural, and political contexts.


















L. Danforth.

Requirements

Any four courses/units

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Improvisation and Experimentation (C023)

This area of inquiry emphasizes the development of creative work in response to various modern and postmodern practices. Improvisation is a working method that emphasizes the moment, bringing past experience to bear in the concrete immediacy of the present. Experimentation typically involves innovating or even undermining the status quo. Students working in this concentration experience these generative methods—including chance operations, contact improvisation, sampling, gesture invention, appropriation, and quotation—across multiple disciplines.






P. Johnson.

Requirements

Four courses/units, with no more than two courses/units from any one department/program. Any two Studio Dance courses from the 270A or 270C series may count as one concentration credit.


Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Japanese Language (C043)

A concentration in the study of modern Japanese language. S. Kemper.

Requirements

Any four courses/units. Students entering Bates with proficiency in the language should begin the sequence of four courses for the concentration at the level at which they are initially placed. No more than two language courses taken in an approved off-campus study program in Japan may be counted toward the concentration.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Japanese Society and Culture (C046)

This concentration offers courses and units in a range of disciplines including history, literature, religion, economics, and language, all of which focus on Japan. S. Kemper.

Requirements

Four courses/units, with no more than two of the following: JPN 101, 102, 201, 202, 301, 302, 401, 402. Up to two courses on an approved study abroad program in Japan may be counted toward the concentration.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Latin (C010)

This concentration advances students' skills and insights in Latin language and literature. T. Hayward.

Requirements

Four courses, no more than two of which may be taken at the 100 level or the 200 level.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Latin American Studies (C072)

This concentration offers courses and units in various disciplines that focus on Latin America, including the Caribbean. It provides students with a range of perspectives, covering the period from initial European encounters to the present. K. Melvin.

Requirements

Four courses/units from at least two departments/programs, including at least one course at the 300-level.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Law and Society (C013)

The "law" as embodied in its text, institutions, function, and outcomes both shapes and is shaped by the culture and society in which it exists. This concentration encourages students to explore the place of law in societies from a variety of disciplines and perspectives. J. Hughes.

Requirements

Any four courses/units from a minimum of three departments/programs.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Medieval Worlds (C051)

An interdisciplinary exploration of the medieval West, medieval Islam, and Byzantium in the era 300-1500 C.E. M. Jones.

Requirements

Any four courses/units.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Modern Europe (C024)

This concentration encourages students to improve their ability to communicate in one of four languages spoken in Europe, and to increase their knowledge of the dynamic nature of European development from World War I to the present. D. Browne.

Requirements

Four course/units, two—but no more than two—of which must be from one of the lists of language courses below (French, German, Russian, Spanish).
List A: FRE 101, 102, 201, 205, 207, s36;
List B: GER 101, 102, 201, 202, 233, 234, 241, 242, 254, 270, 356, 358, s25;
List C: RUSS 101, 102, 201, 202, 301, 302, 306;
List D: SPAN 262, 344, 345, s33.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

North Atlantic Studies (C045)

An interdisciplinary study of the societies and physical environments of the North Atlantic, whose regions are parts of a complex and historically dynamic maritime system linked by interactions among peoples of both world hemispheres. M. Jones.

Requirements

Four courses/units, two of which must be from list A (Environment) and two of which must be from list B (Society).
List A: BIO 313, 323, s32; BI/GE 112, s38; ENVR 240; ES/GE s37, FYS 282, 284; GEO 103, 240.
List B: ANTH 322, s32; CM/HI 209; HIST 390S, s28; INDS 208, 219, s24, s27; PLTC 125.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Philosophy (C042)

This concentration introduces students to different aspects of the study of philosophy. J. Strong.

Requirements

Any four courses/units.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Philosophy and Psychology (C031)

This concentration is intended to acquaint students with scholarly work on questions of interest to both philosophers and psychologists, and facilitate students' own clear thinking on such issues. Given the breadth of the disciplines of philosophy and psychology, a wide variety of issues is addressed in these courses. Topics include moral judgment, moral responsibility, sensation and perception, the self, theory of mind, and the relationship between mind and brain. Students consider such issues from both disciplinary perspectives. M. Sargent.

Requirements

Four courses/units, two of which must be from philosophy and two of which must be from psychology. FYS 288 may be substituted for one of the philosophy courses/units and FYS 308 may be substituted for one of the psychology courses/units.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Physics of the Large and Small (C056)

Physics is the study of matter and energy. A very small number of fundamental physical principles provide a coherent and unified understanding of an enormous variety of phenomena, ranging in scale from the subnuclear to the cosmological. Any set of physics and astronomy courses illustrates these principles and their coherence. J. Smedley.

Requirements

Any four courses/units.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Popular Culture (C040)

This concentration encourages students to explore different genres of popular culture from a variety of cultures in order to understand the powerful impact they have on shaping peoples' values and attitudes. L. Danforth.

Requirements

Any four courses/units.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Post/Colonial Issues in French and Spanish (C032)

The French and Spanish empires left linguistic, cultural, and sociopolitical legacies throughout the world. Colonial territories and postcolonial nations have responded to colonial power structures through self-inquiry and contestation. The courses included in this concentration approach colonial and postcolonial issues in French and Spanish through various critical perspectives. The concentration requires intermediate proficiency in both French and Spanish. A. Dauge-Roth.

Requirements

Four courses/units, at least one of which must be from French and at least one of which must be from Spanish. Students are expected to have at least an intermediate level of proficiency in both languages. An approved co-curricluar project may substitute for one course/unit.

Courses
Co-curricular Activities

Community-based Project.

An approved community-based project may replace one course/unit. Supervised by Faculty Contact Person.

Return to the list of concentrations.

Premodern History (C048)

The historical study of peoples and cultures to 1500 C.E. M. Jones.

Requirements

Any four courses/units.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Producing Culture: Arts and Audience (C061)

Composers, choreographers, directors, curators, and producers often interact with performing artists, studio artists, and writers in order to engage audiences. What is produced, for whom, and in support of which values? Work in this concentration considers the interrelationship between cultural producers and cultural consumers.
T. Nguyen.

Requirements

Any four courses/units from at least two departments/programs.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Public Health (C065)

This concentration explores public and community health from interdisciplinary perspectives, looking at such issues as medical practice; public policy concerning health care; sociology of race, class, and gender; and cultural constructions of health and sickness. It aims to expose students to public health issues at global, national, and local levels. It includes diverse opportunities for service-learning, internships, and community-based research, drawing on community partnerships in Lewiston-Auburn. D. Scobey.

Requirements

Four courses/units including at least one from list A (foregrounding science) and at least one course/unit from list B (foregrounding the social sciences and the humanities). No more than one of these courses may be at the 100 level. At least one of the courses/units selected from list A or B must also appear on list C (courses/units that potentially can involve a community or field component focusing on public health issues). The courses/units on list C do not always require community-health projects every year. In order to satisfy the community-learning requirement a service-learning or field project must involve health issues. The community requirement may also be met by completing one co-curricular component, and substituting it for one of the four courses/units. Students should consult with the Harward Center to determine if a particular course or co-curricular experience qualifies.

List A: BIO 260, 314, 315, 320, 340, 351, s25; PSYC 303, 362.
List B: ANTH 220, s26; FYS 236; HI/WS 267; PHIL 213; PLTC 423, s21; SOC 230, 235, WGST 400C.
List C: BIO 314, 315, 340, s25; PSYC 303, 362; PLTC 423, s21.

Courses
Co-curricular Activities

Summer Fellowships.

Harward Student Summer Fellowship with a community partner such as the B Street Clinic, Maine Nutrition Center, and International Clinic. Supervised by Harward Center.

Community Work-Study.

Long-term (semester academic year, or summer) Community Work-Study placement in a local agency focusing on public health. Supervised by Harward Center.

Summer Research.

Summer-long research project focusing on community health, community-based medicine, health policy, or health ethics. Supervised by Harward Center.

Volunteer Work.

Rigorous, sustained volunteer work during the academic year in such agencies as the Sisters of Charity Health System or the B Street Clinic. Supervised by Harward Center.

Return to the list of concentrations.

Queer Studies (C009)

Queer studies looks at sexuality and gender while foregrounding non-normative or anti-normative perspectives. Queer studies includes considerations of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and genderqueer history, culture, and politics, with mindful attention to the limits and alternatives to those time- and culture-bound terms. E. Rand.

Requirements

Any four courses/units, one of which must be at the 300 level.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Racisms (C041)

Racism is a system of ideas and practices that deny the humanity of individuals who are ascribed to certain groups and collectivities. The practice of racism has deep historical roots and there is not one single type of racism. Religious, social, scientific, political, and cultural discourses have contributed to racist regimes. C. Nero.

Requirements

Any four courses/units, no more than two of which may be from the same department/program. One course should be at the 300 level.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Religious Studies (C001)

In this concentration students focus on different aspects of religious studies. It features a capstone seminar, Religion 400, required of all concentrators (and open also to minors), in which students present and discuss their various interests in the context of religious studies theory. The capstone provides commonality to students' experience of the concentration. J. Strong.

Requirements

Any three course/units and REL 400.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Renaissance: Arts and Letters (C035)

The literature and visual arts from the late fourteenth through the early eighteenth centuries in Europe and its American colonies helped shape many of our contemporary cultural models. The Renaissance marked a shift in the world view: Humanism shaped the centrality of the individual; religion once again became an ideological battleground; the new national states developed capitalism; slavery took hold in the Americas; technology advanced the spread of empire; and national languages acquired a new prestige. B. Fra-Molinero.

Requirements

Four courses/units, at least one of which must be from list A (courses/units in the visual arts) and at least one of which must be from list B (courses/units in literature).
List A: AVC 266, s18; AV/CM 265, 376, 376C, s19;
List B: ENG 121P, 171, 211, 213, 214, 222, 226, 395P, 395Y; SPAN 240, 341; SP/TH 241

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Russian Language (C069)

This concentration encourages the study of the Russian language, culture, and literature. D. Browne.

Requirements

Four courses/units. Up to two courses in Russian language, culture, or literature taken in an off-campus study program may substitute for up to two courses/units with the approval by the Off-Campus Study Committee.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Science Education (C004)

This concentration introduces students to the basics of teaching science. R. Austin.

Requirements

EDUC 231 and EDUC 235 plus two additional courses in biology, chemistry, geology, mathematics, or physics at the 200 level or above. A teaching experience approved by the appropriate science or mathematics department may be substituted for one of the science or mathematics courses.

Courses
Co-curricular Activities

Science teaching.

Students may elect to use a semester of approved science or mathematics teaching experience one of the requirements. Teaching experience may include serving as a Peer-Assisted Learning Group (PALG) leader, a teaching assistant, or a Mathematics and Statistics Workshop tutor. In order to be approved, the student teaching must include training. Supervised by approriate science department.

Return to the list of concentrations.

Science Education for Prospective Teachers of Children and Early Adolescents (C021)

This concentration is designed for students interested in teaching at the elementary or middle school level, providing a mindful approach to including science and/or mathematics in their Bates education and exploring issues related to science and mathematics pedagogy. H. Regan.

Requirements

Four courses/units, two of which must be EDUC 231 and 235, and at least one of which must have a General Education [L] designation. All education courses require a thirty hour field placement. To the extent possible, the field placements focus on science and mathematics teaching in elementary or middle school classrooms.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Sound (C005)

This concentration is a wide-ranging exploration of the nature of sound. Topics include the physical nature of sound production, organismal perception of sound, and sonic elements in the performing arts. J. Smedley.

Requirements

Four courses/units, with a maximum of two from any one department/program. One music performance co-curricular component may substitute for one of the four courses/units.

Courses
Co-curricular Activities

Music Performance.

Participation for two consecutive semesters in one of the following ensembles: College Choir, Gamelan, Jazz Band, Orchestra, Steel Orchestra. Supervised by Musis Department.

Return to the list of concentrations.

Theater Arts (C028)

This concentration serves as an introduction to the study and making of theater. M. Andrucki.

Requirements

Four courses/units in theater, one of which must be THEA 101.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

The Translated World (C067)

In this concentration, students explore national literatures as well as literatures from different historical epochs in translation. Students consider how these literatures represent culturally distinct experiences and contribute to a complex understanding of global imaginations, values, and societies. L. Maurizio.

Requirements

Any four courses/units.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Visible Ideas: 2D and 3D Design (C029)

A design is a plan. In art, the study of design is the study of the relationship between idea and physical form, and how this interaction expresses content. These courses and units emphasize ways to track and manipulate the relationship between the essential elements of visual language, including line, color, light, volume, scale, and space. P. Heroux.

Requirements

Four courses/units, with no more than two from any one department/program.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Water and Society (C070)

Water is essential to life. Consequently, people often live along the coast, the banks of rivers, the margins of lakes or in regions with groundwater resources for drinking, irrigation, industry, recreation, and the food supply. Water is also the most highly politicized resource on earth and has been the source of numerous and continuing conflicts among humans. Our dependence on water necessitates that we share and preserve this resource, yet increasing pressures on our water bodies are resulting in reduced access to potable water, collapse of marine ecosystems, and a decrease in biodiversity. This concentration explores the connections between humans and water and includes scientific, aesthetic, economic, political, and ethical perspectives. B. Johnson.

Requirements

Two courses from list A and two courses from list B; or two courses from list A, one course from list B, and one unit from list C.
List A: BI/GE 112; CH/ES 108B; ENVR 213, 240; ES/PL 214; GEO 103;
List B: BIO 211, BIO 323; GEO 210, 230, 240; ECON 325;
List C: BIO s32; EC/ES s33; ENVR s36; ES/GE s37; GEO s31, s39.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Why Academics Matter (C062)

Academic work matters in the world in a variety of ways: we study things; we create safe spaces to explore and deliberate; we shape policy, contribute to civic life, enhance economic development, and advance technological innovation. We cultivate humanity (to borrow a phrase from Martha Nussbaum) and nourish imagination. This concentration helps students a) explore the myriad ways academic work serves as public work and b) engage in public life as scholars. A. Bartel.

Requirements

Four courses/units, one of which should be a recommended core course (either FYS 347 or AC/ED 238), and one of which must be at the 300 level. When appropriate, students may substitute one of the following for one of the other courses/units: an independent study, a senior thesis (in consultation with the Concentration Coordinator), or a co-curricular component (with the approval of the Harward Center).

Courses
Co-curricular Activities

Community-based Experience.

A sustained community-based experience may substitute for one course/unit, if approved by the Harward Center. Such experiences may include a job, internship, off-campus study, or community-based research project. Supervised by Harward Center.

Return to the list of concentrations.

Women and Gender in Asia (C050)

Focusing on gender issues, this concentration affords students a context for studying women, men, and their interactions in an Asian context. S. Kemper.

Requirements

Any four courses/units.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Women and Writing (C060)

This concentration focuses on women's writing across cultures and in different time periods. The concentration includes both historical and theoretical perspectives on women's writing. J. Costlow.

Requirements

Four courses/units, one of which must be at the 300 level, and at least two of which must be from the following list: ENG 121H, 238; EN/WS 297, 395L; FRE 352, 365A; INDS 236, 325; JA/WS 255; RU/WS 240; SPAN 344.

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.

Writing Spain (C018)

This concentration offers students a framework for exploring in depth the plurality and diversity of the literary production of Spanish-speaking writers from the Iberian Peninsula from the Middle Ages to the present. Courses examine writing in Spain as a mode of aesthetic expression, as a means of affirmation and contestation of individual and national identities, and as a force for revolution and reaction. D. George.

Requirements

SPAN 216 plus three additional courses/units, or SPAN 216 plus two courses/units and a co-curricular component, one of which must be a course on pre-1900 literature (SPAN 240, 241, 268, 341).

Courses
Return to the list of concentrations.