Navigating the Williams College Course Catalog: A Comprehensive Guide

Williams College, a distinguished private liberal arts college nestled in Williamstown, Massachusetts, offers a rich and diverse academic experience. This article serves as a comprehensive guide to understanding the Williams College course catalog, designed to assist prospective and current students in making informed decisions about their academic journey.

The Williams College Academic Landscape

Williams College operates on a liberal arts curriculum, providing undergraduate instruction across 25 academic departments and interdisciplinary programs. Students can choose from 36 majors spanning the humanities, arts, social sciences, and natural sciences. While primarily focused on undergraduate education, Williams also offers two graduate programs in development economics and art history.

Majors and Concentrations: Tailoring Your Academic Path

At Williams, students work towards a Bachelor of Arts degree, typically majoring in a core area of study such as Chinese or political science. Instead of traditional academic minors, Williams offers concentrations. These are groupings of courses around specific themes, drawing from multiple departments and disciplines. Cognitive science, which incorporates elements of psychology, computer science, philosophy, and mathematics, exemplifies this interdisciplinary approach.

Distribution Requirements: A Broad Foundation

While Williams College does not mandate specific courses, it requires all students to complete at least three courses in each of the following areas: arts and humanities, social sciences, and science and mathematics. Additionally, students must take at least two writing-intensive courses and one course focused on mathematical and abstract reasoning.

Independent Study: Exploring Individual Interests

Williams College provides opportunities for students to undertake courses of independent study under faculty supervision, allowing for in-depth exploration of specific academic interests.

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Utilizing the Course Catalog

The Williams College course catalog is an essential tool for navigating the academic offerings. It provides detailed information on courses, departments, and programs. "Choosing First Year Courses" is specifically designed to aid incoming students in selecting their fall semester courses, and should be used in conjunction with the online catalog.

Navigating the Online Catalog

The online catalog is organized to facilitate easy access to information.

Subject Areas: The main menu links allow users to navigate to specific subject areas.
Course Information: Each course listing includes key details:
- Primary Sections: Courses are typically categorized as lecture (LEC), seminar (SEM), studio (STU), tutorial (TUT), or independent study (IND). Note that independent studies are generally not available to first-year students.
- Additional Sections: Some courses may also have required conference (CON) and/or lab (LAB) sections. Students should sign up for their preferred conference or lab section if multiple options exist.
- Enrollment Information: Enrollment Limit and Expected Enrollment figures provide an estimate of class size. While it's advisable to preregister for courses with enrollment limits, students should also consider alternative options in case they are not admitted to their first choice.
- Enrollment Preference: This indicates which students will be given priority if a course is overenrolled. It can also provide insight into the course's level; for example, a course prioritizing juniors and seniors may be too advanced for first-year students without a strong background in the subject.
- Divisional Attributes: This specifies how the course will fulfill distribution requirements.
- Prerequisites: Prerequisites should be carefully considered to ensure students have the necessary background knowledge for the course. Equivalents from AP, IB, or A-Level exams may be accepted.
- Cross-Listed Courses: Many courses are cross-listed under multiple departments. Students should consider their academic goals when registering for a cross-listed course, particularly if they are considering a specific major or concentration.
Class Hour Directory: This directory offers a different view of course offerings, allowing for quick browsing of available courses and their times.

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Registration: Once students have made their selections, they can enter their course choices for the fall semester in PeopleSoft.

English Department Course Offerings: A Glimpse

The English Department at Williams College offers a diverse range of courses, from introductory seminars to advanced workshops. Here's a glimpse into some of the courses available:

Introductory Courses (100-Level)

A 100-level course is generally required for admission to upper-level English courses, unless a student has placed out of introductory courses through Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) scores. Students with qualifying scores are encouraged to explore Gateway courses or other 200 and 300-level offerings.

ENGL 105 (F, S) SEM American Girlhoods: Explores the captivating image of the girl in North American literature and popular culture.
ENGL 107 SEM Temptation: Examines the allure of forbidden desires.
ENGL 109 SEM Narrating Change: Investigates how we narrate and understand radical change.
ENGL 116 SEM The Remix: Adaptation and Revelation: Explores the concepts of remaking and adaptation.
ENGL 119 SEM Missed Encounters: Examines the complexities of intercultural exchange.
ENGL 121 SEM The Literature of Crime: Explores the intersection of law and literature.
ENGL 122 (F, S) SEM Tiny Novels: Focuses on the art of brevity and economy in storytelling.
ENGL 125 (F, S) SEM Literature and Origin: Explores themes of origin, identity, and history.
ENGL 131 TUT All About Sonnets: A deep dive into the structure and art of the sonnet.
ENGL 133 SEM Shakespeare's Uncertain Ends: Examines the complexities of Shakespearean tragedies.
ENGL 140 SEM Introduction to Creative Writing: The Short Story: Introduces students to the craft of fiction writing.
ENGL 146 SEM Campus Life: The University and the Novel: Explores the portrayal of college life in novels.
ENGL 150 (F, S) SEM Expository Writing: Focuses on developing clear and effective writing skills.
ENGL 152 SEM Family Matters: Family in Recent American Fiction: Explores the theme of family in contemporary American fiction.
ENGL 153 SEM Androids, Cyborgs, Selves: Analyzes the representation of humanoid and partly human bodies in literature and film.
ENGL 154 SEM Imagination and Authority: Examines the question of who gets to write about what in fiction.
ENGL 156 SEM New American Fiction: Focuses on developing analytical writing skills through the study of contemporary American fiction.
ENGL 162 SEM Robots, Puppets, and Dolls: Explores the concept of artificial life in literature and film.

Intermediate Courses (200-Level)

ENGL 202 (S) SEM Modern Drama: An introduction to major plays and key movements in European and American theatre since the late nineteenth century.
ENGL 203 SEM The Uses of Shakespeare: Explores the rich and diverse performance history of Shakespeare's plays.
ENGL 205 SEM The Art of Poetry: The History and Theory of Lyric: Examines the history and theory of lyric poetry.
ENGL 207 (F, S) SEM Comedy: Explores the function and significance of comedy.
ENGL 208 SEM Designer Genes: Explores cultural texts that engage with contemporary genetics.
ENGL 210 SEM American Modernism: Focuses on American fiction from the 1920s.
ENGL 211 SEM Renaissance Remix: Explores the connections between the Renaissance and the present.
ENGL 212 (F) SEM Metafiction: Examines literary works that reflect on their status as texts.
ENGL 213 (S) SEM Making Radio: Teaches the skills necessary to create broadcast-worthy audio nonfiction.
ENGL 214 SEM Writing for Stage and Screen: A workshop for students interested in dramatic writing.
ENGL 216 LEC Introduction to the Novel: Explores the history and development of the novel.
ENGL 217 SEM Experimental Asian American Writing: Explores the diversity of Asian American literature.
ENGL 224 TUT American Drama: Hidden Knowledge: Explores themes of truth and deception in American drama.
ENGL 233 SEM Great Big Books: Explores long and influential novels.
ENGL 234 TUT The Video Essay: Develops critical thinking about film and video.
ENGL 235 TUT Theatre Masters: Become One of Them: Explores the work of notable theatre artists.
ENGL 236 SEM Fields of Barley, Streets of Gold: Utopia in Fiction: Explores the concept of utopia in literature.
ENGL 237 SEM Making Things Visible: Adventures in Documentary Work: Explores the art of documentary photography.
ENGL 245 Buddhism and American Literature: Explores the influence of Buddhism on American literature.
ENGL 246 SEM The Craft of Writing: An introduction to writing short fiction.
ENGL 247 Art of the Essay: Explores the essay as a literary form.
ENGL 248 SEM Black Women in African American Literature and Culture: Surveys constructions of black womanhood in African American literature and culture.
ENGL 250 (F, S) SEM Americans Abroad: Explores American experiences abroad in literature.
ENGL 257 (S) SEM The Personal Essay: Explores the personal essay as a literary form.
ENGL 258 (S) SEM Poetry and the City: Considers poems generated out of the experiences of urban life.
ENGL 259 SEM Ethics of Jewish American Fiction: Explores ethical themes in Jewish American fiction.
ENGL 263 SEM Novel Worlds: Explores the immersive experience of reading novels.
ENGL 264 SEM Utopia and the Idea of America(s): Explores the value of utopian/dystopian texts.
ENGL 266 TUT Postmodernism: Examines the characteristics of postmodernism in art and literature.
ENGL 272 SEM American Postmodern Fiction: Explores the shift from modernism to postmodernism in American fiction.
ENGL 280 SEM Writing for Performance: A studio/seminar course in playwriting.
ENGL 285 SEM Introductory Workshop in Prose: An introduction to writing creative prose.
ENGL 288 SEM Introductory Poetry Workshop: Writing as Experiment: Encourages experimentation in poetry writing.
ENGL 290 (F) TUT Technologies of Friendship: Explores the role of technology in contemporary friendships.
ENGL 293 SEM "Make it New": The Modernist Experiment: Explores the modernist movement.

Advanced Courses (300-Level)

ENGL 301 (S) SEM Reading the Ice Age: Explores the impact of the Ice Age on civilization.
ENGL 303 SEM The New Television: Analyzes the evolution of television and its storytelling techniques.
ENGL 305 SEM The American Modernist Novel: Focuses on American modernist fiction from 1910 to 1940.
ENGL 308 SEM Race and the Zombie Apocalypse: Examines the connection between zombies, race, and blackness in the Americas.
ENGL 309 TUT Ibsen, Chekhov and the emergence of Modern drama: Focuses on the plays of Henrik Ibsen and Anton Chekhov.
ENGL 310 LEC Rebels, Revelers, and Reactionaries: The Poets of the Seventeenth Century: Explores the poetry of the 17th century.
ENGL 313 SEM George Eliot and Henry James: Explores the works of George Eliot and Henry James.
ENGL 318 SEM Literary Taste and After Taste: Explores how literary works are received and assessed over time.
ENGL 319 SEM The Literary Afterlife: Explores the concept of writers living on through their books.
ENGL 324 SEM Romanticism, Belatedly: Explores Romanticism through the lens of early twentieth-century South Asia.
ENGL 326 (F) SEM African Literature: Explores the diverse literary traditions of Africa.
ENGL 327 (S) SEM Autofiction: Examines the genre of autofiction.
ENGL 328 SEM Austen and Eliot: Explores the influence of Austen and Eliot on the novel.
ENGL 331 (S) SEM Fanaticism: Explores the concept of fanaticism in literature and political philosophy.
ENGL 332 SEM Aesthetic Outrage: Explores the outraged reception of provocative works of art.
ENGL 336 SEM Escape, Escapism, Escapology, and the Contemporary American Novel: Explores themes of escape in contemporary American novels.
ENGL 348 (F) SEM Comics and Ecology: Considers comics and graphic novels as a medium for cultivating environmental awareness.
ENGL 350 SEM Modern Poetry: A study of British and American poetry.

On the Log: Emphasizing In-Person Learning

Williams College is launching a community-wide, year-long initiative called "On the Log" to emphasize the importance of in-person learning. This initiative includes a new designation in the course catalog to highlight classes focusing on face-to-face interaction, immediate experiences, ephemeral moments, and local connections. The initiative aims to involve alumni and address the distancing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of generative AI in higher education.

Williams College: A Historical Overview

Founded in 1793, Williams College has a rich history. It began as a free school in 1791 and was later chartered as a college. The college has a long-standing commitment to academic excellence and has played a significant role in shaping American higher education.

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Early History and Transformation

Initially, Williams College maintained a policy of racial segregation, denying admission to black applicants. However, the college evolved over time, becoming co-educational in 1970.

Campus Development and Sustainability

In recent decades, Williams College has invested in significant campus development projects, including the Unified Science Center, the '62 Center for Theatre and Dance, and the Stetson-Sawyer project. The college is also committed to sustainability, aiming to reduce its carbon emissions.

Leadership and Governance

The college is governed by a board of trustees and led by a president. The current president, Maud Mandel, began her tenure in July 2018.

Campus and Resources

Williams College is situated on a 450-acre campus in Williamstown, Massachusetts. The campus features a mix of historic and modern buildings, including the Hopkins Observatory, the oldest extant astronomical observatory in the United States, and the Williams College Museum of Art (WCMA). The Chapin Library houses a collection of rare books and documents, including original printings of the founding documents of the United States.

Student Life and Governance

The Williams Student Union (WSU) represents the student body, and Facilitators for Allocating Student Taxes (FAST) manage student activity funds.

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