Liberal Education
at Chicago

The College of the University of Chicago has set the standard for liberal education throughout its history; many of the courses and programs described in this catalog are special to Chicago. The educators whose ideas and visions shaped the College-figures such as William Rainey Harper and John Dewey, Robert Maynard Hutchins and Edward Levi-possessed a genius for posing fresh questions and for educational innovation. Throughout its history, the College has undertaken a "new plan" every ten or fifteen years. At the same time, the College has always displayed a self-conscious traditionalism. With clarity of purpose, the faculty has held on to ideas that seemed fruitful. From the Common Core to interdisciplinary concentrations, and from orientation to the advising system, what were once our new ideas in collegiate education are now our traditions.

In 1930 the University, under Robert Maynard Hutchins, moved to overcome the fragmentation of modern academic life by grouping its forty or so departments into four main Divisions-Biological Sciences, Humanities, Physical Sciences, and Social Sciences-each responsible for granting degrees. This divisional structure represents a quest for understanding that resists the confinement of inquiry to any particular department. At that time the College was defined as a fifth Division and charged "to do the work of the University in general higher education." The role of the College was to complement the specialization of graduate faculties by discovering ways to connect the entire universe of knowledge. The outcome was a series of broadly conceived general education courses that came to constitute Chicago's distinctive Common Core.

In 1965 the faculty created five Collegiate Divisions, responsible for concentration programs (majors) as well as Common Core offerings. The new structure ensured that the tension inherent in contemporary academic life-between the demand for specialization and the need to provide common learning for members of a democratic society-would be resolved in a way consonant with the College's established mission. The faculty at Chicago is committed to achieving the finest scholarship that specialization can produce while bringing the disciplines into a broader exchange that benefits new generations of learners. The College is the place where all the disciplines of the University come together in a common dialogue, a dialogue which takes place, to a very great extent, in the form of discussions in small classes.

While Chicago faculty design and teach the curriculum, they do so with the expectation that students will play an active role at every stage of the educational process. A superior education can be obtained by all students who attend the College of the University of Chicago-but it's up to the individual student to secure it. The Chicago curriculum is designed to give students access to the entire world of knowledge and to lead them to an appreciation of the possibilities of human achievement. A Chicago education develops individual powers of judgment and expression and equips students to ask fresh questions and to pursue them on their own. The challenge of a Chicago education is not only to acquire tools and knowledge but also to raise questions about the ends for which they should be used. This is what Chicago means by "liberal education": it is an education for free persons.

The Baccalaureate Program

The faculty of the College has created a program of liberal education that emphasizes cultural breadth, intellectual depth, and independence of mind; such an education will enable our students to lead productive lives in a rapidly changing world.

Breadth is assured by the Common Core, which engages students with the natural languages of ordinary communication, the mathematical sciences, the fine arts, the observational and analytical methods of the natural and social sciences, physical education, philosophical issues, and historic civilizations.

Depth is provided by programs of concentration that immerse students in one of the methods of inquiry and direct them to apply it to pertinent subject matters and problems.

Independence is promoted by free electives drawn from hundreds of course offerings as well as by asking students to exercise choice in constructing their general education and concentration programs. Students also have ample opportunities to engage in independent study, research, and other individualized projects.

The Five Collegiate Divisions

The masters and the faculties of the Collegiate Divisions are responsible for planning and staffing both the general education courses and the concentration programs in their respective areas. Here is a brief description of what each Division offers.

The Biological Sciences Collegiate Division. Biology is the study of living things. The faculty of the College believes that a sound knowledge of biology is essential for understanding the natural world we live in and for intelligent involvement in solving the most pressing problems of modern life. Therefore, the Biological Sciences Collegiate Division provides a variety of yearlong sequences designed to introduce all students to the language of biological inquiry and acquaint them with the four core features of all living things: continuity (genetics), organization, regulation, and evolution. Although most of the courses beyond the introductory year are meant to serve students concentrating in biology, many will appeal to the nonbiologist who wishes to study some aspect of modern biology in greater detail; some have been explicitly designed for this purpose. The Division offers a broadly conceived concentration program that permits a variety of special emphases from ecology and organismic development to molecular biology.

The Humanities Collegiate Division. The disciplines of the humanities examine the principal forms of human expression: natural language, literature, music, visual art, history, and philosophy. Their goal is to open students' lives to significant human problems and pleasures while sharpening their perceptions and their capacities for analytical thinking.

Humanities Common Core courses give students access to characteristic genres of literary, historical, and philosophic texts and of musical, visual, and dramatic forms. They are specifically designed to enhance careful reading, analysis, writing, and argumentation. The Division also offers introductory and advanced training in more than thirty languages. Its twenty concentration programs are organized around particular disciplines, cultural traditions, or interdisciplinary exploration.

The New Collegiate Division. The role of the New Collegiate Division is to provide a place for diverse collegiate experiments unconstrained by those boundaries that separate the several departments and divisions of knowledge. The Division's principal concern is to locate and define coherent areas of study that cut across the familiar academic lines and which can form the basis for a rigorous educational program aimed above all to make the mind inventive and the sensibility exact.

The Division assumes that there are many ways to form such coherences. Each of its programs is specialized in that each is designed to equip students to approach a certain range of problems with advanced competence. Nonetheless, each is developed with a breadth and vision that make the program a liberal education in itself.

The Physical Sciences Collegiate Division. The work of the Physical Sciences Collegiate Division encompasses two major areas of intellectual endeavor; the disciplines concerned with observational and experimental studies of the inanimate environment, from the submicroscopic to the cosmic; and those concerned with the languages of quantitative reasoning: computer science, mathematics, and statistics.

The Division provides five sequences that introduce students to the empirical physical sciences as well as yearlong sequences in chemistry or physics required of students who choose to concentrate in one of the natural sciences. It also provides a wide range of basic courses in the mathematical sciences. It offers six concentration programs leading to the B.A. degree and five leading to the B.S. degree. One degree program, biological chemistry, is offered jointly by the Physical Sciences and Biological Sciences Collegiate divisions.

The Social Sciences Collegiate Division. The social sciences examine human phenomena at a number of levels: from that of the thinking and feeling individual, through those of economic, political, and cultural systems, to the level of large-scale societies and their relations.

The Division offers to all students in the College six yearlong sequences that introduce modes of discourse and analysis that deal with human phenomena. Students explore writings that exhibit central concepts, theories, and modes of inquiry that form the foundation for work in the social sciences. The Division also sponsors general education sequences on the major civilizations of the world. Its concentration programs include seven in traditional disciplines and seven in interdisciplinary fields of study.

The Curriculum

The curriculum has three broad components: general education (the Common Core), a concentration program, and free electives. All students are encouraged to round out their programs by completing a senior project.

General Education: The Common Core (21 quarter courses)

Humanities (4 quarters)

A. Interpretation of Historical, Literary, and Philosophical Texts (3-quarter sequence). All the following sequences are designed to enhance the capacity to interpret various genres of humanistic texts and to strengthen skills in expository writing:

Humanities 110-111-112. Readings in World Literature

Humanities 115-116-117. Philosophical Perspectives on the Humanities

Humanities 120-121-122. Greek Thought and Literature

Humanities 123-124-125. Human Being and Citizen

Humanities 140-141-142. Reading Cultures: Collecting, Traveling, and Capitalist Cultures

Humanities 150-151-152. Perspectives on Language in the Humanities

B. Musical, Visual, and Dramatic Arts (1 quarter). The following courses provide an introduction to methods for analyzing, comprehending, and appreciating works of musical, visual, or dramatic art by examining their formal vocabularies and how these vocabularies are used to create meaning. These objectives are met either by the intensive study of selected masterpieces or by producing original works of music, drama, or art. NOTE: No substitutes may be made for the courses that follow unless students have received a score of 4 or 5 on the AP art history examination. These students may satisfy this requirement with an upper-level art history course.

Art History 101. Introduction to Art

Art History 150-151-152. Art of the West

Art History 161. Art of the East: China and Japan

Art History 170-189. Art in Context

General Studies in Humanities 101. Drama: Embodiment and
Transformation

Music 101. Introduction to Western Music

Music 102. Introduction to World Music

Music 103. Introduction to Music: Materials and Design

Music 121-122. History of Music for Nonmajors

Visual Arts 101. Visual Language I

Visual Arts 102. Visual Language II

Foreign Languages (3 or 4 quarters)

Students are required to gain experience of sufficient depth in a second language to enable appreciation of structural complexity and diverse possibilities of communication in natural languages. That experience may take the form of written and oral communication in a modern spoken language, an ancient language, or communication in a modern manual language. Students meet the foreign language requirement by demonstrating competency equivalent to four quarters of French, German, Latin, or Spanish; or three quarters of

Akkadian Italian

American Sign Language Japanese

Arabic Korean

Assyrian Norwegian

Babylonian Persian

Bengali Polish

Chinese (literary or modern) Portuguese

Czech Russian

Dutch Sanskrit

Ancient Egyptian Swahili

Greek (classical) Swedish

Hebrew (modern, Biblical, Tamil

or post-Biblical) Turkish

Hindi Urdu

Hittite

Mathematical Sciences (2 quarters)

Only courses beyond the level of precalculus may be used to fulfill the mathematical sciences requirement. In other words, students must first take Mathematics 100-101-102 or 105-106, or place into Mathematics 131, 151, 161, or 110, before taking any of the courses listed below. NOTE: All precalculus courses together will be counted as only one elective credit.

The courses listed below are designed to develop the powers of formal reasoning through use of precise artificial languages as found in mathematics, computer science, statistics, or formal logic. These courses present broadly applicable techniques for formulating, analyzing, and solving problems, and for evaluating proposed solutions.

Students who anticipate concentration programs in the physical or biological sciences, economics, or public policy studies must satisfy this requirement with the first two quarters of a calculus sequence. Other restrictions may apply, so students should consult with a College adviser or departmental counselor about course choices.

Computer Science 101-102. Introduction to the World Wide Web
(HTML, CGI's, and Java)

Computer Science 105-106. Fundamentals of Computer Programming
I, II

Computer Science 110-111. Multimedia Web Programming as an Interdisciplinary Art I, II

Computer Science 115-116. Introduction to Computer Programming I, II

Mathematical Sciences 121-122. Mathematical Sciences

Mathematics 110-111. Studies in Mathematics I, II

Mathematics 131-132. Elementary Functions and Calculus I, II

Mathematics 151-152. Calculus I, II

Mathematics 161-162. Honors Calculus I, II

Statistics 200. Elementary Statistics

NOTE: Mathematics 131, 151, and 161 may be used to satisfy the Mathematical Sciences requirement only if Mathematics 132, 152, or 162 are also taken. Students who choose courses other than calculus may combine any two of the courses above to meet the requirement, subject to prerequisites.

Natural Sciences (6 quarters)

Course sequences in this area are designed to explore significant features of the natural universe and to examine the exciting process of scientific inquiry. These courses consider the powers and limitations of diverse forms of scientific observation, scientific reasoning, and natural laws. All sequences include laboratory experience.

Students may fulfill the natural sciences requirement by taking a three-quarter sequence in the physical sciences and a three-quarter sequence in
the biological sciences or by taking an integrated six-quarter (two-year)
sequence in the natural sciences.

Students who concentrate in the physical or biological sciences (with the exception of statistics) must fulfill the physical sciences requirement with physics or chemistry. All students, except those taking precalculus, should normally have finished their physical sciences requirement by the end of their second year. Students are urged to complete their natural sciences requirement by the end of their third year.

A. Physical Sciences and Biological Sciences

1. Physical Sciences (3-quarter sequence)

a. Physical and biological sciences concentrators must complete one of the following sequences to fulfill their general education requirement.

Chemistry 111-112-113. General Chemistry I, II, III

Chemistry 121-122-123. General Chemistry I, II, III (Honors)

Physics 121-122-123. General Physics I, II, III (Variant A)

Physics 131-132-133. General Physics I, II, III (Variant B)

Physics 141-142-143. General Physics I, II, III (Honors Variant)

b. These course sequences are designed for students who do not plan to concentrate in the physical or biological sciences.

Physical Sciences 108-109-110/134. Science and the Earth (available only to first- and second-year students)

Physical Sciences 111-112-113. Foundations of Modern Physics I, II, III (offered winter, spring, autumn)

Physical Sciences 118-119-120/122. Introduction to Astrophysics I, II, III

2. Biological Sciences (3-quarter sequence)

All sequences in the biological sciences provide a strong foundation in biological concepts, through attention to the fundamental core concepts of biological continuity, organization, regulation, and evolution. See the biological sciences section of this catalog for more information on the approved sequences. The approved natural sciences sequences are listed below.

B. Natural Sciences (6-quarter sequence)

These sequences are designed for first- and second-year students planning to concentrate in the humanities and social sciences.

Natural Sciences 101-102-103-104-105-106. Evolution of the Natural World

Natural Sciences 151-152-153-154-155-156. Form and Function in the Natural World

Social Sciences (3-quarter sequence)

The following sequences are designed to cultivate an understanding of fundamental concepts, theories, and philosophies in the social sciences and to demonstrate how the social sciences formulate basic questions and inquire about the nature of social life through acts of imagination as well as through systematic analysis.

Social Sciences 101-102-103. Wealth, Power, and Virtue

Social Sciences 111-112-113. Power, Identity, and Resistance

Social Sciences 121-122-123. Self, Culture, and Society

Social Sciences 131-132-133. Democracy and Social Science

Social Sciences 141-142-143. Mind

Social Sciences 151-152-153. Classics of Social and Political Thought

Civilizational Studies (3-quarter sequence)

Each of these course sequences provides an in-depth examination of the development and accomplishments of one of the world's great civilizations through direct encounters with some of its most significant documents and monuments. Students normally undertake one of these sequences after completing one of the required social sciences Common Core sequences. Not all of the sequences that follow are offered every year; consult departmental course listings.

Classical Civilization 208-209-210. The Ancient Mediterranean World I, II, III

Early Christian Literature 201-202-203. Religion in Western

Civilization

History 131-132-133. History of Western Civilization

History 135-136-137. America in Western Civilization

History 173-174-175. Science, Culture, and Society in Western

Civilization

Humanities 200-201-202. Judaic Civilization

Near Eastern History 201-202-203. History of the Ancient Near East

Near Eastern History 211-212-213. Near Eastern Civilization

Social Sciences 220-221-222. Introduction to Islamic Civilization

Social Sciences 225-226-227. Introduction to African Civilization

Social Sciences 230-231-232. Introduction to the Civilization of

South Asia

Social Sciences 235-236-237. Introduction to the Civilizations of

East Asia

Social Sciences 240-241-242. Introduction to Russian Civilization

Social Sciences 261-262-263. Introduction to Latin American

Civilization

Physical Education (3 quarters)

The physical education program is designed to cultivate physical fitness, basic athletic skills, and an appreciation of the value of recreational physical activity. Courses available to fulfill this requirement include

Archery Modern Dance (elementary,

Badminton intermediate)

Ballet Movement Improvisation

Community First Aid and Safety Personal Fitness (conditioning,

(American Red Cross-ARC) free weights,

CPR for the Professional Rescuer jogging, step aerobics,

(ARC) walking, water aerobics,

Emergency Response (ARC) weight training)

First Aid-Responding to Racquetball

Emergencies (ARC) Social Dance (elementary,

Golf intermediate)

Jazz Dance Swimming (novice, elementary)

Lifeguard Training (ARC) Tennis (elementary,

intermediate, advanced)

Students normally take three quarters of physical education in their first year. A physical fitness classification test and swimming test will be given during Orientation. Depending on their physical fitness classification test scores, students may place out of one, two, or three quarters of physical education. Students who do not pass the swimming test must take one quarter of swimming. Although physical education is required for graduation, it is not included among the forty-two academic courses counted toward a degree.

Concentration Programs

(9 to 13 quarter courses)

Concentration programs provide an opportunity to focus on a particular area of inquiry. As a rule, these programs comprise from nine to thirteen courses. Programs that specify thirteen courses require completion of eight electives; programs that specify twelve courses require nine electives; and so on, so that the combination of concentration and electives equals twenty-one courses. More than half of these courses must be taken in residence on the University of Chicago campus. A concentration program may consist of more than thirteen courses if it entails work in two or more disciplines or subject matters. Students may be asked to fulfill such additional requirements by taking specified courses either as part of the general education program or as electives.

The following concentration programs are available.

In the Biological Sciences Collegiate Division:

Biological Chemistry

Biological Sciences

In the Humanities Collegiate Division:

Art History Medieval Studies

Cinema and Media Studies Music

Classical Studies Near Eastern Languages and

Early Christian Literature Civilizations

East Asian Languages and Philosophy

Civilizations Religion and the Humanities

English Language and Romance Languages and

Literature Literatures

Gender Studies Russian and Other Slavic

General Studies in the Humanities Languages and Literatures

Germanic Studies South Asian Languages and

Jewish Studies Civilizations

Linguistics Visual Arts

In the New Collegiate Division:

Environmental Studies

Fundamentals: Issues and Texts

Law, Letters, and Society

Tutorial Studies

In the Physical Sciences Collegiate Division:

Biological Chemistry Mathematics with

Chemistry Specialization in

Computer Science Computer Science

Geophysical Sciences Mathematics with

Mathematics Specialization in

Applied Mathematics Economics

Mathematics Physics

Statistics

In the Social Sciences Collegiate Division:

African and African-American Latin American Studies

Studies Law, Letters, and Society

Anthropology Political Science

Economics Psychology

Geography Public Policy Studies

History Russian Civilization

History, Philosophy, and Social Sociology

Studies of Science and Medicine South Asian Studies

Electives

(12 to 8 quarter courses)

Elective courses may be taken in any subject matter or discipline, including those falling within the student's concentration program. A minimum of eight elective courses are generally required. When four courses of foreign language are required, the first course is counted as an elective. When Mathematics 100-101-102 or Mathematics 105-106 are required, all precalculus courses together will be counted as only one elective. Up to six credits earned by examination may be used as electives. (See the Course Credit and Credit by Examination section elsewhere in this catalog.)

Degree Program Worksheet

Other requirements (e.g., bachelor's paper, exam)

__________________________________
1 Credit may be granted by examination.
2 Common Core science requirement may be met with six-quarter natural sciences sequence or one three-quarter biological sciences sequence and one three-quarter physical science sequence.
3 The first four courses (one used as an elective) are required if the language is French, German, Latin, or Spanish.
4 All precalculus courses together can be used only as one elective.
5 Credit for no more than six electives may be gained by examination.

Course Credit
and Credit by Examination

A Summary of Credit

In order to earn a degree from the College of the University of Chicago, a student must obtain credit for at least forty-two quarter courses, distributed among general education requirements, concentration requirements, and electives, as described in the previous section. All students receive credit toward their degrees by taking courses in the College. In addition, students may receive credit in the following ways: by placement test; by Advanced Placement (AP) examination; by accreditation examination; and by advanced standing, which is credit transferred from another institution. The limits and conditions placed on credit earned in these various ways are explained in the sections below. A student must complete a minimum of eighteen quarter courses in the College and be in residence for at least six quarters to graduate with a degree from the University of Chicago. At least half of the concentration courses must be taken at the University.

Placement Tests

Placement tests serve to adapt the needs and backgrounds of individual students to the College curriculum. They place entering students at the proper level of study in a given subject and may be used to award academic credit where appropriate. On the one hand, placement tests minimize the repetition of subjects already mastered and, on the other, they reduce the possibility that students might begin their programs with courses for which they are inadequately prepared. Placement tests measure skill in problem solving as well as general knowledge in a subject field. Students who have some background in the areas being tested are urged to review it, but incoming students without such knowledge are not expected to acquire it over the summer preceding entrance.

The College administers placement tests to entering students only during Orientation in late September. Placement tests may not be taken at a later date. Over the summer, information that describes these tests in detail is sent to all incoming first-year and transfer students.

Optional Placement Tests in Foreign Languages. Students who have studied any of the foreign languages below should take placement tests in those languages, even if they do not plan to continue the study of any of them. Students are free to begin another language in the College rather than continue in the language(s) taken for placement. Placement tests are offered in the following languages: Chinese, French, German, Classical Greek, Modern Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Swedish.

Required Placement Test in Mathematics. On the basis of their performance on the required mathematics placement test, students begin their mathematics education in the College with one of the precalculus courses, with one of the two nonhonors variants of 100-level calculus, or with one of the approved noncalculus courses. Students who do not place into calculus must take the appropriate precalculus mathematics courses (through Mathematics 102 or 106) before taking any other courses offered by the Physical Sciences Collegiate Division. Precalculus is also prerequisite to the natural sciences sequences. The mathematics placement test covers all facets of precalculus mathematics: arithmetic, algebra, trigonometry, and analytic geometry.

Optional Placement Test in Calculus. Entering students may take the optional calculus placement test and, on the basis of their performance, begin mathematics at a level higher than that indicated by their scores on the required placement test in mathematics or by their scores on the AP calculus examinations. Students with any knowledge whatever of calculus are urged to take this test, even though it is not required. NOTE: Students who wish to register for Mathematics 161-162-163 (Honors Calculus) or for Physics 141-142-143 (Honors Physics) must take this test.

Placement Test in Physical Sciences. Students who plan to concentrate in the biological sciences or the physical sciences must fulfill their Common Core requirement in the physical sciences by passing a three-quarter sequence of 100-level courses in either chemistry or physics. Both the physical sciences and mathematics placement tests are required of students who seek to enroll in those 100-level chemistry or physics courses in order to determine placement in the different sequences. Students who wish to register for Physics 141-142-143 must also take the calculus placement test.

The physical sciences placement test is optional for students whose probable field of concentration is in the Humanities, Social Sciences, or New Collegiate divisions. For such students, a high score on this test confers credit for a three-quarter sequence of physical sciences courses in the Common Core. For students who plan to concentrate in the biological sciences or the physical sciences, a high score on this test confers credit for three quarters of electives.

Optional Placement Test in the Biological Sciences. The optional placement test in the biological sciences measures understanding of basic concepts of evolution, heredity, and regulation of processes at the macromolecular, cellular, organismic, and population levels. On the basis of their performance, students may place out of the Common Core requirement in the Biological Sciences. Students who concentrate in the biological sciences may use this credit to satisfy their Common Core biological sciences requirement; however, they must complete one of the Biological Sciences 160s, 170s, 180s, or 190s sequences as part of their concentration requirements.

Advanced Placement Credit

Students who request college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) courses taken in high school (that is, before a student matriculates in the College) are asked to submit an official report of their scores on the AP tests given by the College Entrance Examination Board. In most cases, credit is granted for a score of 4 or 5. The decision to grant credit is reported at the end of the first quarter in residence and units of credit awarded appear on the student's official academic record.

The credits earned may reduce the number of courses required for graduation and may be applied in various ways in the forty-two-course program. AP credit may meet certain of the Common Core requirements in general education. For example, AP credit in chemistry or physics will excuse a student from some or all of the Common Core physical sciences requirement, AP credit in biology will excuse a student from Common Core biology, and AP credit in foreign language will excuse a student from some or all of the foreign language requirement. Other AP credits may be considered elective credits provided that no more than six AP and/or College placement credits are used in this way.

While AP scores alone are sometimes used to establish placement or to confer credit, satisfactory performance on the College's own placement tests may supplement AP scores and lead to additional credit.

For further information on AP credit and how it relates to the Chicago degree program, a student should consult his or her College adviser or the appropriate faculty counselor.

AP in Biology. A score of 4 or 5 on the AP biology exam gives credit for the Common Core biological sciences requirement. Students who concentrate in the biological sciences may use this credit to satisfy their Common Core biological sciences requirement; however, students with a score of 4 on the exam must complete one of the Biological Sciences 160s, 170s, 180s, or 190s sequences as part of their concentration. Students with a score of 5 who concentrate in the biological sciences may place out of the Common Core requirement and into the two-course 140s sequence, which completes the fundamental sequence requirement of the concentration.

AP in Chemistry. A score of 5 on the AP chemistry test gives credit for Chemistry 111-112-113. A score of 4 on the AP chemistry test gives credit for the physical sciences Common Core requirement for students whose field of concentration is in the Humanities, Social Sciences, or New Collegiate divisions.

AP in French. A score of 4 on the French language AP exam confers credit for French 101-102-103, and a score of 5 on the exam confers credit for French 101-102-103-201, if no further course work in French is taken. A score of 4 or 5 on the French literature AP exam also gives credit for French 101-102-103-201 if no further course work in French is taken.

AP in German. Credit for German 101-102-103 is earned by a score of 4 on the German language exam; a score of 5 on this test gives credit for German 101-102-103-201.

AP in Latin. A score of 4 on the Latin AP exam earns credit for Latin 101-102-103. Credit for Latin 101-102-103-204 is given for a score of 5 on the Latin AP exam.

AP in Mathematics. Students who submit a score of 5 on the AB AP exam in mathematics or a score of 4 on the BC AP exam in mathematics will receive credit for Mathematics 151. Students who submit a score of 5 on the BC AP exam in mathematics will receive credit for Mathematics 151 and 152. Students who wish to receive credit for Mathematics 153 or to register for Mathematics 161-162-163 or Physics 141-142-143 are required to take the optional calculus placement exam during Orientation.

AP in Physics. A score of 4 or 5 on the AP Physics C (Mechanics) test confers credit for Physics 121, and a score of 4 or 5 on the AP Physics C (Electricity and Magnetism) test confers credit for Physics 122, while a score of 4 or 5 on both parts of the AP Physics C test gives credit for the entire sequence, Physics 121-122-123. Additional laboratory work may be required. A score of 3 on both parts of the Physics C exam or a score of 4 or 5 on the Physics B exam confer credit for the physical sciences Common Core requirement for students whose area of concentration is in the Humanities, Social Sciences, or New Collegiate divisions. NOTE: Students planning to concentrate in physics must forgo their AP credit and register for Physics 131-132-133 or Physics 141-142-143.

AP in Spanish. A score of 4 or 5 on the Spanish AP language or literature exam confers credit for Spanish 101-102-103-201 if no further course work in Spanish is taken. Students who have received scores of 4 or 5 on these AP language tests should note that a strong performance on the College's own placement test may confer additional credit.

AP in Other Areas. A score of 4 or 5 on other AP examinations in yearlong courses, such as U.S. History, European History, Art History, English Language, English Literature, Government and Politics, Computer Science, and Micro- and Macroeconomics, confers credit for three elective courses for each examination, thereby reducing the number of required electives. However, no more than a total of six credits may be earned by any combination of AP, accreditation, and placement credit. NOTE: No credit is given for the Computer Science A or psychology exam. Only scores of 4 or 5 on both government exams (comparative and U.S.) or both economics exams (microeconomics and macroeconomics) give elective credit.

The International Baccalaureate Programme

Credit earned for courses in International Baccalaureate (IB) programs may be applied to certain Common Core requirements or to elective requirements. Grades of 6 or 7 on Higher-level IB exams will give credit analogous to the AP credit described above. Satisfactory performance on the College's placement tests may supplement IB scores and lead to additional credit. Students should note that special circumstances, as described under AP credit, apply to mathematics, chemistry, and physics. It is the student's responsibility to have IB exam scores sent to the Office of the Dean of Students in the College.

British A-levels and Other Examinations

Credit is not automatically granted for examinations and course work taken in countries abroad. Students are strongly urged to take the College's placement examinations to validate their preparation. The College Curriculum Committee will, however, consider petitions for credit earned by A-level and other international examinations.

Accreditation Examinations

Credit is available by accreditation examinations to those students who have already studied certain subjects at the college level. Examinations are set by the appropriate faculty at the beginning of each quarter in which equivalent Chicago courses are offered. In the case of a course where both experimental and theoretical skills are involved, students may be required to fulfill the laboratory portion along with the rest of the class.

College credit achieved by accreditation examination is entered as units of credit on the student's official academic record. Letter grades are not assigned. An accreditation examination may be taken only once.

Chemistry. Students who are exceptionally well prepared in chemistry may earn credit for one or more quarters of chemistry on the basis of AP scores or accreditation examinations. More information is available under the heading Advanced Placement and Accreditation in the chemistry section.

Physics. Accreditation examinations are given for the content of Physics 121, 122, and 123 and Physics 141, 142, and 143. Students who pass the first examination (for Physics 121 or 141) will receive credit for the lecture part of the course only and are then eligible to try the next examination in the series. Entering students who have taken AP physics in high school but who do not receive AP credit from the College (and who do not plan to concentrate in physics) may take the Physics 121 accreditation exam. Students who receive AP credit for Physics 121-122-123 but whose planned concentration requires Physics 131-132-133 or Physics 141-142-143 are eligible to take the Physics 141 exam. Entering transfer students who choose a concentration requiring physics but who are not granted transfer credit for a completed calculus-based introductory physics course sequence may also be required to take one of these accreditation exams. NOTE: Accreditation exams in physics confer credit only for the lecture portion of the courses; additional laboratory work may be required. See further discussion under "Advanced Placement" in the physics section of the catalog.

Foreign Languages. (See also the preceding section on foreign language placement tests.) Accreditation examinations are available in foreign languages regularly taught at the University.

Students wishing to take such an accreditation examination must submit a petition to the Office of the Humanities Collegiate Division (G-B 129), which will then make arrangements for scheduling the examination and reporting the results. Please note that the examination in Biblical Hebrew is distinct from those in post-Biblical and modern Hebrew. Although students who perform well on these exams will receive appropriate course credit, they may not add these course credits together to satisfy a language requirement in Hebrew.

See the Foreign Languages in the Curriculum section for a list of languages for which accreditation examinations are regularly available. Students who are native speakers of one these languages must demonstrate adult literacy in the accreditation examination.

Credit for Courses Taken
at Other Institutions

Courses Taken Elsewhere While in a Degree Program at the University of Chicago. Students who wish to take courses at other institutions after they enter the College should discuss their plans with their advisers. Before registering for course work elsewhere, students must submit to the Office of the Dean of Students course descriptions and a petition requesting tentative approval for transfer credit to be applied toward their graduation requirements. Upon completion of the course work, students should have an official transcript sent to the Office of the Dean of Students. Credit for language courses must be validated by accreditation examinations. Depending on the student's concentration and on the level of work to be evaluated, credit for some courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics may also be subject to examination. Only courses similar to those taught in the College may transfer; professional or technical courses do not transfer. Transfer credit is listed on the student's transcript only as units of credit.

NOTE: More than half the courses required by a student's concentration program must be taken in residence on the University of Chicago campus.

Courses Taken While in a Degree Program Elsewhere. Students transferring from other institutions must complete a minimum of eighteen courses in the College and must be in residence for at least six quarters. Generally, the College grants transfer credit for liberal arts courses carrying at least three semester hours or four quarter hours of credit and passed with a grade of C or better (in some cases, B or better) from an accredited institution.

Transfer credit is listed on the student's University of Chicago transcript only as units of credit. Courses and grades are not listed, nor do transferred courses contribute to the student's University of Chicago grade point average. Credit for courses in precalculus and calculus mathematics and in foreign language must be validated by College placement examinations. Depending on the student's concentration and on the level of work to be evaluated, credit for some courses in chemistry, physics, and biology may also be subject to examination.

Professional or technical courses, such as journalism, business, law, musical performance, speech, and nursing do not transfer; only courses similar to those taught in the College may transfer. The College grants credit for CEEB Advanced Placement examinations with scores of 4 or 5, but not for CLEP, USAFI, or correspondence course work.

Most transfer students can complete their studies with no more than one extra quarter beyond the usual four college years, although this may depend on how course work elsewhere relates to the structure of a Chicago degree program. College housing and financial aid are available to all transfer students. After matriculation in the College, transfer students may not earn additional credits from schools other than the University of Chicago, except for foreign study programs sponsored by the University of Chicago. However, these foreign study courses cannot count toward the minimum of eighteen courses that are required to be taken in the College.

NOTE: More than half the courses required by a student's concentration program must be taken in residence on the University of Chicago campus.

Academic Advising

The College. Every student is assigned to an academic adviser on the staff of the dean of students in the College. The professional staff offers support to students as they address the whole range of decisions they will make throughout the college years. Working with an adviser, each student discovers how to pursue his or her own interests in relation to the curricular requirements of the College.

The College adviser's foremost responsibility is to help students map out an appropriate program of study leading to a degree in the selected area of concentration. Advisers are familiar with College academic procedures, such as the interpretation of AP and placement test results and the details of course registration, and they understand University rules and regulations. Students with questions about the Collegiate Divisions, the concentration programs, and the various special options and degree programs described in this catalog should not hesitate to consult their College advisers.

Because advisers know the College and campus life well, they can also help students with other kinds of questions, either directly or by referral to appropriate sources of advice. For example, if students need additional help in biology, chemistry, mathematics, or writing, their advisers can refer them to tutors. Advisers are also a good first source of help with problems, personal and otherwise, that arise from time to time.

In addition, advisers help students learn about and select among the many educational programs and opportunities available in the University community. Some advisers have special responsibility for a particular area of expertise such as foreign study, fellowships and scholarships, and careers in the health professions, law, or business. Advisers will help students learn about application procedures for fellowships, schools, and jobs, and can assist students in planning for graduate work and careers

Dean of Students in the College Office Extension

Katie Nash HM 281 2-8629

Associate Deans of Students

Lewis Fortner HM 286 2-8613

Ann Harvilla HM 265 2-0866

Manfred D. E. Ruddat HM 254 2-8623

Jean Treese HM 235 2-8614

College Advisers

Keith Anderson HM 263 2-9483

Susan Art, Asst. Dean of Students HM 268 2-8609

Tim Blackman HM 252 2-9134

Grace Chan HM 237 2-8621

Cynthia Fearn HM 272 2-3818

Kathleen Forde HM 266 2-0569

Nancy Gilpin HM 233 2-8612

Ronald Gorny HM 264 2-8624

Audrey Grzywinski HM 269 2-8610

Shawn Hawk HM 270 2-8619

David Owen BSLC 220 2-8611

Francisco Santamarina HM 271 4-0906

Eileen Talluto BSLC 220 2-8611

The Collegiate Divisions. The master of each Collegiate Division administers curricular and faculty matters for the Division and oversees the offerings of the Common Core. The senior adviser of each Collegiate Division, with the aid of appropriate faculty committees, provides direction for College advisers and students when questions arise in planning student programs, interpreting requirements, and evaluating work done elsewhere.

Biological Sciences

Master José Quintans BSLC 104A 2-7964

Administrative Assistant Linda Kritch BSLC 104C 2-7962

Senior Adviser Manfred D. E. Ruddat HM 254 2-8623

Humanities

Master To be announced

Administrative Assistant Rose Watson HM 228 2-8032

Senior Adviser Herman Sinaiko G-B 505 2-7987

New Collegiate Division

Master and Senior Adviser Dennis Hutchinson C 330 2-3093

Secretary Delores A. Jackson C 330 2-7148

Physical Sciences

Master and Senior Adviser Sidney R. Nagel HM 222 2-8320

Administrative Assistant Sheila Naughten HM 224 2-8321

Social Sciences

Master Stephen Walt HM 250 2-7925

Administrative Assistant Toni Ewing HM 248 2-7925

Senior Adviser Constantin Fasolt HM 280 2-8615

The Concentrations. Questions specific to the areas of concentration or special programs are usually directed to the faculty counselors (variously known as directors of undergraduate studies, departmental counselors, or concentration chairmen) attached to the various programs. Once students have decided on a field of concentration, they should consult the appropriate counselor as soon as possible regarding their plans and the satisfaction of concentration requirements. Up-to-date information on how to reach faculty counselors is available at the Advisers' Appointment Desk (HM 280).

Program Area Counselor Office Extension

African and African- Ralph Austen P 214 2-8344

American Studies

Anthropology Ralph Nicholas Int 753-2272

Art History Thomas Cummins CWAC 262 2-0262

Biological Chemistry Viresh Rawal SCL 333 2-2194

Herbert Friedmann CLSC 457 2-6902

Biological Sciences Manfred D. E. Ruddat HM 254 2-8623

Chemistry Viresh Rawal SCL 333 2-2194

Cinema and Media Studies Miriam Hansen G-B 330 2-8028

Classical Studies To be announced Cl 25B 2-8517

Comparative Literatures Françoise Meltzer HME 688E 2-8474

Computer Science Donald E. Crabb Ry 161B 2-7173

Early Christian Jonathan Z. Smith HM W403 2-6022

Literature

East Asian Languages Xiaobing Tang Wb 301J 2-5802

and Civilizations

Economics D. Gale Johnson SS 421 2-8251

Robert Lucas SS 410 2-8179

Grace Tsiang SS 508 2-3410

English Joshua Scodel G-B 308 2-8024

Environmental Studies Theodore L. Steck CLSC 721 2-1329

Fundamentals: Issues Leon R. Kass HM E482 2-8571

and Texts

Gender Studies Leora Auslander J 422 2-9936

General Studies in the Herman L. Sinaiko G-B 505 2-7987

Humanities

Geography Marvin Mikesell P 323 2-8313

Geophysical Sciences Alfred T. Anderson HGS 311A 2-8138

Germanic Studies Peter Jansen Wb 215 2-8547

History To be announced SS 225 2-2178

History, Philosophy, Robert J. Richards SS 205 2-8391

and Social Studies

of Science and

Medicine

Jewish Studies Michael Fishbane S 205 2-8234

Latin American Studies Thomas Cummins Ky 308 2-8420

Law, Letters, and Society Dennis J. Hutchinson LBQ 411 2-9575

Linguistics Jerrold Sadok Cl 308 2-8526

Mathematics Diane L. Herrmann E 212 2-7332

Medieval Studies Christina von Nolcken G-B 331 2-7977

Music Robert Kendrick Go H 201 2-8668

Near Eastern Languages Martha Roth Or 316 2-9511

and Civilizations

Philosophy Daniel Brudney G-B 504 2-7546

Physics Stuart Gazes KPTC 205C 2-7760

Joseph J. O'Gallagher KPTC 201C 2-7007

Political Science To be announced P 401 2-3040

Psychology Starkey Duncan Br 204 2-8862

Public Policy Studies Richard Taub G-B 223 2-7927

Religion and the Jonathan Z. Smith HM 403 2-6022

Humanities

Romance Languages Rebecca West Wb 205D 2-8481

and Literatures

Russian and Other Tamara Trojanowska F 407 2-4015

Slavic Languages

and Literatures

Russian Civilization Richard Hellie SS 204A 2-8377

Sociology Ross D. Stolzenberg 1155 E. 60th 256-6331

Linnea K. Martin SS 309 702-8677

South Asian Languages Clinton Seely F 213 2-8645

and Civilizations

South Asian Studies Lloyd Rudolph P 422A 2-8056

Statistics Per A. Mykland E 128 2-8044

Tutorial Studies Dennis J. Hutchinson C 328 2-3093

Visual Arts Thomas Mapp M 753-4821

Academic Regulations
and Procedures

For a general overview, students are urged to read Regulations and Policies published in the quarterly Time Schedules. Because students are held responsible for this information, they are encouraged to discuss any questions they have with their College advisers or designated faculty members. The following sections describe some of the College's regulations and procedures.

Requirements for the Degree. The College awards the B.A. or the B.S. degree to qualified students who are recommended by the faculty. In order to qualify for the degree, students must complete the following:

1. The Common Core requirements.

2. The requirements of a concentration program.

3. The minimum number of electives.

4. Course credit for a minimum of forty-two quarter courses. This number may be reached in part by examination or advanced standing where appropriate. A minimum of eighteen courses must be taken for credit in the College.

5. An overall grade point average of 1.75 and an average of 2.0 in the concentration.

6. A minimum of six quarters in residence at the University of Chicago.

7. Three quarter courses in physical education, unless placement credit or exemption is granted.

8. Completion of a degree application prior to the quarter in which the degree is to be received.

9. Payment of all outstanding bills and return of all equipment and library books.

Course Load. Students register for three or four courses per quarter. Over the typical four-year program (twelve quarters), a student normally registers for at least six four-course quarters and as many as six three-course quarters. The decision about registration for three courses or for four courses is made in consultation with the student's College adviser. Although students may progress at varying rates toward the degree, no student may register for more than fifteen quarters without the permission of the dean of students in the College.

A student is considered full time whether registered for three or four courses; the tuition is the same in either case. Students must formally petition the College dean of students for permission to take a fifth course. The petition will be considered in the fifth week of the quarter, at which time, if it is approved, the student will be registered and billed for the fifth course.

A student who is not registered for at least three courses is considered a part-time student. Such students have their financial aid reevaluated and must request permission to remain in University of Chicago housing.

Repetition of Courses. When a student repeats a course, both courses appear on the student's transcript and both grades are averaged into the student's GPA. However, only one of the repeated courses counts toward the total number of credits required for graduation. A student who receives financial aid may repeat a course only if he or she is also registered for three nonrepeated courses.

Preregistration. After consultation with their College advisers at the end of spring quarter, students in residence preregister for the following academic year. The preregistration of a student in residence, however, does not become official until he or she has confirmed registration before autumn quarter classes begin. First-year students register one quarter at a time beginning with autumn quarter in a meeting with their advisers during Orientation.

Changes in Registration. Course registration may be changed by a student's College adviser during the first five weeks of each quarter. A change of registration is any course "drop," any course "add," or any substitution of one course for another. No changes in registration are permitted after Friday of fifth week. (Section changes are subject to the same deadlines, but do not require an adviser's signature. See the Time Schedules for how and where to make section changes.)

Restrictions. The privilege of registration (as well as use of University services and facilities) will be denied students who have been placed on restriction. Restriction may result from a student's failure to fulfill financial obligations to the University or to comply with University rules and regulations. Whenever possible, students are warned of an impending restriction and are notified when one has been imposed. Students must clear the restriction with the administrative or academic office which imposed it before they can be registered. Students who have not cleared the restriction by the end of the fifth week following the quarter in which the restriction was imposed will have their registration canceled. Students who are not registered may lose their financial aid for that quarter.

Leaves of Absence. Leaves of absence are frequently granted to students in the College. Students planning a leave should consult with their College adviser and also arrange for an interview with one of the College deans of students. In the case of leave granted for medical reasons, the dean of students may require information from a physician or therapist as a condition of the student's return to the College.

Withdrawal from the College. Students who decide not to return to the College must formally withdraw their registration. To do so, students should contact the Office of the Dean of Students in the College. At the time of withdrawal, students are advised of the conditions under which they may resume their studies in the College.

Grades. The following marks are used for undergraduate courses (the number weight assigned to each grade for computation of grade point averages (GPA) is listed in parentheses when applicable): A (4.0), A- (3.7), B+ (3.3), B (3.0), B- (2.7), C+ (2.3), C (2.0), C- (1.7), D+ (1.3), D (1.0), F (0.0), I, N, P, R, and Q. The marks A, B, C, D, and P are passing marks and confer course credit. The mark F indicates unsatisfactory work and does not confer credit.

The familiar grades A through F are known as quality grades and carry a specific weight in calculating official grade point averages. These averages are regularly calculated only to determine Dean's List, academic probation, and general honors. They may influence awards like Phi Beta Kappa and departmental honors. Official transcripts do not include grade point averages.

There are two grading options open to students who wish to record a passing grade rather than a quality grade: Pass/No Credit (P/N) and Pass/Fail (P/F). Students considering P/N or P/F grading should consult with their College adviser early in the quarter because both these options are subject to conditions and restrictions. Whether a course with a grade of P can be counted toward a student's degree depends on how it is to be used in the student's program. All general education courses must be taken for quality grades and most courses satisfying concentration requirements must be taken for quality grades. However, some concentrations permit a limited number of P's.

For P/N grading, students must register with their College advisers during the first two weeks of the quarter. For P/F grading, the student and instructor reach an informal agreement, at the discretion of the instructor and according to departmental policy, before the instructor submits a grade for the course; no action is required by the student's College adviser.

The mark P indicates that the student has submitted sufficient evidence to receive a passing grade. As some departments give credit only for a grade of C- or better, students should establish with the instructor what constitutes passing work. A mark of P may not later be changed to a quality grade, and a quality grade may not be changed to a P. Although the P confers course credit, it is not calculated in the GPA. Students who do less than passing work (as defined by instructor and department) in a P/N course receive a mark of N. The N confers no credit and is not included in the calculation of the GPA. Students who do not pass a P/F course receive an F which counts as a zero in the calculation of the GPA.

The mark R means "registered." Students must register for the grade R during the first two weeks of the quarter. An R, requiring this special registration and conferring no credit, is seldom used by College students. No stigma is attached to the mark R, however. An R may not be changed later to any other grade. An R does not count as a completed course for determining eligibility for financial aid, nor does it contribute to a student's completion rate in determining academic progress.

The mark I (Incomplete) indicates that a student has not completed the requirements of the course before the end of the quarter (defined as the date of the final examination or the due date of the final paper or the end of the tenth week of the quarter) but has made satisfactory arrangements with the instructor, on an official Incomplete Form, to complete the remaining work. A request for an Incomplete must be submitted to the instructor before the end of the course. The Incomplete Form must be obtained from the student's College adviser, but approval to complete work late is at the discretion of the instructor and/or according to departmental policy. Incompletes must be finished within a period of time agreed upon between student and instructor. In the absence of a specified due date, the work must be completed within one year. When the work is completed, the grade for the course is entered on the transcript beside the I, which remains on the academic record. If the course work has not been completed within the specified time period and an extension has not been granted, the student will automatically receive a W.

The mark Q stands for "Query." It is entered on the student's grade report by the registrar when the instructor has failed to submit a final grade for a student or has entered an I for the student without also submitting an Incomplete Form. Students with a Q on their grade reports should consult the instructor immediately about the reason for the Q. Students must have the Q replaced with a grade or with an official Incomplete before Friday of the fourth week of the quarter, or the Q will be converted to a W. A W may not subsequently be changed to any other grade.

Grades submitted by instructors to replace Q's will be entered on the academic record beside an I unless the instructor states that the student's work was completed on time. The Q should not be interpreted as an informal Incomplete or as a way to avoid an I on the transcript. Rather, students are strongly urged to protect themselves against misunderstandings and missed deadlines by arranging for an official Incomplete if one proves necessary.

The mark W (or WF or WP) means that the student has decided after the fifth week of the quarter not to complete the work of the course. Students who wish to exercise this option must request a W before the end of the quarter (as defined above). The instructor and/or the department have the option to issue a W, a WF, or a WP. No credit is conferred for any of these marks. A W may not subsequently be changed to any other mark.

Students who register for graduate-level courses are subject to the policies governing graduate grading. Students should discuss the implications of these policies with their advisers before registering for courses numbered 300 and above.

Academic Standing

Dean's List. Full-time students whose grade point averages are 3.25 or above for an academic year (in which they have completed a minimum of nine courses with at least seven quality grades) are placed on the Dean's List for that year and their official transcripts marked accordingly. Please note that for the purposes of the Dean's List the point equivalency of an outstanding I or Q is zero. A determination is made each year on the basis of grades available in the registrar's office on July l. The GPA is not recomputed for grades received to replace Q's or I's, or for summer quarter grades. Students participating in off-campus study programs are not eligible for the Dean's List.

General Honors. Students are awarded general honors at the time of graduation if their overall GPA is 3.25 or above. Grades from foreign study programs are not calculated into a student's GPA. (See concentration descriptions for requirements for special honors in the field of concentration.)

Probation. Students must complete 75 percent of the courses for which they register with a minimum GPA of 1.75 in each quarter of registration. Failure to meet this requirement results in an academic warning for the following quarter. An academic warning is an informal sanction without a notation on the transcript. Students on academic warning are expected to complete 75 percent of the courses in the next quarter of registration with a minimum GPA of 1.75. At the end of that quarter, students either will be returned to good standing, or they will be placed on academic probation and an official sanction will be noted on the transcript. At the end of the following quarter, students are either taken off probation or asked to leave the College for a period of time, usually at least one year. NOTE: Students on financial aid who fail to meet completion rate and GPA requirements and/or fail to complete nine courses each year may jeopardize their financial aid packages.

For the purpose of determining eligibility to participate in varsity sports, all students eligible to register are considered to be in good standing.

Awarding of Twelfth Grade Certificate. Students who entered the College before graduation from high school and who expect to qualify for a Twelfth Grade Certificate in the spring quarter should file an application with the registrar before the first week of spring quarter. In order to be eligible for the certificate, they must have completed during their first academic year a minimum of nine courses with an overall grade point average of 1.75 or better and the physical education requirement. Certificates are mailed following the end of spring quarter. No certificate is awarded without an application.

Petitions. Any student who wishes to appeal for special consideration under a College regulation or an interpretation thereof may file a petition with the dean of students in the College.

Academic Honesty. All students in the College are included in the following statement, issued by the dean of the College, regarding academic plagiarism and cheating:

As students and faculty of the University of Chicago we all belong to an academic community with high scholarly standards of which we are justly proud. Our community also holds certain fundamental ethical principles to which we are equally deeply committed. We believe it is contrary to justice, to academic integrity, and to the spirit of intellectual inquiry to submit the statements or ideas or work of others as one's own. To do so is plagiarism or cheating, offenses punishable under the University's disciplinary system. Because these offenses undercut the distinctive moral and intellectual character of the University, we take them very seriously, and punishments for committing them may range up to permanent expulsion from the University of Chicago. The College therefore expects that you will properly acknowledge your use of another's ideas, whether that use is by direct quotation or by paraphrase, however loose. In particular, if you consult any written source and either directly or indirectly use what you find in that source in your own work, you must identify the author, title, and page number. If you have any doubts about what constitutes "use," consult your instructor or simply cite the source.

Special Opportunities

Within the context of our primary commitment to provide students with a superior liberal arts education, the College offers many opportunities to tailor a program to specialized academic and career goals. These opportunities range from independent course work to joint degree programs to programs of study or work away from campus.

Independent Study: Course Work for Credit

Reading/Research Courses. Reading/research courses may be arranged by students who wish to pursue (1) some more specialized area of study after having been introduced to it in an elementary or intermediate course or (2) some specific subject not normally offered as a regular course. Because they assume some prior exposure to the field, reading courses are not open to first-year students and only rarely to students in their second year. Normally students may not register for more than one reading course per quarter.

Senior Projects. Many concentration programs require a senior project. Students in programs without such a requirement are encouraged to fashion an intellectually challenging project that culminates their baccalaureate program. This may take the form of a special exploration in a laboratory or in the field, a library research project, a reading tutorial, a writing project, an artistic production or performance, a documented internship, or an integrative course designed specifically for seniors.

Research Opportunities

As a major research institution, the University of Chicago offers numerous opportunities for its students to engage in research. In addition to the special programs listed below, students should consult the various departmental listings in this catalog for reading and research courses. Students may also participate in research as a component of term-time employment.

College Research Opportunities Program (CROP). The CROP Directory lists faculty research projects that welcome student participation. Projects may offer credit, or salary, or a letter of reference at project completion. Opportunities are available in a wide range of departments and schools throughout the University, including the Medical Center. Some projects continue throughout the year; others are only for the summer. The CROP Directory is available only to members of the University of Chicago community online at http://www-college.uchicago.edu/crop/crop.html.

International Traveling Research Fellowship. The International Traveling Research Fellowship supports summer research outside the United States on a project leading to a B.A. thesis. Use of a language other than English, preferably one studied at the College, is a prerequisite for this award. Details are available in the Office of the College Dean, HM 241.

Margaret C. Annan Undergraduate Award in Writing. The Annan prize provides a summer stipend to support a student engaged in a writing project during the summer between the third and fourth years. Details are available in the Office of the College Dean, HM 241.

Research or Temporary Employment at Argonne National Laboratory. Research or temporary employment opportunities are available at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), which is managed by the University of Chicago and is located twenty-five miles southwest of Chicago. Opportunities exist that span the areas of biological, physical, or social sciences; as well as humanities. They include a residential Student Research Participation Program, which is available for the summer as well as the academic year; the Argonne West Summer Intern Program in Idaho; and research aid appointments. Undergraduate thesis research may also be carried out at ANL under the supervision of a faculty cosponsor. Summer research programs may also be available at other national laboratories. Information on these programs is available from Fred Stafford, Director of Special Projects (702-9120); and Harold Myron, Director of the Division of Educational Programs at ANL (630-252-4114, or <harold_myron@qmgate.anl.gov>). Concentrators in the environmental studies program should consult with Dr. Theodore L. Steck (702 1329).

Richter Fund. The Richter Fund supports undergraduate research expenses up to $1,000 (excluding living expenses) and offers grants of up to $800 for students who wish to pursue an internship with a not-for-profit organization. Details are available in the Office of the College Dean, HM 241.

Summer Research Fellowship in the Biological Sciences. This fellowship provides support for ten weeks of research under the supervision of a faculty member in the summer before a student's third or fourth year. Details are available in the Office of the Biological Sciences Collegiate Division, BSLC 104 C.

Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP). Designed to provide summer research opportunities for minority students, the various programs grouped under this designation offer significant research experience with a faculty member in the student's area of interest. Details are available from Yvette Adeosun in the Office of Graduate Affairs (Adm 230, 702-7774), and from your College adviser.

Off-Campus Study Opportunities

Foreign Study Programs. The College sponsors study programs in Germany (Berlin and Weimar), France (Paris and Tours), Italy (Bologna, Pisa, and Rome), Spain (Barcelona, Seville, and Toledo), and Japan (Kyoto). In Great Britain and Ireland, Chicago students study for the academic year at one of eight institutions with which the College has an enrollment agreement: Bristol, Cambridge (Trinity College), Edinburgh, Kings College (London), London School of Economics, Sussex, University College (London), and Trinity College Dublin (University of Dublin). In addition to these opportunities, the College's membership in the Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM) gives Chicago students access to programs in Italy, Russia, the Czech Republic, India, Hong Kong, Japan, Costa Rica, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. The director of off-campus study, Lewis Fortner (HM 286, 702-8613), advises students interested in any of these programs or in the possibility of foreign study in general.

Most programs of study abroad assume or emphasize mastery of a foreign language; course work may range from fine arts and the study of non-Western civilization to biology and tropical forest ecology. Students with special interests that cannot be satisfied by any of the University of Chicago-sponsored programs may, in consultation with their College adviser and program chair, arrange to study abroad under the auspices of other colleges or universities. The student's College adviser can suggest sources of information about study abroad and also discuss the implications of foreign study for the student's degree program in Chicago.

Students participating in a foreign study program are not eligible for the Dean's List. Also please note that more than half of the courses required by a student's concentration program must be taken in residence on the University of Chicago campus.

Domestic Study Programs. The Associated Colleges of the Midwest also sponsors six domestic study programs for college students. These programs rely not only on classroom instruction, but also involve each participant in fieldwork or an internship. Urban Studies in Chicago combines course work and research practicums with daily internships in social service organizations; Chicago Semester in the Arts offers an opportunity to explore the arts scene in Chicago, from theater and dance to film; Humanities at the Newberry provides an occasion to use the world-renowned collection of the Newberry Library while working on an independent research project; Oak Ridge Science Semester places qualified students in the natural and social sciences as members of research teams at Oak Ridge, a leader in energy research; Urban Education develops teaching skills through classroom and full-time teaching experience; and the Wilderness program, offered each summer in Minnesota, promotes study in field biology and ecology. Interested students should consult Lewis Fortner (HM 286, 702-8613).

Students participating in off-campus domestic study programs are not eligible for the Dean's List. Also please note that more than half of the courses required by a student's concentration program must be taken in residence on the University of Chicago campus.

Leaves of Absence

Sometimes a student best pursues educational goals by spending time away from school. The College recognizes the positive benefits of clarifying personal and academic aims, assessing financial and academic pressures, or taking advantage of an exciting opportunity that may not present itself again. A leave of absence may increase self-confidence, renew a student's enthusiasm for academic work, confirm a career interest, or develop new skills. Career and Placement Services offers job referrals for such students along with advice about planning an effective leave of absence.

Fellowships and Scholarships

The Office of Career and Placement Services maintains files and directories of grants, fellowships, and scholarships. These resources are available to help students secure financial support for research and for scholarly or creative work. Faculty committees and College advisers also work to bring appropriate opportunities and competitions to the attention of undergraduate students.

Preparation for Professional Study

Business. The College provides no specific course of preprofessional studies to prepare students for graduate study in business administration. It is advisable for students interested in such study to equip themselves with verbal and quantitative skills and to gain some knowledge of history and the contemporary social sciences. Writing and speaking skills can be developed in a broad range of course offerings; computational skills in courses in calculus, linear algebra, and statistics; and knowledge of the social sciences through courses in such fields as economics, political science, and sociology.

Each year a number of business schools send representatives to the campus to speak with potential admissions candidates. These visits are announced in the monthly list of recruiters prepared by the Office of Career and Placement Services. The office also maintains an information file on MBA programs, which students are welcome to consult. An additional resource is the MBA Forum held annually in Chicago.

Most graduate business schools require the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), which is administered several times a year on campus. Students planning to apply to business schools within one or two years of graduation should take this test in the summer preceding their final year in the College or in the autumn quarter of that year at the latest. Application materials for the GMAT are available in the Office of Career and Placement Services and in the Office of the Dean of Students of the Graduate School of Business. Increasingly, business schools also expect that college graduates will acquire significant work experience before beginning graduate studies in business.

Further information about preprofessional studies and career opportunities in business is available from the Office of the Dean of Students in the Graduate School of Business.

Law. The College does not offer a prelaw concentration, nor is there a single correct way to prepare for the study of law. More important than a specific area of concentration is the acquisition of certain skills necessary for the intelligent practice of law: the ability to communicate effectively in oral and written expression, a critical understanding of human institutions and values, and the ability to reason closely from given premises and propositions to tenable conclusions. Such skills can be developed in various concentrations and by taking courses in areas such as English language and literature, philosophy, American history, calculus, and economics.

Students interested in a career in law should consult with the prelaw adviser in the College, Tim Blackman (HM 252, 702-9134).

Health Professions. A broad liberal arts education provides an exceptional preparation for a career in the health professions and the Common Core is an excellent beginning to such an education. Beyond the Core, students are encouraged to concentrate in any discipline in which they have a strong interest, while making sure that they fulfill the common entry requirements for professional school. These include:

Calculus

3 quarters of physics with a laboratory

3 quarters of general chemistry with a laboratory

3 quarters of organic chemistry with a laboratory (one quarter may be biochemistry with a laboratory)

3 quarters of biology with a laboratory

The College offers alternative course sequences that fulfill each of these requirements. Some medical and veterinary schools have additional requirements and two additional upper level courses in the biological sciences are strongly recommended as part of a student's preparation.

Students preparing for a career in the health professions are also firmly encouraged to participate in research and to explore their interests in human service through community and/or hospital volunteer work. The University community offers exceptional opportunities for both types of experiences.

Students who believe they may be interested in a career in one of the health professions should consult first with their College adviser and then later in the year with the health professions adviser for their entering class. Eileen Talluto is the adviser for students entering the College in even years and David Owen is the adviser for those entering in odd years. Dr. Eric Lombard, from the Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, is the faculty director for health professions advising. Together, they provide seminars and workshops, as well as group and individual counseling, to assist each student in preparing for professional education and, at the appropriate time, in the application process itself. The health professions office is in room 220 in the Biological Sciences Learning Center, and appointments may be made in person or by telephoning Mrs. Douglas, the health professions secretary, at 702-8611.