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Underlying the philosophy of the liberal arts education is the belief that a
student should explore the range of human knowledge while also mastering one
concentrated field of study. Proceeding from this assumption, most students
should get an early start on satisfying the general education requirements,
while simultaneously choosing broadly from the various academic disciplines
during the first two years. This process often facilitates the discovery of a
satisfying and appropriate major.
First-year students are not asked to elect their courses prior to
matriculation, but serious consideration should be given to the courses listed
in The First-Year book so that you will be better prepared to make selections
at the start of the academic year. While early choices of direction are rarely
irrevocable, courses you elect in the first term will have consequences for
your program of study in subsequent terms. Thus, it is worthwhile to plan your
first term with care.
First-Year Writing Requirement
The College believes that the ability to express one's thoughts in clear,
concise prose is invaluable to a student, both during and after college. The
first-year writing courses--Writing 2-3, Writing 5, Humanities 1 and Humanities
2, and the First-Year Seminar--seek to develop this ability. The courses are
taught in small sections of no more than 15-20 students. Writing 2-3 provides
students with guidance through the reading, writing, and research processes;
Writing 5 serves also to introduce the student to English literature; and the
First-Year Seminars offer the experience of independent research and small
group discussions on a particular topic of interest to the student. Before a
student can take other courses in English, (s)he must have completed or been
made exempt from Writing 2-3 or Writing 5. The First-Year Seminar
requirement must be completed in the term immediately following the completion
of Writing 5. A student is not eligible to take part in an Off-Campus Program
until the First-Year Seminar requirement is fulfilled.
Students taking Writing 5 will complete the course during the fall or winter
term (not every first-year student can be accommodated in the fall). Students
taking Writing 2-3 will enroll in this two-term course in the fall and winter.
Invitations to take Writing 2-3 are extended to students based on a proficiency
examination administered and evaluated by the English department. Students
whose scores indicate that they might benefit from a two-term writing course
are strongly encouraged, though not required, to take Writing 2-3. Some
students will receive exemption from Writing 5 based on College Board verbal
SAT I scores.
Those students who receive an exemption from Writing 5 upon entrance will be
required to enroll in a fall term First-Year Seminar. Those first-year students
enrolled in Writing 5 in the fall term will take their First-Year Seminar in
the winter term. Students selected for the Writing 2/3 sequence will take a
First-Year Seminar during spring term, along with those taking Writing 5 in the
winter term.
Humanities 1 and 2, "The Classical Tradition," a special two-term course for
first-year students at Dartmouth, may be elected as a First-Year Seminar. The
course is offered in Fall and Winter terms only, and both terms must be taken
to qualify as a First-Year Seminar.
Language Study
The foreign language requirement is based on the conviction that mastery of
another language unlocks a new world of people, ideas and achievement. Students
must complete the language requirement before the end of the seventh term,
unless they have been exempted from the requirement on the basis of College
Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) scores or qualifying examination taken during
Orientation. Where no department or program exists to determine a student's
fluency in a language, the Office of the Dean of First-Year Students shall make
the necessary arrangements to determine fluency.
Students should decide soon (unless exempt from the language requirement)
whether they plan to satisfy this requirement on-campus with language courses
numbered 1, 2, and 3, or by participating in the Language Study Abroad (LSA)
program.
Electives
Most courses taken by first-year students are electives chosen according to
interests. There are some guidelines to keep in mind, however. First, while
electives should be used to explore areas of possible interest, you should
attempt to balance your courses in any given term. For example, it would be
unwise to elect three laboratory sciences, three intensive writing courses, or
three large lecture courses in any one term. Second, students contemplating
majors in some of the sciences should include certain recommended courses in
their programs. For example, first-year students thinking of a major in
biology, chemistry, earth sciences, engineering sciences, mathematics, or
physics are encouraged to elect Mathematics 3 in the fall. If students are
interested in the sciences or completing pre-med requirements, Chemistry 5 may
be an appropriate fall term course if credit has already been granted for Math
3.
Choosing Your Courses
In thinking about a course, you might consider three questions:
- What do I like?
- What am I good at?
- How is this useful?
The emphasis you place on one question or another will depend upon a variety
of circumstances. Balancing the "practical" with the "enjoyable" is part of
learning how to take control of your education. Your first years at Dartmouth
should be a time in which to discover those areas of intellectual inquiry that
bring you pleasure, while remaining focused on the need to complete your degree
and prepare for citizenship in the world.
You will also want to balance the kinds of courses you are taking. Think
about types of work, reading and writing loads, and the kind of learning
environment that you will encounter in each classroom. Most students like to
balance lecture and seminar formats. Above all, think for yourself when
choosing your courses.
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