Course Selection for Rising Seniors

Communication with College Office

• Please communicate early and clearly with your college counselor. At this point is especially important for your advisor to be in regular discussion with your parents about course selection as well. 

Pay Close Attention to Diploma Requirements

• Be mindful of diploma requirements. After the lower mid year, it is especially helpful to make and periodically revise your plan of study (Google Doc template).

• Students who entered as preps generally have completed graduation requirements in Humanities & Social Sciences, Science, and Visual & Performing Arts. Depending on your entry level, you may have also fulfilled the Classical & Modern Languages requirement.

• Students who entered as lower mids must take an additional year in Humanities & Social Sciences. That course need not be another course in U.S. history.

Guide by Discipline

English

• Honors English: EN481Y Honors Literary Research and EN490Y Honors Senior English both have a competitive application process, with decisions announced before the course selection deadline. You are well served by having realistic expectations about your chances for selection. Please consult with Mr. Frankenbach <cfranken@hotchkiss.org>, the head of the English Department, should you have any questions about your eligibility.

• All other senior English electives are now listed in the course catalog.

Humanities & Social Sciences

• Note that incoming upper mids and seniors must have a credit in U.S. history to meet the graduation requirements. Please consult with the Head of the Humanities & Social Sciences Department, Mr. Michael Eckert <meckert@hotchkiss.org>, or the Dean of Academic Life, Mr. Richard Davis <rdavis@hotchkiss.org> with any questions about these requirements.

Languages

• Which level? Your Languages teacher will inform you if you are being recommended for a level other than your current trajectory (i.e. if you are in CN250Y and they are recommending you for CN380Y, they would let you know; if they are recommending you for CN350Y they will not). If you have any questions about your placement, please reach out to your current Languages teacher.

• Diploma requirement. Students who enter Hotchkiss in their prep or lower mid years are required to complete study in Languages through the 300 level to be eligible for a diploma. More information about languages course selection.

Math

• Which level? Your Math teacher will inform you if you are being recommended for a level other than your current trajectory. If you have any questions about your placement, please reach out to your current Math teacher.

• Diploma requirement. Successful completion of any 300-level math course satisfies the graduation requirement, but students should still continue taking math as almost all colleges expect students to have 4 years of math. Your advisor should consult with the College Office if you have any questions about the details about how math fits into the college application process. More information about math course selection.

Science

• More choices. In your senior year, there are a lot of science courses open to you. Please pay close attention to prerequisites.

• If you are considering an honors course, please consult with your current science teacher and pay close attention to course prerequisites. More information about science course selection. 

Interdisciplinary Courses

• CL451F The Greek World
  This course, designed for both Classics students and others interested in the Classical world, will explore the major political, social, and cultural developments in the history of the Ancient Greek world from the Mycenaean period (1600-1200 B.C.E.) to the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C.E.  It will feature an interdisciplinary approach, examining numerous sources-- archaeological, art-historical, and literary (in translation).  Students will develop an understanding of the historical contexts of ancient Greek democracy, philosophy, drama, science, and more while learning how to evaluate and analyze information from a variety of primary sources.  This course will prepare students to appreciate the ways in which the Classical past influenced subsequent history, literature, and thought as well as the ways in which that influence continues today.

• CL452S The Roman World
  This course, designed for both Classics students and others interested in the Classical world, will explore the origins of the Roman world, the growth and eventual decline of Roman power, and the influence Rome continues to have in the modern world.  Taught with primary sources (in translation), this course will provide an opportunity for students to study the political and military history of Rome from the myths around the founding of the city and the development of democracy in the Republic, to the return to autocratic rule under the emperors.  Students will also examine Rome’s literary and artistic history as well as important technological advances.  This overview of history and culture will prepare students to appreciate the ways in which the Classical past influenced movements in European history, literature, and thought as well as ways that influence continues today

• IC450S Intercultural Communication
  You might be fluent in Spanish, French, German, Chinese, but can you communicate effectively across cultures by showing an understanding of and sensitivity to cultural differences? We live in an era of unprecedented interconnectedness between people from widely different cultural backgrounds. We now engage in intercultural contact more frequently than ever before and intercultural competence has become a crucial skill to possess in the 21st century. In this course, we will learn basic conceptual tools and theories of intercultural communication. Students will analyze their personal intercultural experiences and deconstruct intercultural communication processes presented in course materials, including literature, film and a repertoire of critical incidents. By the end of this course, students will be able to: identify key theories and concepts of intercultural communication that have pragmatic utility for purposes of communicating across cultures; engage in and critically reflect on activities intended to develop their sensitivity to cultural differences; observe the complexities of intercultural communication processes by reflecting on the nature of culture shock, cultural adaptation, integration, and intercultural conflicts. Prerequisites: none.ed especially for seniors (HD451F/S). Information on this course can be found in the course catalog.