New Courses for 2022-23

Click here for a guide to course numbering.

Classical & Modern Languages

CN592Y Honors Heritage Fifth-Year Chinese
CN592Y is a course for heritage speakers whose aural comprehension and oral proficiency are considerably more advanced than their reading and writing proficiency. Students in CN592Y will focus on reading and writing texts based on current issues and cultural phenomena. This class will meet with CN591Y. The course content (themes) will be related, but assignments and assessments will be tailored to attain the goal of applying complex vocabulary and grammar structure acquired to students’ own writing and formal speeches. Prerequisites: Placement test.

FR550Y Fifth-Year French
This course is designed for those who have not taken or excelled in FR490Y or its equivalent, but who wish to continue their study of French for a fifth year. The course aims primarily to refine students’ reading and writing skills and improve their aural comprehension and fluidity of expression. Students are encouraged to read and respond to literature, both personally and analytically. Through class discussions and research projects, they will explore the cultural and historical background of the selected literature and use it as a vehicle to understanding themselves and others. A variety of material is used in this course, including the selected works of literature, contemporary media resources, and films. Students will produce compositions, oral presentations, and creative work based on the materials studied. Prerequisites: FR450Y, FR490Y, or placement test.

English

Senior English electives (for fall and spring semesters) change each year; please check the online course catalog for the most up to date options (enter "EN4" in the "Course Name" box).

Humanities & Social Sciences

PL456S - Modernity and its Discontents: A Philosophy of Religion
This course is a Philosophy elective (PL) that focuses on the rise, triumph, and decline of modernity through the lens of continental philosophy and the academic study of religion. The course seeks to describe the development of 10 key ingredients of “modernity” through examination of philosophical and religious texts and ideas in conjunction with historical world developments. Particular attention will be given to the encounter of Europeans with non-European regions of the world and to indigenous responses to those encounters. Students in the course will examine how key ideas of modernity took hold and shaped these historical encounters, with emphasis on how the rise of the concept of “religion” served the colonial and imperial interests of European intellectuals and emerging nation-states. The second half of the course will concentrate on both indigenous responses and the rise of postmodernity to challenge the moral bankruptcy of the modern project. Close attention will again be given to a philosophical critique of religion in the 19th and twentieth centuries, with an introduction to a religious turn in postmodern continental thought in an emerging post-modern world. The course seeks to establish a firm footing on an antiracist foundation, being a critique of the 10 characteristics of the modern project that gave rise to the twin inventions of race and racism and of religion as social constructions that effectively created the conditions for modernity to emerge. The course will be research and reading intensive. Students will complete research and writing projects that will culminate in a final research paper, thus satisfying the departmental requirements for a research project for students needing to fulfill that expectation.

SS450F - Foodways and Colonization
Have you ever wondered where our agricultural crops come from? Or how the cultivation of specific crops transformed the historical movement of peoples and altered the course of history? This course considers how specific agricultural crops and plants have been instrumental in the making of our modern world over the last 300 years. The course opens a discussion on the systemic and hierarchical dimensions of agricultural production and their relationships to power and race. Indeed, one of the principal interventions here is the paradox of food origins and their role in both the state and current social structure. Beginning with the decimation and subsequent attempt at colonization of Native American societies, the rise of the Atlantic slave trade and continuing through the 20th century, we trace the global movement of plants, foods, products, labor, industries, and agricultural knowledge. The history of the growth in production of these crops parallel fundamental changes in ideology & society at both a local and global level. Readings are interdisciplinary, but our emphasis will be on historical analyses of race, labor, power dynamics & cultural politics.

HI490F - Advanced Research Methods in the Humanities and Social Sciences
This semester-long course introduces students to advanced research methods in the humanities and social sciences through the development of an independent research project. Students who have mastered NoodleTools will learn how to use more advanced bibliographic management software like Endnote and Zotero. Students who have mastered keyword searching will learn how to use controlled vocabularies and citation mining to find the most relevant texts for any given topic. And students who have mastered writing research papers on assigned topics will learn how to develop their own independent research project from start to finish.

Mathematics & Computer Science

No changes.

Science

Note that BI250Y, CH250Y, and CH280Y have had course numbers changed to BI350Y, CH350Y, and CH380Y.

EG350Y Engineering: Design and Fabrication
Engineering: Design and Fabrication introduces students to designing, prototyping, assembling, and testing a product. CAD modeling, Arduino coding, and electronic circuit design will be taught to give students the skills needed to design a product. From there, students will be introduced to a variety of prototyping techniques. Technologies such as 3D printing, CNC machining, and using a laser cutter will be introduced. Along with these digital skills, students will learn how to create parts out of wood, metals (structural and sheet metal), and composites (fiberglass and carbon fiber). The combination of hands-on and digital fabrication skills will allow students to create working prototypes of their designs. After the completion of one or more prototypes, students will be introduced to product testing and analysis. During the school year, students will keep track of the progress on their project by taking daily notes. A final journal article will be written from the notes to document the entire process. Students may present their projects and journal articles at an open house at the end of the school year. Prerequisite: None

EG451F Disciplines in Engineering
Disciplines in Engineering introduces students to the roles engineers play in the modern world. Starting with an introduction to the “Big 4” engineering disciplines, students will be introduced to concepts in civil engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering. Students will have an opportunity to experience these disciplines by working on mini-projects focusing in these areas. Branching from the Big 4, students will look at a range of more specialized engineering disciplines. Areas introduced will include architectural engineering, aerospace engineering, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, environmental engineering, manufacturing operations, materials science, and an introduction to engineering management. After students are introduced to these disciplines, they will work on a project that is related to one of the disciplines covered. In addition, students will be presented with historical perspectives on the engineering field. Major engineering projects and ethical situations will be reviewed and discussed. Students may present their projects and accompanying journal articles at an open house at the end of the school year. Prerequisite: EG350Y

EG452S Engineering: Manufacturing Operations and Systems Engineering
Engineering: Manufacturing Operations and Systems Engineering introduces students to the roles engineers play in manufacturing and the project management side of engineering. Starting with manufacturing, students will be introduced to various theories and processes - beginning with an overview of the Toyota Production System, which leads to the concepts of lean manufacturing. Students will then learn object-based simulation to understand how various manufacturing strategies affect assembly line optimization. Systems engineering concepts will introduce students to the management side of engineering. Systems architecture and model based analysis will be examined to show how these concepts and methods are used to organize large scale projects. Several examples from industry will be examined. Prerequisite: EG350Y

EG483F Honors Engineering: Simulation and Analysis
Honors Engineering: Simulation and Analysis introduces students to advanced simulation concepts. During the engineering design process, engineers can utilize simulation to maximize performance characteristics. Structural analysis, fluids simulation, and design optimization will be covered. Virtual reality and augmented reality will also be introduced. Students will be given several challenges to experiment with these advanced modeling tools. Prerequisite: EG350Y, Completion of a high school physics course (or concurrent enrollment in Physics AND departmental approval) and enrollment in MA450Y or higher.

EG484S Honors Engineering: Advanced Senior Project
Honors Engineering: Advanced Senior Project provides students with the opportunity to combine concepts learned in previous engineering, science, and math classes and apply them to an engineering project. Students will use modeling and simulation concepts to design a product, then fabricate it by utilizing equipment in the Class of 2017 EFX Lab. Students will present their projects and accompanying journal articles at an open house at the end of the school year. Prerequisite: EG350Y, Completion of a high school physics course (or concurrent enrollment in Physics AND departmental approval) and enrollment in MA450Y or higher.

Visual & Performing Arts

No changes.

Human Development

HD451F/452S Senior Human Development
HD451F/HD452S is an elective course designed for seniors approaching their transition to college and aims to develop skills and habits that support happier, healthier lives. Students will explore identity and diversity, cultivate qualities of leadership, examine responsible decision making and strengthen social-emotional learning skills. HD451/452 students will become familiar with relevant health and psychology topics, using the tools of large and small group discussion, reflective writing, and active, experiential learning. This is a pass / fail course that will meet every week and provide a space for seniors to learn, reflect, laugh, and connect.

Non-Academic

American Red Cross Lifeguarding Class
This course, taught during one marking period, will teach the participants the skills and knowledge needed to prevent and respond to aquatic emergencies. The course content and activities prepare our candidates to recognize and respond with speed and confidence in emergency situations both in and out of the water. Upon completion of this course the successful participant may have the opportunity to work as a certified Red Cross Lifeguard at The Hotchkiss School and other facilities where this certification is recognized. This course is not taught for academic credit. The Red Cross charges a nominal fee for participation in this course to train lifeguards to act. Topics include water rescue skills, surveillance and recognition, first aid, breathing, and cardiac emergencies, CPR, AED, and more. The new program reflects the latest Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) science. To be eligible for the lifeguard-training course, the candidate must be 15 years of age on or before the final scheduled session of this course and must complete some swimming prerequisites. Class size is limited to approximately 10 participants. This class may be scheduled to meet outside of the academic day based on the needs of students and instructors.