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The First-Year Seminar Program offers courses across a wide range of disciplines and topics.
Enrollment is limited to a small number of first-year students, and the courses emphasize active, collaborative, and creative learning. Courses may fulfill specific distribution and/or major requirements.
The following courses are available during the 2018-2019 academic year.
Seminar-style introduction to life at the cellular and molecular level, designed as an alternative to BISC 110 for students with strong high school preparation (such as AP, IB, or other). The course will include eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell structure, function of biological macromolecules, cellular metabolism, molecular genetics, and mechanisms of growth and differentiation, with an emphasis on experimental approaches to investigating these topics. This course will aim to develop students' skills in data analysis and scientific writing along with building foundational knowledge in the field. Lab sections are shared with BISC 110. This course differs from BISC 110 in its small class size and discussion-based format; it meets for one discussion and one lab session per week. Either BISC 110/BISC 112/BISC 116 or BISC 111/BISC 111T/BISC 113 may be taken first. Students must attend lab during the first week in order to continue in the course.
Instructor: Matthews
Prerequisite: A score of 4 or 5 on the Biology AP exam or equivalent experience or permission of the instructor. Fulfillment of the basic skills component of the Quantitative Reasoning requirement. Not open to students who have taken BISC 110 or BISC 116.
Distribution: NPS
Term(s): Fall; Spring
One Fall section of this course is a First-Year Seminar, reserved for first-year students only. The Fall section will be shadow graded.
An exploration of the central questions, concepts, and methods of experimental analysis in selected areas of organismal biology, designed as an alternative to BISC 111 for students with strong high school preparation (such as AP, IB, or other). Topics include: the evolution and diversification of life, the form and function of plants and animals, and ecological interactions among organisms, with an emphasis on laboratory methods, data analysis, and science writing. Lab sections are shared with BISC 111. This course differs from BISC 111 in its smaller class size, a seminar-style format, and a focus on discussion of landmark scientific studies that shape this field; it meets for one discussion and one lab session per week. Either BISC 110/BISC 112/BISC 116 or BISC 111/BISC 111T/BISC 113 may be taken first. Students must attend lab during the first week in order to continue in the course.
Instructor: Mattila
Prerequisite: A score of 4 or 5 on the Biology AP exam or equivalent experience or permission of the instructor. Fulfillment of the basic skills component of the Quantitative Reasoning requirement. Not open to students who have taken BISC 111/BISC 111T.
Distribution: NPS; QRF
Term(s): Fall; Spring
Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking Intensive Course
One Fall section of this course is a First-Year Seminar, reserved for first-year students only. The Fall section will be shadow graded.
Specters haunt the nether-regions of media technology. Each new medium has offered potential avenues to hear the voices of the departed or contact otherworldly beings. In this course we will explore these possibilities through close attention to the ways in which media attempts to move beyond the earthly plane. These are extraordinary claims whose veracity is always under question but also tell us much about our own desires. We'll consider photography, phonography, magnetic tape, television, radio, and the internet, among other mediums. Students will also have the chance to test some of these claims through hands-on exercises and their own attempts to push the boundaries of media communication. No formal background in media history or production is required.
Instructor: Knouf
Prerequisite: None. Open to first-year students only.
Distribution: ARS
Term(s): Fall
Shadow graded.
Participants in this seminar will delve into the workings of memory--a term that encompasses several different kinds of remembering and recollecting. What makes something memorable? To what extent can we choose or shape what we remember? Does memory constitute identity? How has technology altered what and how we remember? As we ponder such questions, our primary focus will be on literature (including Wordsworth, Emily Bronte, Christina Rossetti, Proust, Conan Doyle, Woolf, Borges, Nabokov, Heaney and Rita Dove). We shall also draw on philosophy, psychology, and cognitive science and explore creative arts such as drawing, photography, painting, sculpture, book arts, film, and music. Students will write in several genres--creative, critical, and reflective—and experiment with different ways of collecting, curating, and presenting memories in media of their choice.
Instructor: Hickey
Prerequisite: None. Open only to first-year students.
Distribution: LL
Term(s): Fall
This seminar is dedicated to the representation of Italian cities in Italian literature, art, and cinema from the Middle Ages to the twenty-first century. By presenting cities as spatial narratives, we will introduce students to some of the most important moments in Italian history and will invite them to examine the representation of urban landscape as a privileged vantage point to understand Italian culture. The seminar is designed to introduce students to the field of Italian Studies and to provide them with a solid background in Italian history and culture.
Instructor: Parussa
Prerequisite: None. Open to first-year students only.
Distribution: LL
Term(s): Fall
Shadow graded.
Discussion based seminar deals with Japan both as a victim and as a victimizer during and in the aftermath of the World War II. It probes what drove Japan to aspire toward world domination; how the "ultimate bomb to end all wars" was used twice on Japan in August 1945; and how the Japanese "war criminals" are enshrined today at Yasukuni as "divine beings"; and how Yasukuni Shinto Shrine remains a major barrier in establishing peace between Japan and its Asian neighbors. The seminar is intended for students interested in the comparative and historical study of religion, Peace and Justice Studies, and East Asian Studies. Requirements: active participation in discussion, joint paper writing and presentation; no exams.
Instructor: Kodera
Prerequisite: None. Open to first-year students only.
Distribution: HS; REP
Term(s): Fall
Shadow graded.
This seminar undertakes a philosophical examination of the nature and value of friendship. Two questions will animate the course: What is a friend? And, why are friends valuable? Drawing examples from literature and films, we will examine different types of friendships and the features that characterize and sustain them. Many philosophers have argued that the best kind of friendship is one in which the friend is loved for her own sake; we will consider whether this is truly possible or whether all friendships are ultimately instrumental. We'll also examine how the partiality inherent in friendship conflicts with the demands of standard moral theories. Finally, we will compare the love that characterizes friendship with the feelings that sustain relationships with parents, children, and lovers.
Instructor: McIntire
Prerequisite: None. Open to first-year students only.
Distribution: EC
Term(s): Fall
Registration in this section is restricted to students selected for the Wellesley Plus Program. No letter grades given.
When studies identify significant genetic influence on human behavior or on some trait, some people conclude that the behavior or trait is innate. At the same time, there is a lively philosophical and scientific debate about whether “innateness” is a useful concept to be used within scientific biology. We will study these debates about the concept of innateness before drawing on them to interpret and clarify claims that gender differences, sexual preference, and a set of “basic emotions” are innate in humans. We will also assess the view that cognitive and neurological plasticity - and in particular our ability to be cognitively shaped by experience and culture - may itself be viewed as an adaptation.
Instructor: McIntyre
Prerequisite: None
Prerequisite: EC
Term(s): Fall
Shadow graded.
Discussion of controversies over the Bible and its relevance to scientific inquiry. Examination of significant areas of perceived conflict between science and religion such as: evolutionary theory, geological history, environmental stewardship, neuro-scientific models of the mind, and genetic engineering. We will ask how religious believers have drawn upon the Bible to develop critical perspectives toward aspects of the scientific project, and we will assess the benefits and limitations of using ancient texts in this way.
Instructor: Silver
Prerequisite: None. Open to first-year students only.
Distribution: REP
Term(s): Fall
No letter grade.
Discussion based seminar deals with Japan both as a victim and as a victimizer during and in the aftermath of the World War II. It probes what drove Japan to aspire toward world domination; how the "ultimate bomb to end all wars" was used twice on Japan in August 1945; and how the Japanese "war criminals" are enshrined today at Yasukuni as "divine beings"; and how Yasukuni Shinto Shrine remains a major barrier in establishing peace between Japan and its Asian neighbors. The seminar is intended for students interested in the comparative and historical study of religion, Peace and Justice Studies, and East Asian Studies. Requirements: active participation in discussion, joint paper writing and presentation; no exams.
Instructor: Kodera
Prerequisite: None. Open to first-year students only.
Distribution: HS; REP
Term(s): Fall
Shadow graded.
From Disney films to Nickelodeon cartoons to Newberry award-winning texts, popular children's media offers us the opportunity to analyze how complex issues of identity are represented in cultural productions aimed at a young audience. This course takes as a site of analysis media aimed at children to investigate the lessons imparted and ideologies circulate in popular films and books. How is class drawn in Lady and the Tramp? What are politics of language at play in Moana? What are the sounds of masculinity in Beauty and the Beast? How does Mulan construct gender, race, and militarism? Using an intersectional frame of analysis, we will trace popular tropes, identify images of resistance, and map out the more popular messages children receive about difference in our world.
Instructor: Mata
Prerequisite: None. Open to first-year students only.
Distribution: LL
Term(s): Fall
No letter grade. Ann E. Maurer '51 Speaking Intensive Course. Registration in this section is restricted to students selected for the Wellesley Plus Program.****
We are living in an age of unprecedented access to information and have the means for immediate communication, thanks to advances in technology. However, connecting to this virtual, ceaselessly changing world often means turning away from the physical realm and prioritizing immediate reaction over thoughtful reflection. In this second semester of a year-long, interdisciplinary course, we will investigate the boundless opportunities, and the real challenges, of living and writing in the age of distraction. How do we understand ourselves and each other as we toggle between the virtual and the physical worlds? How do we create meaningful ideas and united communities? Students will explore these questions, both inside the conventional classroom and beyond, by writing about social media, literature, art, and psychology, as they explore Boston and its environs.
Instructor: Bryant
Prerequisite: This course is part of a year-long sequence (WRIT 116Y followed by WRIT 117Y). Students must complete both semesters in order to fulfill the college's writing requirement. Open only to first-year students.
Distribution: LL; W
Term(s): Fall
No letter grades given.
This first-year seminar examines the Italian Renaissance artist Michelangelo Buonarroti (1474-1564). Although he is best known as a sculptor and painter, Michelangelo was also a poet, architect, civil engineer, and diplomat driven by complex artistic, religious, political, and economic motivations. His long career provides a framework for understanding the Italian Renaissance, and the mythology surrounding that career provides insight into changing perceptions of the artist and the individual during that time. Readings and discussions will focus on works of art and contemporary texts, and class meetings will include visits to Wellesley’s Special Collections and Book Arts Lab as well as the Museum of Fine Arts and the Gardner Museum in Boston.
Instructor: Musaccio
Prerequisite: None. Open to first-year students only.
Distribution: ARS
Term(s): Spring
This seminar focuses on fairy tales, their history, and their continued impact on contemporary culture. We begin by studying the tales themselves, trying to uncover their original meanings and purposes. Out of what historical moments and psychological needs did the tales arise? Why did the Brothers Grimm collect and compile them in the first place? We then consider the ways in which they have been rescripted and repurposed in everything from poetry to popular film, examining how cultural production appropriates these fairy tale structures, even while radically straying from them. We read these texts against the backdrop of a range of theoretical approaches to childhood and to literary and cultural criticism, in order to uncover their significance in the past and today.
Instructor: Hans
Prerequisite: None. Open to first-year students only.
Distribution: LL
Term(s): Spring
Notes: Mandatory credit/noncredit.
Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, is by many accounts the world’s most powerful political leader. How did he achieve this status? What have been his chief goals, values and operating principles? What accounts for his vast popularity in Russia, even at a time of military engagement and economic recession? A product of Leningrad’s “mean streets,” the young Putin sought glory in the KGB, and after the demise of the Soviet Union—a collapse he rues to this day—moved into the heights of power. We will explore Vladimir Putin’s life path, political maneuvers, ideas about Russia’s identity and place in the world, and his image as the epitome of potent masculinity. Assignments will include biographical and autobiographical writings, speeches, videos and a plethora of images and caricatures of this enigmatic and forceful leader.
Instructor: Tumarkin
Prerequisite: None. Open to first-year students only.
Distribution: HS
Term(s): Spring
We are living in an age of unprecedented access to information and have the means for immediate communication, thanks to advances in technology. However, connecting to this virtual, ceaselessly changing world often means turning away from the physical realm and prioritizing immediate reaction over thoughtful reflection. In this second semester of a year-long, interdisciplinary course, we will investigate the boundless opportunities, and the real challenges, of living and writing in the age of distraction. How do we understand ourselves and each other as we toggle between the virtual and the physical worlds? How do we create meaningful ideas and united communities? Students will explore these questions, both inside the conventional classroom and beyond, by writing about social media, literature, art, and psychology, as they explore Boston and its environs.
Instructor: Bryant
Prerequisite: This course is part of a year-long sequence (WRIT 116Y followed by WRIT 117Y). Students must complete both semesters in order to fulfill the college's writing requirement. Open only to first-year students.
Distribution: LL; W
Term(s): Spring
No letter grades given.
