Courses & Programs of Study

    Introduction
    General Education
    Major Programs
    Minor Programs
    Electives
    Other College Requirements

The Chicago curriculum has three components: general education requirements, a major, and electives.

General education requirements, which are described below, consist of integrated, often interdisciplinary, sequences. They cannot be replaced by other courses (except in the sciences as indicated below) and they should be completed by the end of the second year. Please note that substitutes for general education courses are seldom approved either (1) to accommodate a second major or a minor or (2) to avoid curricular and scheduling conflicts that result from postponing general education requirements until a student's third or fourth year.

Majors are described in detail in the Programs of Study section of the catalog.

Electives provide scope to a student's program of study. Students choose electives to pursue interests, wherever they fall in the College catalog, that are not covered by their general education sequences and their major. Depending on other choices, electives comprise about one-third of the degree program.

Students choose courses across the curriculum in consultation with College advisers and faculty counselors. Credit for forty-two quarter courses is required for the undergraduate degree. Students may count each quarter course only once in the degree program of forty-two courses.

General Education

Humanities, Civilization Studies, and the Arts (6 quarters)

An essential component of general education is learning how to appreciate and analyze texts intellectually, historically, and aesthetically. Through this general education requirement, students at Chicago learn how to interpret literary, philosophical, and historical texts in depth; how to identify significant intellectual problems posed by those texts; and how to discuss and write about them perceptively and persuasively. They also learn how to study a visual or performing art form. Finally, students learn how to study texts and art forms within a specific cultural and chronological frame. Students may choose from many options to meet these requirements.

Students take a total of six quarters in humanities and civilization studies, selecting one of the following three options. The letters in parentheses refer to the sections below.

1. A three-quarter humanities sequence (A); a two-quarter civilization studies sequence (C); and one course in the dramatic, musical, and visual arts (B).

2. A three-quarter civilization studies sequence (C); a two-quarter humanities sequence (A); and one course in the dramatic, musical, and visual arts (B).

3. A two-quarter humanities sequence (A); a two-quarter civilization studies sequence (C); and two quarter courses in the dramatic, musical, and visual arts (B).

A. Interpretation of Historical, Literary, and Philosophical Texts. All humanities courses that meet general education requirements engage students in the pleasure and challenge of humanistic works through the close reading of a broad range of literary, historical, and philosophical texts. These are not survey courses; rather, they work to establish methods for appreciating and analyzing the meaning and power of exemplary texts. The courses concentrate on writing skills by including special tutorial sessions devoted to the students' writing.

The core sequences give students the opportunity to focus on a range of issues and texts. Once students begin a sequence, they are expected to remain in the same sequence. A three-quarter sequence in humanities is recommended for students who expect to major in the humanities and for students who are preparing for medical school or for law school.

HUMA 11000-11100-11200. Readings in World Literature

HUMA 11500-11600-11700. Philosophical Perspectives on the Humanities

HUMA 12000-12100-12200. Greek Thought and Literature

HUMA 12300-12400-12500. Human Being and Citizen

HUMA 13500-13600-13700. Introduction to the Humanities

HUMA 14000-14100-14200. Reading Cultures: Collection, Travel, Exchange

HUMA 16000-16100-16200. Media Aesthetics: Image, Sound, Text

B. Dramatic, Musical, and Visual Arts. These courses provide an introduction to methods for analyzing, comprehending, and appreciating works of dramatic, musical, or visual art by examining their formal vocabularies and how these vocabularies are used to create meaning. This objective is met either by the intensive study of selected masterpieces or by producing original works of art, drama, music, or performance.

The courses below are not specialized introductions to one single field or creative practice, but instead are expressly designed to broadly investigate the arts through study and practice. For that reason, only these courses satisfy the general education requirement in the dramatic, musical, or visual arts. Substitutes will not be approved.

ARTH 10100. Introduction to Art

ARTH 14000 through 16999. Art Surveys

ARTH 17000 through 18999. Art in Context

COVA 10100-10200. Visual Language

ISHU 10100. Drama: Embodiment and Transformation

ISHU 10300 through 10499. Text and Performance

MUSI 10100. Introduction to Western Music

MUSI 10200. Introduction to World Music

MUSI 10300. Introduction to Music: Materials and Design

MUSI 10400. Introduction to Music Analysis and Criticism

C. Civilization Studies. Each sequence 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 who have completed (or plan to complete) three quarters of a humanities sequence and one quarter of the dramatic, musical, or visual arts and therefore need only two quarters of civilization studies, may take any of the three-quarter sequences as a two-quarter sequence. NOTE: Not all of the sequences that follow are offered every year; consult departmental course listings.

ANTH 20701-20702. Introduction to African Civilization

EALC 10800-10900-11000. Introduction to the Civilizations
of East Asia

HIPS 17300-17400-17501 (or 17502). Science, Culture, and Society in Western Civilization

HIST 13001-13002 (13003). History of European Civilization

HIST 13100-13200-13300. History of Western Civilization

HIST 13500-13600-13700. America in Western Civilization

HIST 16101-16202-16303. Introduction to Latin American Civilization

HIST 16700-16800-16900. Ancient Mediterranean World

HIST 18301-18302. Colonizations

JWSC 20000-20100-20200. Judaic Civilization

MUSI 12100-12200. Music in Western Civilization

NEHC 20001-20002-20003. History of the Ancient Near East

NEHC 20011 through 20085. Perspectives on Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations

NEHC 20601-20602-20603. Introduction to Islamic Civilization

NEHC 20621-20622-20623. History of the Islamic Middle East: 600 to the Present

SALC 20100-20200. Introduction to the Civilization of South Asia

SOSC 24000-24100. Introduction to Russian Civilization

Students may also complete their civilization studies requirement by participating in one of the College's study abroad programs listed below. For more information about these programs, consult the Study Abroad Programs section of this catalog or study-abroad.uchicago.edu.

SOSC 20800-20900-21000. Rome: Antiquity to Baroque
(Rome, Italy; Autumn)

SOSC 21300-21400-21500. Western Mediterranean Civilization (Barcelona, Spain; Winter)

SOSC 23001-23002-23003. South Asian Civilization in India
(Pune, India; Autumn)

SOSC 24302-24402-24502. Latin American Civilization in Oaxaca (Oaxaca, Mexico; Winter)

SOSC 24600-24700-24800. Vienna in Western Civilization
(Vienna, Austria; Autumn)

SOSC 26600-26700-26800. African Civilization in Africa
(Cape Town, South Africa; Winter)

SOSC 27500-27600-27700. France in Western Civilization
(Paris, France; Autumn or Spring)

SOSC 27501-27601-27701. Civilisation Européenne

(Paris, France; Autumn) PQ: Advanced knowledge of French.

SOSC 27800-27900-28000. Greek Antiquity and Its Legacy
(Athens, Greece; Spring)

Natural and Mathematical Sciences (6 quarters)

Courses and sequences in the natural sciences 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. Mathematical sciences courses develop powers of formal reasoning through use of precise artificial languages.

Students take six quarter courses in the following areas: at least two quarters of physical sciences (see sections A and C); at least two in the biological sciences (see sections B and C); and at least one in the mathematical sciences (see section D).

Students may meet the natural sciences requirement with a two- or three-quarter sequence in the physical sciences and a two- or three-quarter sequence in the biological sciences, or with a four-quarter natural science sequence that integrates the physical and biological sciences requirements. Students meet the mathematical sciences requirement with one or two quarters of computer science, mathematics, or statistics. Students should choose among the following options based on their major and/or preparation for the health professions.

A. Physical Sciences Sequences

1. Physical and biological sciences majors and students preparing for the health professions must complete chemistry or physics. The third quarter of these yearlong sequences is applied to a student's major or electives.

CHEM 11101-11201/11102-11202 (11301/11302). General Chemistry

CHEM AP/PT*-12200 (12300). Honors General Chemistry

PHYS 12100-12200 (12300). General Physics (Variant A)

PHYS 13100-13200 (13300). General Physics (Variant B)

PHYS 14100-14200 (14300). General Physics (Honors)

* For information, see the Chemistry, Placement Tests, and Advanced Placement Credit sections elsewhere in this catalog.

2. These sequences are designed for students who do not plan to major in the physical or biological sciences. Enrollment in sequences with an asterisk (*) is limited to first- and second-year students and entering transfer students.

PHSC 10900-11000. Science and the Earth*

PHSC 10900-13400. Past and Future Climate of Earth*

PHSC 11100-11200. Foundations of Modern Physics

PHSC 11900-12000 (12700). Introduction to Astrophysics

PHSC 13200-13300. Paleoclimate, Earth Systems, and the Emergence of Humankind

PHSC 13400-13500. The Science of Global Environmental Change

B. Biological Sciences Sequences

1. Biological sciences majors must complete a five-quarter Fundamental Sequence. The final three quarters of the sequence are applied to the major. Nonmajors preparing for the health professions must complete three quarters of a Fundamental Sequence; these students apply the third quarter to electives.

BIOS 20181-20182 (20183). Cell and Molecular Biology/Genetics*

BIOS 20191-20192 (20193). Cell and Molecular Biology/Genetics*

* Each of these sequences includes two additional courses. For descriptions, see the Biological Sciences section elsewhere in this catalog.

2. First- and second-year students who do not plan to major in the biological sciences or prepare for the health professions register for either (1) BIOS 10110 (Biological Issues and Paradigms) followed by a "topics" course (or courses) (BIOS 10111 to 19999), or (2) an alternative two-quarter sequence (BIOS 10400/10401).

C. Natural Sciences Sequence

The natural sciences sequence offers students in the humanities and social sciences another choice for meeting the general education requirements in the physical and biological sciences. (These requirements can be met separately, of course.) This sequence is open only to first- and second-year students and to entering transfer students, with preference given to first-year students. Courses must be taken in sequence.

NTSC 10100-10200-10300-10400 (Evolution of the Natural World). This four-quarter sequence meets the general education requirements in the physical and biological sciences. If this sequence is chosen, then students must register for two appropriate courses in the mathematical sciences.

D. Mathematical Sciences Courses and Sequences

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

Only courses beyond the level of precalculus may be used to meet the mathematical sciences requirement. Students must first register for MATH 10500-10600, or place into MATH 13100, 15100, 16100, or 11200, before taking any of the courses below. NOTE: Both precalculus courses together will be counted as one elective credit.

Students must meet this requirement with the first two quarters of a calculus sequence if they are preparing for the health professions or if they anticipate majors in the physical or biological sciences, economics, psychology, or public policy studies. Other restrictions may apply. Students should consult their College adviser or departmental counselor about course choices.

CMSC 10200. Introduction to Programming for the World Wide Web

CMSC 10500-10600-10700. Fundamentals of Computer Programming

CMSC 11000-11100. Multimedia Programming as
an Interdisciplinary Art

CMSC 15100-15200. Introduction to Computer Science

CMSC 16100-16200. Honors Introduction to Computer Science

MATH 11200-11300. Studies in Mathematics

MATH 13100-13200. Elementary Functions and Calculus

MATH 15100-15200. Calculus

MATH 16100-16200. Honors Calculus

STAT 20000. Basic Concepts in Statistics

STAT 22000. Introductory Statistics with Applications

NOTE: MATH 13100, 15100, and 16100 may be used to meet the mathematical sciences requirement only if MATH 13200, 15200, or 16200 is also taken.

Social Sciences (3 quarters)

These sequences cultivate an understanding of fundamental concepts, theories, and philosophies in the social sciences and 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. All of the sequences present some of the main ideas, theories, and inquiries of the social sciences, and show how they enhance our understanding of central issues facing the world. Classical social-scientific texts and methodologies are given close attention in discussion and lecture settings. Courses must be taken in sequence.

"Power, Identity, and Resistance" concentrates on various aspects of power, from the roles of markets and states to the social structures that determine individual, class, and gender inequalities.

"Self, Culture, and Society" studies problems basic to human existence. The sequence starts with the conceptual foundations of political economy, as well as theories of capitalism and modern society. Students then consider the relation of culture, society, and lived experience. Finally, students consider the social and cultural constitution of the person, with examination of race, gender, and sexuality.

"Democracy and Social Science" examines the public role of empirical social science, using a combination of classic texts, quantitative data, and computer resources. These themes are developed through a detailed examination of a major empirical study and applied to a specific policy domain, such as education or urban policy.

"Mind" draws from psychology, anthropology, philosophy, and linguistics to consider how the human mind functions, focusing on rationality, learning, and language.

"Classics of Social and Political Thought" reads classical texts to investigate criteria for understanding and judging political, social, and economic institutions.

SOSC 11100-11200-11300. Power, Identity, and Resistance

SOSC 12100-12200-12300. Self, Culture, and Society

SOSC 13100-13200-13300. Democracy and Social Science

SOSC 14100-14200-14300. Mind

SOSC 15100-15200-15300. Classics of Social and Political Thought

Major Programs (9 to 19 quarter courses)

Majors complement the breadth of the Chicago general education requirements with an opportunity to come to grips with the depth of knowledge and the complexities of developing knowledge in a particular area of inquiry. More than a set of course credits, a sound major is an effort to understand the methods and experience of a discipline or interdisciplinary field. Majors range from nine to thirteen courses, and in special cases up to nineteen courses.

The number of courses required for a major determines the number of electives; together they total twenty-seven courses. Programs that specify thirteen courses require fourteen electives; programs that specify twelve courses require fifteen electives, and so on.

More than half of the requirements for a major must be met by registering for courses bearing University of Chicago course numbers. Courses used to meet general education requirements cannot also be counted toward a major. Students declare a major by meeting with their College adviser and with the director of undergraduate studies in the department. Unless otherwise specified by the department, the deadline for declaring a major is Spring Quarter of a student's third year.

The following major programs are available.

In the Biological Sciences Collegiate Division (BSCD):

Biological Sciences

Biological Sciences

Biological Sciences with Specialization in Cellular and
Molecular Biology

Biological Sciences with Specialization in Ecology and Evolution

Biological Sciences with Specialization in Genetics

Biological Sciences with Specialization in Immunology

Biological Sciences with Specialization in Microbiology

Biological Sciences with Specialization in Neuroscience

In the Humanities Collegiate Division (HCD):

Ancient Studies Medieval Studies

Art History Music

Cinema and Media Studies Near Eastern Languages and

Classical Studies Civilizations

Comparative Literature Philosophy

Early Christian Literature Philosophy

East Asian Languages and Philosophy and Allied Fields

Civilizations Religion and the Humanities

English Language and Literature Romance Languages and

Gender Studies Literatures

Germanic Studies Slavic Languages and

Interdisciplinary Studies Literatures

in the Humanities Visual Arts

Jewish Studies

Linguistics

In the New Collegiate Division (NCD):

Environmental Studies Religious Studies

Fundamentals: Issues and Texts Tutorial Studies

Law, Letters, and Society

In the Physical Sciences Collegiate Division (PSCD):

Biological Chemistry Physics

Chemistry Physics

Computer Science Physics with

Geophysical Sciences Specialization in

Mathematics Astrophysics

Applied Mathematics Statistics

Mathematics

Mathematics with

Specialization in

Economics

In the Social Sciences Collegiate Division (SSCD):

African and African-American International Studies

Studies Latin American Studies

Anthropology Political Science

Economics Psychology

Geographical Studies Public Policy Studies

History Russian Civilization

History, Philosophy, and Social Sociology

Studies of Science and Medicine

Human Development

Minor Programs

Some majors offer minors to students in other fields of study. For requirements, see descriptions elsewhere in this catalog of programs listed below. A minor requires five to seven courses. Courses in a minor cannot be (1) double counted with the student's major(s) or with other minors or (2) counted toward general education requirements. Courses in a minor must be taken for quality grades, and more than half of the requirements for a minor must be met by registering for courses bearing University of Chicago course numbers. Courses taken to complete a minor are counted toward electives. Students declare a minor by meeting with their College adviser and with the director of undergraduate studies in the department. The deadline for declaring a minor is Spring Quarter of a student's third year.

Minor programs are currently offered in the following areas:

African and African-American Studies

Art History

Biological Sciences

Computational Neuroscience

Interdisciplinary Quantitative Studies in the Natural Sciences

Classical Studies

Computer Science

Gender Studies

Germanic Studies

Latin American Studies

Linguistics

Mathematics

Music

Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations

Philosophy

Romance Languages and Literatures

Slavic Languages and Literatures

South Asian Languages and Civilizations

Visual Arts

Electives (8 to 18 quarter courses)

Elective courses may be taken in any subject matter or discipline, including the same discipline as the student's major. They provide each student the opportunity to shape their studies toward their distinctive curiosities and interests. At their broadest, they provide an opportunity to explore freely across the richness of opportunities for learning at Chicago.

Courses taken in exploration of alternative majors and in study abroad programs, as well as course requirements completed by examination, are often included in electives. Some students also choose to use groups of electives to create minors or second majors. These options, though suitable ways to formalize students' interests outside their major, should not be undertaken in the mistaken belief that they necessarily enhance a student's transcript. Courses taken as electives should not displace courses in, and should not displace attention to, the student's general education program and major.

When MATH 10500-10600 are required, both precalculus courses together will be counted as only one elective. Language credit, whether it is earned by course registration or examination, is usually counted toward electives, unless a major requires or permits language courses or credit as part of the major. Courses taken to complete a minor are counted toward electives.

Up to six credits earned by examination (Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Programme tests taken in high school, and placement tests taken during Orientation) may be used as electives. For more information, see the Examination Credit and Transfer Credit section elsewhere in this catalog.

Other College Requirements

Language Competence

The College requires that students demonstrate competence, equivalent to one year of college-level study, in a language other than English. This is an all-skills competence: reading, writing, listening, and (where appropriate) speaking. The requirement can be met with a score of 3 or above on an AP examination in a language or with a passing score on a College administered competency examination.

The competency examination may be administered as part of a placement test or as the final examination in a language course; or it may be a separate but required component of these examinations, depending on the language being tested. Students who take a placement examination or register for language courses will receive instructions from the placement test proctor or the course instructor about registering for a separate competency examination, if one is required.

Students are strongly urged to complete the competency requirement in the first two years. More information on meeting the requirement is available at www.college.uchicago.edu/academics/language.shtml.

Courses and examinations are offered in the following languages:

Akkadian Greek (classical) Persian

Albanian Hebrew (modern Polish

American Sign Language and classical) Portuguese

Arabic Hindi Russian

Armenian Hittite Sanskrit

Assyrian Italian Spanish

Babylonian Japanese Swahili

Bangla (Bengali) Kazakh Tamil

Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian Korean Telugu

Chinese (literary and modern) Latin Tibetan

Czech Macedonian Turkish

Ancient Egyptian Marathi Urdu

French Norwegian Uzbek

German Pali Yiddish

After meeting the language competency requirement, students are urged to work toward an Advanced Foreign Language Proficiency Certificate. To qualify to sit for the three-hour proficiency examination, students are required to complete a minimum of intermediate and advanced language study at levels set by the departments and spend a quarter abroad in an intensive language program approved by the University of Chicago. Details are available online at www.college.uchicago.edu/academics/language_advanced.shtml.

Physical Education (3 quarters)

The physical education program is designed to cultivate physical fitness as well as to provide experiences in, and promote appreciation for, recreational physical activity. Courses available to meet the physical education requirement or to complete as electives include:

Archery Modern Dance (elementary and

Badminton intermediate)

Ballet (elementary and intermediate) Pilates

Conditioning*† Racquetball

CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer Social Dance (elementary and

Emergency Response intermediate)

First Aid/CPR/AED Step Aerobics*

Free Weight Training* Swimming (elementary)

Golf (Introduction to the Swing) Tennis (elementary and

Jazz Dance (elementary intermediate)

and intermediate) Water Aerobics*

Jogging* Weight Training*

Lifeguard Training† Yoga

* Course meets the personal fitness requirement

† Two-credit course

In order to earn a degree from the College of the University of Chicago, students must complete three credits in physical education. Students are advised to meet this requirement during their first year. Students must complete at least one of the three required credits by taking a personal fitness course (designated by an asterisk [*] in the preceding list). Entering students may place out of one, two, or three quarters of physical education based on the results of a fitness classification test offered during Orientation. Students who do not pass a swimming test that is also offered during Orientation must complete a one-credit course in swimming. Physical education courses are not included among the forty-two academic courses counted toward a degree, and they are not counted toward the number of courses that determine full- or part-time status. For course descriptions and further information on the physical education program, see the Department of Physical Education and Athletics Web site at athletics.uchicago.edu.