The Yale College Dean’s Office launched the “Majors Project” in 2013-2014 with, as its top priority, the goal of helping to advise students about their courses of study. Other goals centered on the faculty, the departments, and Yale’s national accreditation requirements.
It is expected that roughly fifteen majors will conduct self-reviews each year, allowing all majors to undergo review in a four- to five-year cycle, at which point — because major requirements and goals change over time — the self-reviews will begin anew.
The goals for each Yale College major are listed here, as approved by undergraduate departments and programs.
A | B | C | E | F | G | H | I | J | L | M | N | P | R | S | T | W |
African Studies
Students in this major will:
· Gain proficiency in an African language (L4) and an understanding of African culture through that language
· Become familiar with scholarship on Africa in both the humanities and social sciences
· Develop a deeper understanding of Africa within one discipline or topical area
· Produce original research on Africa, based on field work and/or primary sources
African-American Studies
Students in this major will:
· Learn about the Afro-diasporic experience from various disciplinary and transnational perspectives
· Become knowledgeable about the history, primary methodologies, and breadth of the discipline
· Understand universal cultural and societal themes, especially as they apply to the Afro-diasporic experience
· Become informed thinkers prepared to offer cogent insights to academic and public debates in the discipline
· Develop and strengthen critical writing skills
· Analyze and integrate primary resources into independent, original research and writing
American Studies
Students in this major will:
· Engage in interdisciplinary study of cultures and politics of the United States, representations of national identity, and borderland and diasporic cultures over time
· Explore local, national, and global perspectives by supplementing courses in American Studies with courses from other disciplines
· Choose an area of concentration as a focus for course work
· Develop the critical thinking and effective writing skills required for cultural and social analysis
· Complete a senior project or essay
Anthropology
Students in this major will:
· Develop an appreciation of humans as cultural and biological beings
· Understand how human lifeways are constructed by cultural, social, biological, and ecological conditions and processes
· Gain experience in and knowledge of several anthropological subfields
· Learn social-scientific approaches to problem formulation, project design, comparative analysis, and presentation of findings
· Develop the skills of critical thinking, analytical writing, and effective oral presentation
· Engage in independent research
Applied Math
Students in this major will:
· Learn the branches of mathematics most often used in applications
· Be exposed to many areas of applied mathematics
· Gain expertise in one area of applied mathematics
· Complete a research project in applied mathematics
Applied Physics
Students in this major will:
· Understand the central concepts of physics and their operation in a major area of application
· Know how to formulate a scientific question and evaluate quantitative data
· Learn to analyze, evaluate, and design solutions to problems in applied physics and related fields
· Develop effective communication skills
· Engage in independent research
Archaeology
Students in this major will:
· Acquire a broad knowledge of world prehistory and ancient human societies, from prehistoric hunting and gathering peoples to early states and ancient empires
· Learn relevant methods and theories from the social sciences and humanities, including anthropology, art history, and archaeology
· Acquire a solid foundation in field and laboratory methods, including modern dating methods, materials analysis, methods from geological and environmental sciences, and the archaeological applications of Geographic Information Systems
· Have experience in archaeological fieldwork
· Specialize in the archaeology of one or more regions of interest
· Acquire skills in relevant languages for their areas of interest
· Conduct significant independent research and write a senior thesis
Architecture
Students in this major will:
· Observe and analyze architecture through diverse methods of representations
· Understand architecture as an expression of cultural values and human aspirations
· Study the complex social, political and environmental forces that shape and define architecture and the built environment
· Learn to express ideas visually
· Conceptualize and design innovative solutions to architectural problems
· Formulate questions and seek answers through research, writing, and design
· Create a portfolio as a senior exercise
Art
Students in this major will:
· Develop an understanding of the visual arts through a studio-based curriculum
· Apply fundamentals of art across a variety of media and disciplines
· Relate the practice of making art to the fields of art history and theory
· Gain a high level of mastery of at least one artistic discipline
Astronomy
Students in this major will:
· Learn to apply physics, mathematics, and statistical analysis to observe, describe, and model the Universe
· Develop skills in research methods, quantitative physical science, and creative problem solving
· Understand topics at the frontier of modern astrophysics and cosmology
· Have opportunities to conduct research and fieldwork, including at the on-campus observatory, planetarium, and world-class astronomical observatories
· Complete an independent senior project
Biomedical Engineering
Students in this major will:
· Gain a strong grounding in the physical sciences, biological sciences, and mathematics
· Acquire a deep understanding and appreciation of engineering design principles
· Learn how to work in a laboratory situation
· Have significant interaction with faculty members in the department
· Study one of the three subfields of biomedical engineering in greater depth
· Complete a senior project
Chemical Engineering
Students in this major will:
· Develop the ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering
· Be able to design and conduct experiments, as well as analyze and interpret data
· Learn to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability
· Function on multidisciplinary teams
· Learn to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems using appropriate techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools
· Understand professional and ethical responsibility
· Be able to communicate effectively
· Obtain the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context
· Recognize the need for and have the ability to engage in lifelong learning
· Be knowledgeable about contemporary issues affecting the field
Chemistry
Students in this major will:
· Master central concepts of chemistry and their practical applications in modern laboratory and research settings
· Be trained broadly and deeply in the chemical sciences
· Apply the scientific method to the quantitative formulation and analysis of scientific questions
· Be knowledgeable about the important relationships between chemistry and modern society
· Organize complex subjects in a logical manner through effective speaking and writing skills
Classics – Classical Civilization
Students in this major will:
· Acquire a thorough knowledge of the major genres and works of ancient Greek and Roman literature
· Become competent at translating texts in Greek or Latin, or both (L4)
· Analyze works of Greek and Roman literature in their cultural, political, and historical contexts
· Have a sound knowledge of Greek and Roman history
· Use different media in interpreting the literature, culture, and history of Greece and Rome
· Understand trends in classical scholarship
· Develop an appreciation of how different societies, from medieval times forward, have shaped our conception of classical antiquity
· Gain insight into how the study of classical antiquity can inform the preoccupations of the contemporary world
· Produce a senior project entailing significant original research
Classics – Greek
Students in this major will:
· Acquire advanced competence in ancient Greek (multiple L5) and be able to translate Greek literature accurately and fluently
· Have a thorough knowledge of the major genres and works of Greek literature and be able to analyze them in their cultural, political, and historical contexts
· Possess a sound knowledge of Greek history from the late Bronze Age to the Hellenistic period
· Use different media in interpreting Greek literature, culture, and history
· Understand trends in classical scholarship
· Complete a senior departmental examination, and, for intensive majors, a senior essay as well
· Gain insight into how the study of classics can inform the preoccupations of the contemporary world
Classics – Greek and Latin
Students in this major will:
· Acquire advanced competence in ancient Greek and Latin (multiple L5) and be able to translate Greek and Latin literature accurately and fluently
· Have a sound knowledge of the major genres and works of both literatures and be able to analyze them in their cultural, political, and historical contexts
· Know the contours of Greek and Roman history and have a thorough grasp of the culture, society, political institutions, topography, art, and architecture of Athens and Rome in classical antiquity
· Use different media in interpreting the literature, culture, and history of Greece and Rome
· Understand trends in classical scholarship
· Be able to compare the cultures, societies, and art of Greece and Rome and to appreciate their contact and interrelationship
· Complete a senior departmental examination, and, for intensive majors, a senior essay as well
· Gain insight into how the study of classics can inform the preoccupations of the contemporary world
Classics - Latin
Students in this major will:
· Acquire advanced competence in classical Latin (multiple L5) and be able to translate Roman literature accurately and fluently
· Have a thorough knowledge of the major genres and works of Roman literature and be able to analyze them in their cultural, political, and historical contexts
· Possess a sound knowledge of Roman history from the early Republic to the reign of Justinian
· Use different media in interpreting the literature, culture, and history of ancient Rome
· Understand trends in classical scholarship
· Complete a senior departmental examination, and, for intensive majors, a senior essay as well
· Gain insight into how the study of classics can inform the preoccupations of the contemporary world
Cognitive Science
Students in this major will:
· Learn how the mind works by exploring various cognitive processes
· Develop an interdisciplinary perspective that connects topics in psychology, computer science, linguistics, philosophy, economics, and neuroscience
· Become familiar with methodological approaches used in the study of cognition
· Engage in independent research leading to a senior essay
Computer Science
Students in this major will:
· Learn fundamental concepts of programming architecture and design
· Understand the uses of algorithms and the organization of data
· Develop facility with both systems oriented and mathematically oriented problem solving
· Acquire a depth of knowledge in at least one specialized area of computer science
· Complete a portfolio of substantial original work
Computing and the Arts
Students in this major will:
· Gain a theoretical, philosophical, historical, and practical understanding of the connections between computation and the arts
· Develop a specialty exploring the relationship of computing to music, art, architecture, theater studies, or art history
· Analyze, create, and explore artistic artifacts in the chosen specialty through the use of computation, mathematics, and information technology
· Understand the algorithmic nature of problems arising in art and develop appropriate problem-solving skills
· Complete a final project that demonstrates mastery of the subject matter and its creative application
East Asian Languages and Literatures
Students in this major will:
· Attain advanced proficiency in Chinese and/or Japanese (multiple L5) from everyday use to research purposes
· Become familiar with modern and pre-modern East Asian cultural traditions
· Gain interdisciplinary, comparative perspectives on East Asian humanities (including theater and film)
· Acquire analytical and critical skills for the study of East Asian cultures
· Produce a piece of original research informed by original-language sources
East Asian Studies
Students in this major will:
· Develop an understanding of both the region of East Asia and a specific country through course work in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean taught by experts who work with those languages
· Achieve fluent and spontaneous interaction with native speakers (L5)
· Learn to read and understand complex texts in Chinese, Japanese, or Korean (L5)
· Experience Chinese, Japanese, or Korean society through living in East Asia for at least a summer
· Using original-language materials, complete a major research project that requires Chinese, Japanese, or Korean-language materials
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Students in this major will:
· Understand, articulate, and explore the mechanisms that generate and maintain biodiversity
· Learn about molecules, cells, organs, organisms, and ecosystems, and about the evolutionary processes that shape them
· Develop critical and original thinking skills by analyzing experimental strategies, designing experiments, and interpreting data
· Have opportunities to conduct independent research in both the laboratory and the field
· Explore one subfield or research question in depth through independent study or a senior essay
Economics
Students in this major will:
· Learn basic economic principles and methods through study of microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics
· Be able to describe economic institutions underlying economic systems
· Identify and analyze objectives and constraints at the core of an economic issue
· Use equilibrium reasoning in market or strategic settings
· Explicate an economic problem through the use of appropriate data
· Test hypotheses and isolate economic forces using statistics and econometrics
· Propose and execute a sound methodology to answer a question in economics or public policy
Economics and Math
Students in this major will:
· Learn basic economic principles and methods, through the study of microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics
· Be able to understand, construct, and write mathematical proofs
· Use mathematics to illuminate the institutions, objectives and constraints at the core of an economic issue
· Analyze market settings with general-equilibrium theory and strategic settings with game theory
· Explicate an economic problem through the use of appropriate data, economic theory, and mathematical modeling
· Test hypotheses and isolate economic forces using statistics and econometrics
· Propose and execute a rigorous methodology to answer a question in economics or public policy
Electrical Engineering
Students in this major will:
· Develop the ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering
· Be able to design and conduct experiments, as well as analyze and interpret data
· Learn to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems using appropriate techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools
· Be able to communicate effectively
English
Students in this major will:
· Explore important works of English, American, and world literatures in English
· Become familiar with a wide variety of authors, literary genres, and historical periods
· Gain skills of critical and historical analysis and argument
· Develop research skills
· Develop and master a style of elegant, felicitous, and persuasive critical prose
· Produce a culminating literary-critical essay that rests on substantial independent work
Environmental Engineering
Students in this major will:
· Develop a broad foundation in the physical, biological, and chemical sciences and in applied mathematics
· Apply quantitative problem-solving skills to a broad spectrum of water quality, air quality, and environmental design problems
· Understand the global, environmental, economic, and social implications of engineering practice and design
· Learn to work collaboratively
· Complete a capstone research or design project
Environmental Studies
Students in this major will:
· Receive broad training in environmental science and environmental problem solving
· Acquire field training and research methods
· Collect scientific data, evidence, and archival materials
· Analyze and integrate quantitative and qualitative information to reach judgments regarding causal influence
· Learn to communicate effectively in writing and speaking
· Conduct independent, original research
Ethics, Politics, and Economics
Students in this major will:
· Receive broad training in ethics, politics, economics, and statistics
· Develop interdisciplinary thinking skills through readings, seminar discussions, and papers
· Become proficient in oral expression and debate
· Understand the applications of the major’s subject matter beyond the classroom
· Design and carry out a substantial and interdisciplinary senior thesis project
Ethnicity, Race, and Migration
Students in this major will:
· Engage in an interdisciplinary and comparative study of the forces that have created a multicultural, multiethnic, and multiracial world
· Become familiar with traditions and debates surrounding concepts of indigeneity, ethnicity, nationality, and race
· Define an area of focus and study it in depth
· Understand theoretical and methodological issues in the study of ethnicity, race, and migration
· Develop the critical thinking and effective writing skills required for cultural and social analysis
· Complete a senior essay
Film Studies
Students in this major will:
· Acquire advanced skills in the history and formal analysis of film
· Become conversant with theoretical perspectives on the moving image
· Understand films in national perspective
· Integrate theory and analysis through creative engagement with contemporary media practices
· Hone nonfiction writing skills
· Obtain the expertise necessary to produce original work in a particular area of study or practice
French
Students in this major will:
· Attain advanced proficiency in both written and oral French (multiple L5)
· Acquire a deep understanding of the literatures and cultures of francophone countries
· Gain analytical and critical reading skills
· Develop rhetorical and argumentative abilities
· Conduct independent research using French-language sources
· Produce a work of original research and interpretation
Geology and Geophysics
Students in this major will:
· Understand the history and evolution of the Earth and other planets, from their deep interiors to surface environments and climate
· Learn how geological, physical, chemical, and biological processes are integrated within a planetary system
· Understand the science and impact of natural disasters
· Become knowledgeable about energy and natural-resource distribution and usage
· Study humanity’s increasing role as a geological agent of global change
· Integrate field observations, experimental data, and theory across wide ranges of temporal and spatial scales
· Develop critical thinking, quantitative analysis, and written and oral communication skills for both scientific and general audiences
· Conduct original scientific research
German
Students in this major will develop:
· Advanced proficiency in German (multiple L5) in its everyday, critical, and literary idioms
· A philological attitude, learning how to approach a literary text, an image, or a film with careful attention to its singularities
· A historical sense, through study of Germanic cultural histories and theories of history written in German
· A capacity for critique, working through major texts in German philosophy, media theory, social and political thought, and literary theory
· A fascination with one work, author, artist, problem, historical moment, figure, or phrase in a senior essay
Global Affairs
Students in this major will:
· Learn to understand global affairs through interdisciplinary academic training and experiences outside the classroom with the ultimate goal of inspiring and preparing students for global leadership and service
· Become conversant with theoretical and applied scholarship in international development and international security
· Critically analyze research in the social sciences as it relates to global affairs
· Learn to produce original research and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of various approaches to research design
· Gain expertise in one area of global affairs
· Apply academic knowledge and skills learned in the major to an applied policy question in the Senior Capstone Project
· Become proficient in at least one non-English modern language (L5)
Greek
Students in this major will:
· Gain an appreciation of the development and complex legacy of the Hellenic world and its different civilizations
· Acquire advanced competence in ancient Greek (L5) and proficiency in modern Greek (L4), and be able to read both literatures fluently
· Have a sound knowledge of the history of ancient Greece from the Archaic to the Hellenistic age, of Byzantine Greece, and of modern Greece from the eighteenth century to the present
· Use different media and disciplines in the study of ancient and modern Greece
· Understand trends in scholarship on ancient and modern Greece
· Complete a senior departmental examination
History
Students in this major will:
· Learn about the ways in which human activities of the past have shaped the present
· Understand both how the contemporary world came to be and why societies change and develop over time
· Develop the ability to write about history with precision, clarity, and conciseness
· Learn to read a variety of texts critically and analytically and to write about them in engaging ways
· Write and present an interpretive and analytical senior essay
History of Art
Students in this major will:
· Critically analyze, evaluate, and describe works of art and architecture, taking into account form, function, and meaning within their distinctive historical and cultural contexts
· Self-consciously bring to bear a range of critical theoretical frameworks and methodologies to the analysis of works of art and architecture
· Conduct original research utilizing a range of primary and secondary sources, to develop a persuasive argument based on new research, and to situate a research project/ paper within a broader scholarly field (or fields)
· Reach out to the broader arts environment at Yale, New Haven, and the northeast corridor to integrate classroom teaching with primary analysis of objects in Yale’s various museums and special collections, as well as in nearby museum collections
· Be introduced to the rudimentaries of the discipline of art history, and to provide them with analytical and practical skills—“visual literacy”—that may be applicable in a range of real world visual arts environments
History of Science, Medicine and Public Health
Students in this major will:
· Understand and analyze key themes in the historical development of science, medicine, and public health
· Learn to identify and work with primary sources
· Combine courses in History of Science, Medicine, and Public Health with relevant courses from the natural sciences, the social sciences, and the humanities
· Conduct original research on one or more topics
· Complete a senior essay or project
Humanities
Students in this major will:
· Become familiar with classical works of Western European culture and at least one non-Western culture
· Learn humanistic approaches to the study of nature and human nature
· Gain expertise in historical modes of analysis
· Understand ongoing theoretical debates about the distinctive modernity of the present-day human condition
· Understand key debates about modes of humanistic knowing as characterized by evidence and persuasion, insight and judgment
· Draw from and integrate different academic specialties in the study of a particular phenomenon
· Complete a substantial senior essay in an individually devised field of concentration
Italian
Students in this major will:
· Acquire advanced speaking, writing, and reading skills in Italian (multiple L5)
· Gain a thorough understanding of Italian artistic, literary, and cultural traditions
· Become conversant with literary and cultural theory
· Develop and refine the reading, writing, speaking, critical thinking, and research skills central to scholarship
· Have opportunities to study abroad
· Complete a senior essay, written in Italian, that demonstrates careful reading and research on a chosen topic
Judaic Studies
Students in this major will:
· Become proficient in modern Hebrew (L4)
· Gain broad knowledge of Jewish history
· Study Hebrew literature and its interpretive history from the Bible to the present
· Become familiar with problems and concepts in Jewish thought
· Understand the role of Jews and Jewish ideas in the shaping of Western civilization
· Write a senior essay incorporating original research
Latin American Studies
Students in this major will:
· Become proficient in one Latin American language (Spanish or Portuguese, L4) and conversant with the other (L2)
· Understand the societies and cultures of Latin America
· Build an interdisciplinary foundation of the region for courses in the social sciences, language and literature, history, history of art, and humanities
Linguistics
Students in this major will:
· Become familiar with important discoveries and results in linguistics
· Develop specialized knowledge in one linguistic subfield
· Acquire methodological tools needed for linguistic research
· Receive training in hypothesis formation and testing, in analysis, and in skills of argumentation
· Explore connections between linguistics and other fields, such as cognitive science, anthropology, and philosophy
· Conduct independent research and write a senior essay in the subfield of specialization
· Become acquainted with the properties of a variety of languages other than English
Literature
Students in this major will:
· Learn to approach literature as an object in itself, in comparative perspective, and in interdisciplinary contexts
· Acquire knowledge of literary theory, genres, and interpretation
· Use critical and research tools in textual analysis, including analysis of film
· Become acquainted with a variety of literatures of different nations, periods, and genres, and understand the theoretical challenges posed by their comparison
· Develop a focus on one or two foreign-language literatures
· Complete a research-based senior project
Mathematics
Students in this major will:
· Become familiar with at least two core areas of mathematical knowledge
· Develop problem-solving skills in several areas of mathematics
· Learn to understand, construct, and write mathematical proofs
· Be able to explain mathematics both in writing and in oral presentation
· Complete a senior requirement through work on an advanced mathematical topic
Mathematics and Philosophy
Students in this major will:
· Pursue questions that arise where mathematics and philosophy intersect
· Learn to address these questions with an insight, creativity, and rigor informed by the philosophical background of the question and relevant developments in mathematics
· Become broadly acquainted with modern mathematics
· Understand basic findings in mathematical logic and set theory
· Study the use of logical and mathematical methods in philosophy
· Investigate philosophical questions raised by mathematics
· Explore the bearing of mathematics on traditional philosophical problems
· Be prepared to carry out independent research in mathematics or philosophy
Mathematics and Physics
Students in this major will:
· Become familiar with three or more core areas of mathematical and physical knowledge through appropriate course work
· Develop problem-solving skills in several areas of mathematics and physics
· Learn to understand, construct, and write mathematical proofs and to formulate physical problems in mathematical terms
· Learn to explain mathematical and physical ideas and results in writing and in oral presentations
· Engage in independent research
· Complete a senior project and give an oral presentation about it
Mechanical Engineering
Students in this major will:
· Develop the ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering
· Be able to design and conduct experiments, as well as analyze and interpret data
· Learn to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability
· Function on multidisciplinary teams
· Learn to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems using appropriate techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools
· Understand professional and ethical responsibility
· Be able to communicate effectively
· Obtain the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context
· Recognize the need for and have the ability to engage in lifelong learning
· Be knowledgeable about contemporary issues affecting the field
Modern Middle East Studies
Students in this major will:
· Engage in interdisciplinary study of the modern Middle East in at least two of its subregions
· Demonstrate proficiency in Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, or Turkish (at least two L5)
· Come to understand the cultural, historical, religious, political, and social forces shaping the region
· Develop and refine the reading, writing, speaking, critical thinking, and research skills central to scholarship
· Have opportunities to study abroad
· Produce a senior essay on an aspect of regional history, politics, or culture
Molecular Biochemistry and Biophysics
Students in this major will:
· Understand the molecular mechanisms underlying biological phenomena
· Apply concepts from chemistry and physics to understand how biological molecules function
· Learn how studies of biological molecules uncover the causes of human disease and help develop new medicines
· Develop critical and original thinking skills by analyzing experimental strategies, designing experiments, and interpreting data
· Explore advanced topics in biochemistry and biophysics through critical reading of the primary scientific literature
· Have the opportunity to engage in independent research in a laboratory at Yale
Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
Students in this major will:
· Learn about molecular and cellular biology and genetics, including issues in cell and developmental biology, neurobiology, and aspects of computational biology
· Have the option to pursue interdisciplinary work in biotechnology or neurobiology
· Develop critical and original thinking skills by analyzing experimental strategies, designing experiments, and interpreting data
· Have opportunities to conduct independent laboratory research
· Complete a senior essay, a tutorial, or an individual research project
Music
Students in this major will:
· Gain a thorough grounding in the history of Western music and a strong introduction to world musical cultures
· Reach advanced proficiency in music theory, aural skills, musicianship, and analysis
· Attain a high level of mastery in at least one specialized area of music: performance, composition, or musicology
· Pursue advanced topics in music studies through seminar courses requiring substantial research and writing
· Have the opportunity to participate in music-making ensembles from many traditions
· Complete a senior essay or project
Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations
Students in this major will:
· Develop a sound knowledge of one or more Near Eastern languages, ancient or modern (L4 or L5, depending on the language)
· Acquire a broad familiarity with the history and civilizations of the Near East
· Become proficient in the history, religion, and culture of at least one Near Eastern people and civilization, ancient or modern
· Master essential research skills and tools for a subfield of choice
· Write a senior project based on in-depth research, using materials in one or more Near Eastern languages
Philosophy
Students in this major will:
· Acquire a broad understanding of the history of philosophy
· Study works by Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Hume, and Kant
· Become acquainted with modern logic and its philosophical significance
· Engage in the practice of philosophy in a range of its most important subfields
· Learn to pursue philosophical questions with insight, independence of mind, and argumentative rigor
· Face philosophical questions wherever they arise: not only in philosophy courses and texts, but in other disciplines, in moral and political conduct, and in everyday life
· Learn to address questions with open-mindedness, clarity, and precision, and with an abiding concern for evidence, argument, and the scope and coherence of their emerging views
· Carry out independent philosophical research
Physics
Students in this major will:
· Understand basic principles of physics and their applications
· Develop the ability to formulate and solve problems in physics and across the sciences and engineering
· Learn to formulate scientific questions and to approach their solution creatively
· Develop critical thinking and the ability to communicate and collaborate effectively
· Engage in independent research culminating in a senior project
Physics and Geology
Students in this major will:
· Understand topics ranging from atmosphere, ocean, and climate dynamics to planetary physics
· Apply fundamental physical principles to the study of Earth and other planetary bodies
· Learn to formulate scientific questions and to approach their solutions creatively
· Develop critical thinking, quantitative analysis, and written and oral communication skills for both scientific and general audiences
· Complete a senior project and oral presentation
Physics and Philosophy
Students in this major will:
· Pursue questions that arise where physics and philosophy meet
· Address questions with insight, creativity, and rigor in a manner informed by the philosophical background of the questions and by an understanding of the basic principles of physics
· Become broadly acquainted with modern physics
· Understand mathematical logic and its philosophical significance
· Engage in the examination of philosophical questions raised by natural science, particularly by physics
· Explore the bearing of physics on perennial philosophical debates
· Carry out independent research in physics or philosophy
Political Science
Students in this major will:
· Learn about issues related to power, representation, institutional order, distribution, conflict, and identity, from the local to the global level
· Develop the tools to think critically and analytically about politics and public policy
· Have opportunities to conduct independent research, including fieldwork
· Complete a senior essay based on extensive research
Portuguese
Students in this major will:
· Acquire a comprehensive knowledge of the literatures and cultures of the Lusophone diaspora
· Demonstrate advanced proficiency in Portuguese (multiple L5)
· Have opportunities to study abroad
· Complete a senior essay or a departmental examination
Psychology
Students in this major will:
· Develop a strong foundation in the science of psychology
· Gain a basic understanding of how human and nonhuman animals think, perceive, behave, and learn
· Learn about psychological questions from both social-science and natural-science perspectives
· Develop the critical and original thinking skills needed to evaluate psychological research
· Synthesize and review specific topics in the psychological literature
· Acquire the quantitative reasoning skills needed for the statistical analyses used in psychological research
· Engage in independent research to explore their own questions about the mind
· Produce a substantial paper in satisfaction of the senior requirement
Religious Studies
Students in this major will:
· Understand religion as a form of human thought and activity
· Learn about religions from around the world
· Appreciate the role of religions as social movements, textual traditions, sensory cultures, and arbiters of value
· Acquire the linguistic, philosophical, and historical acumen necessary for in-depth research
· Gain analytical perspective on the relationship between evidence and interpretation
· Improve rhetorical and argumentative abilities
· Produce a work of original research and interpretation as a senior essay
Russian
Students in this major will:
· Acquire advanced speaking, writing, and reading skills in Russian (multiple L5)
· Gain a thorough understanding of the Russian literary and cultural traditions
· Develop and refine reading, writing, speaking, critical thinking, and research skills central to scholarship
· Become conversant in literary and cultural theory
· Have opportunities to study abroad
· Produce original scholarship on a particular topic in Russian literature and/or culture as a senior essay
Russian and East European Studies
Students in this major will:
· Acquire intermediate-to-advanced knowledge of Russian (multiple L5) or of another Slavic language, e.g., Polish or Czech (L4)
· Engage in interdisciplinary study of Russia, the former Soviet republics, Eastern or East Central Europe
· Come to understand the historical, political, social, cultural, and economic forces that have shaped the region under study
· Develop and refine reading, writing, speaking, critical thinking, and research skills central to scholarship
· Develop a particular area of expertise, defined geographically and chronologically (e.g., contemporary Central Asia, Soviet Russia)
· Have opportunities to study abroad
· Produce original, interdisciplinary scholarship on an aspect of Russian, East European, or Central Asian history, politics, or culture in a senior essay
Sociology
Students in this major will:
· Understand the structure of modern society and the role of social forces in shaping individual lives
· Develop the capacity to think critically about social issues, including those related to social inequality and social change
· Be prepared to conduct basic research in the field using qualitative and quantitative methods
· Complete a scholarly review or critical analysis of a sociological subfield in the standard major, or a substantial independent research project in the intensive major
South Asian Studies
Students in this major will:
· Complement work in their primary major (South Asian Studies is a second major) with a broad understanding of the history, culture, and languages of South Asia (L5)
· Develop a working knowledge of the region’s current social, political, and economic conditions
· Appreciate and work toward attaining regional knowledge and language skills
Spanish
Students in this major will:
· Have the opportunity to acquire thorough linguistic proficiency in Spanish as well as in-depth knowledge of cultural and literary topics
· Study with an award-winning, internationally-recognized faculty
· Read, discuss and write about Spanish and Latin American works of literature in Spanish
Special Divisional Majors
Students in the major will:
· In collaboration with advisers, create a clear and coherent major design in a field or combination of fields for which there is no existing major
· Ensure that the major has breadth and depth comparable to other majors in Yale College
· Establish criteria for selecting courses and organize course work to obtain an adequate base for advanced study of a specific topic
· Design and gain multi- or interdisciplinary perspective in the proposed fields of study
· Engage in independent research culminating in a senior project
Statistics
Students in this major will:
· Understand the science and art of prediction and explanation
· Learn to use the tools of practical statistical analysis
· Study probability, statistics, and data analysis in depth
· Be able to apply probability theory to topics in economics, biology, medicine, engineering, and other areas
· Complete a senior project
Theater Studies
Students in this major will:
· Understand performance as a form of thought, expression, and inquiry
· Engage with theater, dance, and performance studies as methods of research that are interdisciplinary in scope and global in perspective
· Develop a nuanced understanding of the reciprocal relationship between theory and practice
· Acquire knowledge of dramatic literature, theater and dance history, and performance theory and practices of diverse cultures and traditions
· Develop abilities in several areas of practice
· Refine tools of critical articulation
· Develop awareness of and practical strategies that speak to the ethical, aesthetic, political, historical, and cultural contexts in which work is created
· Produce a body of creative and critical work, including a senior project
Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Students in this major will:
· Become thoroughly familiar with themes, problems, and debates in the study of women, gender, and sexuality
· Become acquainted with quantitative, qualitative, and interpretive methodologies used in the study of women gender, and sexuality
· Achieve proficiency in at least one methodology used in the field for research purposes
· Understand gender and sexuality as construed across a range of social divisions and historical, political, and geographical contexts
· Study topics in the field from any of a number of disciplinary approaches in the humanities and social sciences
· Evaluate the effects of political and economic events on gender and sexuality identities, expressions, aesthetic forms, and politics
· Analyze representations of gender and sexuality in politics, medicine, law, literature, film, theater, television, photography, digital media, and the academy
· Develop critical thinking and effective writing skills
· Conduct original research on women, gender, and sexuality, culminating in a senior essay