The purpose of the liberal arts curriculum is to give every student a detailed knowledge of at least one subject and to correlate it with a broad understanding of the liberal arts. To achieve the scholarship that this objective implies, students work intensively in one or more departments or programs and complete requirements and electives in fields outside of their specialization.
Middlebury College confers one undergraduate degree, Bachelor of Arts. It also confers the graduate degrees: Master of Arts, Master of Letters, Master of Science, and Doctor of Modern Languages.
ACCREDITATION
Middlebury College is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc., a nongovernmental, nationally recognized organization whose affiliated institutions include elementary schools through collegiate institutions offering postgraduate instruction.
Accreditation of an institution by the New England Association indicates that the school meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality periodically applied through a peer group review process. An accredited school or college is one that has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity is also addressed through accreditation.
UNDERGRADUATE WORK
COURSE REGISTRATION
Course Load
The typical program of study is four courses in each of the fall and spring terms, and one course in winter term per year, for a total of 36 course credits in four years. Sophomores and juniors may register for five fall or spring semesters courses only with specific approval of their advisors and the dean of their Commons. Normally, this permission is granted to students who have maintained an average of B or better in the two preceding semesters. Seniors may register for five courses without permission. Students registering for a fifth course may do so only during the add period. The comprehensive fee remains unchanged for a three-, four-, or five-course program. Students may not enroll for more than five courses per semester. Students may take no fewer than three courses per semester without permission of the Administration Committee to become special students.
All entering first-year students register for a first-year seminar in their first semester at Middlebury. Students select the remainder of their first-semester program in consultation with their advisors. Final registration for courses occurs after students have attended informational sessions on the various departmental offerings and have taken appropriate placement tests. The College Board's Advanced Placement tests may qualify a student for either credit or advanced standing in a course sequence, or both. Determination of credit and/or standing is the prerogative of the academic department. Detailed information on the determination of advanced placement credit is provided in the registration booklet distributed to entering students.
Auditing
With advance permission of the instructor, a regularly enrolled student may audit classes. The instructor establishes the conditions under which the student may audit. A student may request "official audit" status, in which case the course will be recorded on his or her transcript with "audit" noted in the grade column. In order to obtain official audit status, the student must make a request to the instructor, and they must agree in writing on the conditions of satisfactory completion. Students must register for audited courses during the normal add period. In no case may the student receive course credit for auditing a class.
Non-students may audit courses only with the permission of the instructor and the dean of the faculty or his or her designee. In such cases there is no official audit status and no record is kept.
Course Registration
Students use the Banner Web registration system to register for courses on the Web. For fall and spring courses, students register at the end of the previous spring/fall semester. This registration is real-time with registration windows that are open in seniority order. Some courses may be open only to first-years and others only to upper-class students or only to majors. Typically, introductory courses are open to first-years and sophomores. Students are encouraged to declare their majors and minors by the end of their second or third semester to take advantage of courses that may be restricted by major.
Prior to entering Middlebury, first-year students use the Banner Web registration system to register for a first-year seminar and to indicate preferences for their remaining courses. During orientation, they participate in a first-year registration to complete their schedule. Representatives from the faculty are available for consultation during this registration. Spaces are reserved in many courses to allow enrollment of first-year and transfer students.
Registration for winter term courses is also done using Banner Web, with registration periods open first to sophomores, then to first-years, and then to seniors and juniors.. First year students must take a course on campus in their first winter term.
Change of Course Registration
Immediately following the online registration period and through the end of the second week of the fall and spring semesters, course additions may be made if the student has the consent of his or her advisor and the instructor of the course in which the student wishes to enroll. Students must turn in their add cards by the end of the second week of classes.
Students may not add a course after the deadline. Special exceptions to this rule may be considered only by written appeal to the Administration Committee. If an exception is approved, a charge of $35 per add will be assessed.
A student may withdraw from a course without receiving a failing grade up to the end of the fifth week of the term.
After the fifth week of classes, a student may petition the Administration Committee in writing to withdraw from a course for exceptional personal or medical reasons. The petition should be endorsed by the student's Commons dean. If permission is granted, the course will be removed from the student's transcript; if it is denied, the student will remain on the roster for that course. Withdrawals for other reasons are not permitted after the end of the fifth week. A student may also petition the Administration Committee to correct the student's enrollment if the student provides written confirmation from the instructor that the student did not attend the class. If permission is granted, a charge of $35 per dropped course will be assessed. A student who fails to complete the work of a course will receive a failing grade in that course.
During winter term, the drop/add period ends after the third day and late fees are automatically assessed after the deadline.
Students who enter a class late do so at their own risk. They will not be permitted to use a late start as the reason for dropping a course after the deadline.
Transfer of Credit
Students may transfer course credits from other U.S. institutions of higher education only at the discretion of Middlebury College. Students should obtain preliminary approval for a course for which they expect transfer credit before enrolling in it. Students should complete in advance a Transfer Credit Application form, requiring approval by the appropriate department chair or program director and the Dean of International Programs. The form should be accompanied by a complete course description and a syllabus, if available; further information about the institution may also be required by the chair or dean. Transcripts from approved educational institutions must be official and sent directly from the institution that granted credit. Grade reports, unofficial transcripts, or hand-carried transcripts are not acceptable.
To receive credit, the transfer course should normally be above the introductory level at the institution attended and carry at least three semester-hour credits or five quarter-hour credits. Only courses that meet for a period of four weeks or longer and at least the same number of class hours as an equivalent Middlebury College course are eligible to receive credit. A student may only transfer two courses per summer session and a maximum of four summer courses over two sessions. Only courses with a grade of C- or better may be transferred from another institution toward the Middlebury degree. Courses graded on a pass/fail basis do not transfer. Transfer credits may be used to satisfy the academic and cultures/civilizations distribution requirements if the transfer credit is considered by the appropriate Middlebury department to be the equivalent of a Middlebury course that would satisfy one or more of those requirements. After students matriculate at Middlebury College, they normally may not take two-year or community college courses for credit towards a Middlebury degree. College courses taken in high school and applied toward a high school diploma or in a college/high school cooperative program are not transferable. Only courses taken on college campuses, taught by college professors, for college students, and for which there are official transcripts, may be considered for transfer.
Transfer work from U.S. institutions will be evaluated on a course-by-course basis to determine the fulfillment of Middlebury departmental and College requirements. Grades of D or F at other colleges are not transferable. The major European examination certificates, such as the French Baccalauréat, International Baccalaureate, Swiss Maturité, Artium Examination, British A levels, and German Arbitur are normally considered to have a value of one full academic year if students receive scores that indicate excellent performance. Students who receive such credit may not then receive credit for Middlebury introductory courses in subjects covered on the examination.
All transfer course work completed off campus, whether in the U.S. or abroad, must receive final approval by the Dean of International Programs. When courses taken prior to matriculation at Middlebury, during summers, or while withdrawn from the College are transferred, the credit is recorded but not the grade that was awarded.
Students on a post-matriculation semester- or year-long study abroad program must have the program approved by the Programs Abroad Committee prior to their study abroad to receive Middlebury credit. Students will not receive transfer credit for non-approved study abroad programs.
Special Student
With departmental approval, Middlebury students may apply to the Administration Committee for special student status in cases of illness or when they need only one or two courses to graduate. Special students are charged by the course and ordinarily may not live or eat on campus. Any student requesting special student status must apply before March 15 for the fall term and November 15 for the spring term. Students whose circumstances change after March 15 or November 15 may file applications for special student status after those deadlines if they have compelling reasons for requesting special student status.
ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND REGULATIONS
The Middlebury College Handbook is available to students through the Web and contains detailed information about policies and regulations for enrollment, fee refunds, attendance, scholarship, examinations, athletics, student activities, and other topics. Since these policies are subject to change, they are not considered contractual. All students are responsible for knowledge of and compliance with current College regulations.
The College reserves the right to exclude at any time students whose conduct or academic performance is judged unacceptable by appropriate administrative authorities without assigning any further reason. Neither the College nor any of its officers shall be under any liability whatsoever for such exclusion. In such cases, the fees that are due or may have been paid in advance will not be refunded or remitted, in whole or in part.
GRADES
Instructors report final course grades to the Registrar's Office and not directly to students. Students are responsible for keeping parents correctly and currently informed of their standing and progress in college. Students can view their own grades online. For students who have signed a waiver, fall grades and spring grades are mailed to parents. Notices of second course warnings, academic probation, academic failure, withdrawals, written reprimands, disciplinary probation, suspension, and expulsion are sent to parents as a matter of course.
Grading System
Grades are recorded as A, B, C, D, and F (the plus designation is used only with B, and C; minus is used only with A, B, and C) in fall, winter, and spring terms. D is a probationary grade that, while recording a minimal pass, is regarded as unsatisfactory performance. F notes failure. A student who receives a grade of F may repeat the course in another term. However, the original grade will remain on the student's transcript and will be calculated into the overall grade point average (GPA). The numerical equivalents of grades are A, 4.00; A-, 3.67; B+, 3.33; B, 3.00; B-, 2.67; C+, 2.33; C, 2.00; C-, 1.67; D, 1.00; F, 0. Based on their grades, students earn the following honors:
College Scholar: Grade point average of 3.60 or higher with no grade lower than B- for students taking four or more courses.
Dean's List: Grade point average of 3.30 to 3.59 with no grade lower than B- for students taking four or more courses.
The same probation and failure rules apply to all undergraduate students. The Administration Committee will exercise leniency in responding to first-year, first-semester students and will therefore give strong consideration to readmitting a student who has received academic failure in their first semester, unless the student has demonstrated flagrant neglect of his or her academic work and responsibility.
Academic Probation: 2 Ds; 1 D and 1 F; D or F in winter term; 1 D or 1 F for students completing only three courses in the term.
Academic Failure: A second successive term on probation. 3 Ds; 2 Fs; 1 F and 2 Ds; 2 Ds or 1 F while on probation; D or F in winter term while on probation; three times on probation; 1 F and 1 D, or 2 Ds for students completing only three courses in the term.
ACADEMIC HONORS
The College recognizes superior academic achievement in the following ways.
Honorary Appointments: The faculty makes these honorary commencement appointments: to the senior attaining highest rank, the appointment of valedictorian; to the second in rank, the appointment of salutatorian. Transfer students are not eligible for these appointments.
Phi Beta Kappa: The Middlebury Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa Society is the Beta Chapter of Vermont, established in 1868. Faculty members of the chapter elect students to membership at the beginning or end of the senior year, based on outstanding academic achievement during three or four years' work at Middlebury. Students graduating from Middlebury who have transferred from other colleges may be elected on the basis of at least two years' work at Middlebury.
Commencement Honors: Commencement honors are awarded for high scholastic rank. Graduation honors are summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude.
Departmental Honors Program: Students may be eligible for departmental honors upon graduation if they meet certain standards established by the College and the individual department. Honors work usually requires a special project, such as a thesis. Honors are listed on the commencement program and on the student’s academic transcript.
Prizes, Scholarships, Fellowships: A number of awards providing honorary or financial recognition of academic achievement have been established. Some of these awards are granted during the student's undergraduate career. Others provide assistance for graduate work.
Academic Honor Code
Before enrolling at Middlebury College, each student must agree to abide by the Honor Code. This agreement is a condition of matriculation. Under the Honor Code all quizzes, pre-announced tests, and final examinations are not proctored, and students must sign the following pledge on all written work: "I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this assignment."
All incoming new students are required to sign a statement on which there is a definition of plagiarism and a mention of the penalty for plagiarism. The individual student is responsible for ensuring that his or her work does not involve plagiarism.
All charges of plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty come under the jurisdiction of the Academic Judicial Board, a panel that includes both student and faculty members. Anyone who observes an infraction should report the offense to the Associate Dean of the College. Students who are found guilty of academic dishonesty are normally suspended from the College.
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Candidates for the Bachelor of Arts degree must complete 36 courses. At least 18 of these courses must be Middlebury courses. Courses taken at Middlebury summer Language Schools or at the Middlebury Schools Abroad will count in the 18-course total and the grades will count in the undergraduate grade point average. No more than six courses with a D grade may be applied to degree requirements. A minimum of two winter term courses are required and a maximum of four winter term courses will count toward the graduation requirement of 36 courses. First-year students must be in residence for their first winter term and enrolled in a winter term course on campus. For specific degree requirements please refer to the College Handbook.
Students may also choose to complete a voluntary minor.
TIME FOR COMPLETION OF THE DEGREE
The normal pattern for earning the baccalaureate degree at Middlebury College is four consecutive years of study. The requirements must be completed within ten calendar years from the initial date of matriculation. If a student is not able to complete the degree within that time frame, he/she will be held to the curriculum and degree requirements listed in the General Catalog in the year in which they are readmitted, or as determined by the Administration Committee. Students are normally graduated upon completion of all degree requirements.
MAJOR
All students must choose a major no later than the end of their third semester at Middlebury. Any student who wishes to complete a second major must declare by the end of the fourth semester of study. Some highly structured programs, particularly those involving study in the foreign languages or the natural sciences, are facilitated by a declaration of major by the end of the second semester. In registering for the major program, the student normally consults the chair of his or her chosen department or program. The chair or another member of the department or program serves as the student's major advisor for the student's subsequent years.
In addition to specific courses required for a major, cognate courses may be recommended to further the student's particular academic interests or intentions. Departments offer different programs of senior work, adjusted both to the nature of the field and to the student's needs. A department may offer the equivalent of as many as three units of senior work outside the regular course pattern. This senior work may consist of independent study and/or general examination, a senior seminar, or a senior course. Students should consult the descriptions of senior work under each department or program for details. The senior work courses may be distributed over fall, winter, and spring terms. For a joint major involving two or more departments, a single program of senior work may be required. Details should be worked out with the department chairs involved.
To change a major, a student must present an academic plan for completion of the new major or program to the advisor and chair or director (or designee) of the proposed major department or program. Upon gaining approval of that plan, the student must submit a Change of Major form to the Office of the Registrar, signed by the advisor and chair (or designee) of the proposed major department or program.
Specific course requirements for each major are listed under the department or program involved. A major requires a minimum of 10 fall and spring term courses. Students may take no more than 16 fall and spring term courses, and, in addition, no more than two winter term courses in a major department (one of which may be senior work). The official majors offered at Middlebury College are:
American Studies
Biochemistry
Biology
Chemistry
Chinese
Classical Studies
Classics
Computer Science
Economics
English and American Literatures
Environmental Studies
Film and Media Culture
French
Geography
Geology
German
History
History of Art and Architecture
Independent Scholar
International Politics and Economics
International Studies/African Studies
International Studies/East Asian Studies
International Studies/European Studies
International Studies/Latin American Studies
International Studies/Middle East Studies
International Studies/Russian and East European Studies
International Studies/South Asian Studies
Italian
Japanese Studies
Literary Studies
Mathematics
Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
Neuroscience
Music
Philosophy
Physics
Political Science
Psychology
Religion
Russian
Sociology/Anthropology
Spanish
Studio Art
Theatre and Dance
Women's and Gender Studies
Joint Major: Joint major programs combine portions of two of the disciplines in the above list, arranged on an individual basis with the cooperation and approval of the departments concerned. These joint majors are official after the required program is approved by an advisor from each department and filed in writing with the Registrar's Office, detailing how the minimum combined total of 14 fall and spring courses will be met. A senior program must combine both majors and be agreed upon by both the departments involved.
A student declaring a joint major may not declare any other major.
Double Major: A student declaring two majors may not declare any minors, with the exception of the Education Studies minor.
Triple majors are not permitted.
Independent Scholar: Outstanding students with clear educational goals that cannot be fulfilled within the framework of normal departmental requirements may plan their own curricular programs in consultation with a faculty advisor. They submit their application materials to the Curriculum Committee for review and approval.
MINOR (OPTIONAL)
Students may elect to complete one minor if they are undertaking one major (either departmental, joint, or interdisciplinary). A student may declare two minors if s/he is pursuing a departmental major. A student who is undertaking two majors may not elect to complete a minor (except for the Education Studies minor). Minors will be governed by the following guidelines:
* Minors will normally consist of four to six courses; at least one must be at an advanced level.
* Departments and programs may designate configurations of courses that will constitute a minor (or minors) for that department or program.
* Faculty may design interdepartmental minors in those areas of the curriculum in which a major is not offered.
* Students may not self-design a minor.
* Students who elect to complete a minor must declare their intention to do so by the end of the Add period of the seventh semester of study.
* No minor will be accepted after registration for a student's final semester.
* Minors will be listed on students' transcripts.
* A course may count toward a student's major or minor, but not toward both. A course counted toward one minor may not be counted toward an additional minor.
In addition to the minors associated with many of the majors listed above, the College offers minors in:
* African Studies
* African American Studies
* Education Studies
* Jewish Studies
FIRST-YEAR SEMINARS AND COLLEGE WRITING COURSES
First-year seminars are thematic courses with an intensive writing component that approach an area of intellectual inquiry from a perspective that attempts to make connections among a number of the traditional disciplines. All entering students register for one first-year seminar during their first semester on campus. The instructor of this seminar also serves as the first-year faculty advisor for all the students enrolled in the course. First-year seminars do not satisfy major requirements. They may, however, satisfy distribution requirements.
After successfully completing a first-year seminar, every student must complete by the end of the fourth semester at least one course designated as a College writing course (CW). A College writing course taken concurrently with a first-year seminar does not satisfy this requirement. For a listing of the College writing courses offered in 2008-2009, see the "College Writing Program" section of this catalog.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT
Each student must complete two physical education units unless excused by the Administration Committee. Students may use their participation on varsity and junior varsity intercollegiate teams to satisfy the physical education requirement, as well as some club sports (currently - rugby, crew, water polo, aikido and cricket). No more than one of the two physical education credits may be earned from participation in a single sport. Two-sport athletes may satisfy both physical education credits through participation on varsity and junior varsity intercollegiate teams. Students are encouraged to complete their requirement by the end of their fourth academic semester at Middlebury (excluding winter term). Students who have not completed their requirement by the second semester of their senior year will not be eligible to graduate. The physical education requirement may be completed without charge, although there are fees for some optional courses (for example, martial arts, massage, meditation, kickboxing, spinning, yoga, first aid and CPR, energy balancing, scuba diving, riding, alpine skiing, and cross-country skiing).
DISTRIBUTION REQUIREMENTS
All students must complete two sets of distribution requirements: (1) academic categories, and (2) cultures and civilizations. Courses that count toward the major and the minor may be used to satisfy distribution requirements. Winter term courses, first-year student seminars, and College writing courses may also be used to satisfy distribution requirements.
Students must take at least one course in seven of the eight academic categories described below. A single course may be listed as satisfying no more than two academic categories. A student may count a single course in no more than one academic category requirement.
I. ACADEMIC CATEGORIES
1. Literature: Literature has been a central form of expression for many societies. Analysis and appreciation of literary texts give students insight into the minds and lives of other human beings, both their own cultural predecessors and people of different traditions, and into the process whereby human experience is imaginatively transformed into art. By studying literature in English and in other languages, students also sharpen their ability to express their own ideas with grace and precision. Courses that fulfill this requirement are designated LIT.
2. The Arts: The understanding of the history, theory, and practice of the arts is an integral part of a liberal arts education. Courses in this category emphasize either the creative process through the making and performing of works of art (ranging from paintings and sculpture to plays, dances, creative writing, film/video, and musical compositions) or the place of such works of art within a particular historical, cultural, or aesthetic context. Courses that fulfill this requirement are designated ART.
3. Philosophical and Religious Studies: Courses in this category examine philosophical systems and religious traditions from a variety of viewpoints, including analytical, systematic, historical, sociological, anthropological, and phenomenological perspectives. Some courses deal with specific philosophical problems or theological issues; others trace the history of philosophy or of religious traditions; still others examine philosophical schools of thought or religious traditions during specific periods of history. Courses that fulfill this requirement are designated PHL.
4. Historical Studies: History is that branch of knowledge that seeks to account for the diverse ways in which human beings in different cultures and societies have all responded to temporal change. Courses in this category study the development of societies and cultures over time. Courses that fulfill this requirement are designated HIS.
5. Physical and Life Sciences: Courses in this category study inductive and deductive processes of science. Emphasis is on the methods used to gather, interpret, and evaluate data critically, and the placement of this information into a larger context. Fundamental principles of each discipline are discussed in a manner that illustrates the evolving relationship of science, technology, and society. Courses that fulfill this requirement are designated SCI.
6. Deductive Reasoning and Analytical Processes: Courses in this category deal with one or more of the following: (a) basic principles of reasoning and the axiomatic method; (b) statistical methods for analyzing and interpreting data; (c) key mathematical concepts; and (d) abstract symbolic manipulation or reasoning. Courses that fulfill this requirement are designated DED.
7. Social Analysis: This category deals with the analysis of the individual in society. Courses involve the systematic study of human behavior and the processes and results of human interaction through organizations and institutions, both formal and informal. Social analysis can be undertaken from a variety of perspectives: inductive (using data to make generalizations about human behavior), deductive (using principles to search for and develop new theories), and normative (using values to recognize important questions and evaluate alternative answers). Courses that fulfill this requirement are designated SOC.
8. Foreign Language: Speaking, listening, reading, and writing in a language other than one's own exercise and expand the mind. Because of the close interdependence of language and culture, study of a foreign language helps one gain insights into other societies and ultimately one's own. Courses in this category include those taught in a foreign language or focused on texts in a foreign language. Courses that fulfill this requirement are designated LNG.
II. CULTURES AND CIVILIZATIONS
Middlebury College believes that students should have broad educational exposure to the variety of the world's cultures and civilizations. Because cultural differences are based upon, among other factors, geography as well as history, and ethnicity as well as gender, issues pertaining to cultural difference are integral to most of the academic disciplines represented in the curriculum. Accordingly, Middlebury students are required to complete a cultures and civilizations requirement consisting of one course in each of the following four categories:
1. AAL-courses that focus on some aspect of the cultures and civilizations of Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and the Caribbean.
2. CMP-courses that focus on the process of comparison between and among cultures and civilizations, or courses that focus on the identity and experience of separable groups within cultures and civilizations.
3. EUR-courses that focus on some aspect of European cultures and civilizations.
4. NOR-courses that focus on some aspect of the cultures and civilizations of northern America (United States and Canada).
A single course may be listed as fulfilling either AAL, EUR, or NOR (as recommended by the course instructor and determined by the Curriculum Committee). Courses that satisfy CMP may also carry one of the regional area designations. A student may also count the same course toward both an academic category requirement, and the cultures and civilizations requirement. Courses that count toward the major and the minor, winter term courses, and first-year student seminars may be used to satisfy the cultures and civilizations requirement.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
PREMEDICAL, PREDENTAL, AND PREVETERINARY PROGRAMS
Preprofessional students should begin as first-year students by taking chemistry, biology, and mathematics consistent with their backgrounds and abilities; they are also encouraged to meet with the health professions advisor.
No specific major is required of students wishing to prepare for medical professions; students may choose a major from any discipline. However, students are usually required to complete the following courses:
• BIOL 0140 Ecology and Evolution
• BIOL 0145 Genetics and Cell Biology
• CHEM 0103 General Chemistry I
• CHEM 0104 General Chemistry II
• CHEM 0241 Organic Chemistry I
• CHEM 0242 Organic Chemistry II
• MATH 0121 Calculus I
• MATH 0122 Calculus II (and/or Statistics for certain schools)
• PHYS 0109 Newtonian Physics
• PHYS 0110 Electricity and Magnetism
• One year of English (The College Writing requirement will fulfill this prerequisite for most schools. In some instances, a course designated ENAM is requested.)
Please Note:
a) Although most medical schools do not require a full year of calculus, calculus is a prerequisite for physics courses at Middlebury; calculus-based physics is not required for medical school.
b) Approximately 12 medical schools require biochemistry, and many schools recommend it.
c) Preveterinary students must take biochemistry and statistics; a few schools require three or more biology courses.
d) Some dental schools require biochemistry and psychology.
e) Advanced Placement credits are often accepted in fulfillment of premed requirements. Some schools require a more advanced college course in biology and chemistry when AP courses have been taken in high school, or when a student passes out of the introductory course.
To begin medical school in the fall following graduation from Middlebury, all requirements of the medical colleges should be completed by the end of the junior year. However, it is becoming more common for students to enter medical school one or more years following graduation.
EARLY ASSURANCE PREMEDICAL PROGRAM
Exceptionally well-qualified students may be considered for a special early admissions program during the sophomore year. Candidates for early assurance should be absolutely sure they want to pursue a career in medicine, should be sure of the medical school they wish to attend, and must demonstrate clearly how the early assurance program will benefit them in a significant way. They should be active and productive in extra-academic endeavors, and their academic performance should be outstanding. Those who are selected as early assurance candidates will complete their Middlebury B.A. in normal course prior to entering medical school and will be expected to maintain high academic standards throughout their Middlebury tenure. The following medical schools currently offer Middlebury students the Early Assurance option:
Albany Medical School
University of Connecticut
University of Rochester
SUNY Buffalo
SUNY Upstate
For details, contact the director of health professions advising.
OTHER PREPROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS
Students may participate in other preprofessional programs that prepare them for studies in law, business management, architecture, engineering, and other fields. These students should express their interests early and should periodically meet with special advisors in the following fields: law—Professor Murray Dry; business management—Professor Michael Claudon; architecture—Professor Glenn Andres; engineering—Associate Professor Tim Huang; medicine—Arlinda Wickland, Director of Health Professions Advising.
EXCHANGE PROGRAMS
Middlebury maintains exchange programs with several U.S. colleges, including Berea College and St. Mary's College during winter term and Swarthmore College and Spelman College during the fall and spring terms. Interested students should contact the Office of International Programs & Off-Campus Study.
JUNIOR YEAR ABROAD
Many opportunities are available for study abroad during the junior year. Interested students should discuss their plans early with their faculty advisors, their major department chairs, and International Programs & Off-Campus Study.
WASHINGTON SEMESTER PROGRAM
Selected students each year spend one term in the Washington Semester Program administered by American University. Interested students should contact the Office of International Programs & Off-Campus Study.
WILLIAMS COLLEGE-MYSTIC SEAPORT PROGRAM IN AMERICAN MARITIME STUDIES
Students may spend a semester studying maritime history, literature, and culture, as well as oceanography, at the nation's leading maritime museum. Interested students should contact the Office of International Programs & Off-Campus Study.
SEMESTER AT WOODS HOLE MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY
Students of biology and/or environmental studies with a science focus may opt to spend fall semester at the Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory. They may obtain four units of credit for four courses in the area of aquatic biology and chemistry. Interested students should contact the chair of the biology department and the Office of International Programs & Off-Campus Study for more information.
WINTER TERM
During the month of January, students elect a single, intensive program of study. This program may take a wide variety of forms. Properly qualified students may participate in independent study under the direction of a faculty member, in internship programs involving significant exposure to the fundamental work of an established profession, or in student-led courses, which permit qualified students to construct a seminar on a topic approved and supervised by a member of the faculty. With the exception of first-year students, students may pursue independent projects and internships off campus during winter term. Students may choose to take a course taught by either a regular faculty member or one of 30 to 40 visiting faculty who are recruited each year to teach winter term courses in their fields of expertise. Faculty often take advantage of the unique structure of winter term to design courses that are unusual or experimental in format.
Each fall a winter term catalog is published listing over a hundred courses that will be offered in the coming January. A department may require its majors to take no more than one of its winter term courses, in addition to winter term senior work, during four years. Winter term courses are normally graded on an A to F basis; internships and student-led courses are graded credit or no credit; independent projects are normally graded on an A to F basis, but may be graded honors, pass, or fail with the approval of the Curriculum Committee. Students involved in introductory foreign language courses may be required to participate in a continuing program during the winter term. Seasonal options and opportunities in physical education continue through the winter term.