Distribution Requirements

Believing that a well-educated person is acquainted with a variety of fields of knowledge, the College requires that each student complete courses in seven different categories, distributed among the three curricular divisions as follows: three courses from Group I: Humanities, including at least one course from each of the two subgroups a and b; two courses from Group II: Math/Science, including at least one laboratory course in a natural or physical science (both courses may be from the natural/physical sciences); and two courses from Group III: Social Science. Interdisciplinary and interdepartmental courses meet the distribution requirement in the category indicated in the Catalogue for each such course. If a course is cross-listed between a department and an interdisciplinary program, it will meet distribution within the department.

To meet a distribution requirement, a course must carry at least four credits within one semester. Language courses used to meet a student's language requirement may not also be used to meet one of the student's distribution requirements. Independent study (295 and 395 courses) will not satisfy the distribution requirement.

We strongly recommend that first-year students begin with appropriate 100 or 200 level courses to satisfy distribution requirements rather than leap prematurely to upper-level courses. There are, of course, exceptions.

A student's background in a given area is the best index for such decisions. 300-level courses generally require permission of the instructor for first-year enrollment, as do many 200-level courses.

The categories for meeting distribution requirements must be satisfied in seven different disciplines from the following groupings:

Group I: Humanities
(3 required: at least one from each subgroup):

1.  Arts, language and literature: art; classics; dance; English; French; German Studies; Greek; Italian; Latin; music; Russian; Spanish; theatre arts; language and literature; or interdisciplinary course in this area.
   
2.  History, philosophy, religion; or interdisciplinary course in this area.

Group II: Science and Mathematics
(2 required; at least 1 must include a lab; please note that both Group II distribution courses may be lab sciences, if the student so desires):

Mathematics, statistics, computer science; or interdisciplinary course in this area. Computer science labs do not count as laboratory science courses.

Natural and physical sciences: astronomy; biological sciences; chemistry; geology; physics; interdisciplinary course in the natural or physical sciences. At least one laboratory course in this area is required.

* Some Advice on Group II
Some of your advisees may come with an excellent preparation in, and an enthusiasm for, math and sciences. Such students will be undaunted by laboratories and will find them to be no more difficult than would a humanities major find a research paper for a history class. On the other hand, those advisees whose training has been particularly weak in quantitative areas may be quite apprehensive and deliberately delay satisfying the Group II distribution requirement.

Open discussion about the student's level of preparation and a plan to fulfill the requirement within the first two years should occur. In this context, it is wise to remind the apprehensive student that most science and mathematics courses incorporate "help sessions" or tutoring, not to mention faculty office hours, and that they may find that courses offered at Mount Holyoke will help them address their difficulties in quantitative areas of study.

It is acceptable for a student to decide to take her first science or mathematics course in her second semester, particularly if she is coping with unusual concerns about adjustment in other areas. At the same time, an extended delay (beyond the first year) is not advisable in most cases. Please consult with the chairs of biology and chemistry, or urge your advisees to do so, if you are uncertain about how to answer questions on science course sequences.

Group III: Social Sciences
(2 required)
Anthropology; economics; geography; politics; psychology; sociology; or interdisciplinary course in the social sciences.

Students wishing distribution credit for courses completed at another institution must obtain approval from the proper department or program at Mount Holyoke. Requests for individual variations from this curriculum must be made through the Dean of the College or the Registrar to be presented to the Academic Administrative Board.

Other College Requirements

Language Requirement (The requirement as stated here applies to students who enter the College in fall 2008 or later)
A degree-seeking student at Mount Holyoke is expected to study a language other than English while matriculated at the College. She can satisfy the language requirement in a number of ways. Preferably by the end of the sophomore year she should either:

1. complete a formal two-semester elementary course sequence in a foreign language new to her or for which she has little or inadequate preparation. (The self-instructional and mentored language courses offered through the Five College Center for World Languages cannot be used to meet the Mount Holyoke language requirement.)

2. complete a designated one-semester foreign language course or foreign literature course taught in the foreign language at the intermediate level or above.

Note: international students are not exempted automatically from the language requirement.  However, a student whose first language is not English can satisfy the language requirement with:

• documentation that she attended a secondary school for at least one year at which instruction was conducted in a language other than English. 
• documentation that she attended a secondary school outside of the U.S. where the language of instruction was English, but she elected a language or literature course taught in her native language.
• an O-level, A-level, or GSCE language result (for students from India, this would be a Grade X or Grade XII) or an official record of a college-level course in her native language.

If a student meets at least one of the criteria listed immediately above and wishes to be exempted from the language requirement, she must contact dean of international students Donna Van Handle (dvanhand@mtholyoke.edu), who will review the student’s records and inform the registrar's office if she determines that the language requirement has been fulfilled.

Multicultural Perspectives
All Mount Holyoke students must complete one 4-credit course that is devoted primarily to the study of some aspect of Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, or the nonwhite peoples of North America and that incorporates a diversity of perspectives. Courses that meet this requirement are listed here. Changes will be indicated online in the fall.

Physical Education and Athletics
Students should earn 6 physical education (PE) units by the end of the junior year, starting in the first year. Four units are required for sophomore transfer students; 2 units for junior transfer students. See the complete listings under PE in the Schedule of Classes. Students in intercollegiate sports earn 2 units per sport for their participation. If you plan to participate in an intercollegiate sport, be sure to register for the appropriate physical education course. Physical education units do not count toward the 128 semester credits required to graduate.

Non-Liberal Arts Courses
Students who enter the College in or after September 2008 may apply a maximum of 12 credits combined that are earned from Mount Holyoke curricular support courses and from any Mount Holyoke, Five College, or transferred non-liberal arts courses, whether taken before or after the student's matriculation a the College.

Link to  Distribution Chart PDF