The Franklin & Marshall Curriculum

The Franklin & Marshall Curriculum combines a spirit of innovation with a strong sense of tradition, and provides a framework for our students’ intellectual development over their four years at Franklin & Marshall College. Called “Connections,” our curriculum encourages students to become responsible, creative, ambitious participants in learned discourse and discovery by making connections: connections across disciplines, connections between theory and practice, and connections between their liberal arts education and the world. A liberally educated person is one who is inquisitive about all realms of thought, who is able to take into the wider world a comfort with ambiguity and respectful debate, who understands the limits of knowledge and the value of evidence, who has refined his or her judgment about the good and the beautiful, and who has learned to analyze critically, to speak persuasively, and to listen attentively. The Connections curriculum guides students to become such educated people.

The curriculum has three phases: Introduction, Exploration and Concentration. Together with electives, these phases offer appropriate balance between structure and choice to allow the construction of an individualized educational experience.

In the Introduction phase, students take one small, intensive seminar, Connections, which aims to introduce students to the standards of intellectual discourse and the communities that sustain it. This course also sequences instruction in writing, research, and oral presentation. In Connections, students become members of our intellectual community and learn the practices of critical analysis, research, writing, and civil debate that will help them attain their academic goals.

In the Exploration phase, students take courses that promote understanding modes of study in different intellectual arenas, from creating art to gaining competency in a foreign language to applying the scientific method. As they progress, students make connections among the ways different disciplines seek truth and structure inquiry.

The Concentration phase is the culmination of our students’ four years of work and study. This phase is represented by their study in a major discipline and may include synthetic projects, capstone seminars, and one-on-one research. Given their growing intellectual maturity, students will be in a position to reflect on the connections they have drawn and the paths they have charted through the curriculum, both inside and outside their major fields.

Introduction: Connections Seminar

In their Connections Seminar, students will:

1. Develop curiosity in order to learn how to read, write, listen, and converse in an intellectual community
2. Develop judgment in order to create and evaluate effective arguments, ideas, and solutions

The Connections seminar is a small class limited to 16 students focused on three important characteristics: inviting first-year students into an intellectual community and a life of the mind; building skills in close reading, writing, and oral presentation; and integrating classroom work with residential life.

Connections Seminar

The Connections Seminar will spark curiosity and teach students to value and practice our shared commitments to reasoned and respectful discourse. Students will develop comfort with debate and ambiguity and become active participants in a culture of evidence. The Connections Seminar will enfranchise students first as members of the intellectual community of their classroom, and then as members of wider and interconnected intellectual communities on campus and beyond. Students learn to observe closely the world around them, the details of the arguments they read, and the way those arguments marshal evidence. They also listen carefully to their peers’ ideas, and improve their expression of truth, conciseness, and accuracy in their discourse.

Students who enroll in a particular Connections seminar live together in one of the College Houses. This promotes an integration of the residence hall and the classroom that enhances both the academic success and the personal growth of students.

Students are expected to complete a Connections Seminar in their first semester. The Connections Seminar must be taken for a regular letter grade.

Exploration: Liberal Learning

In their Exploration courses, students will:

1. Acquire familiarity with broad divisions of knowledge, modes of inquiry, and creative practices characteristic of different intellectual and expressive arenas
2. Develop intellectual breadth and versatility, fostering the ability to make connections across a broad range of disciplines, practices, and experiences

To this end, students will complete courses among the traditional divisions of intellectual inquiry in the liberal arts, including the Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences, in addition to language study and exploration of the non-western world, as described below.

Students may also choose to pursue a Certificate, as described here .

Arts

Goal: Create, perform, or study art

Courses that meet this goal have the ARTS course attribute in the catalog, and include the study of the creative and performing arts, as well as courses in the history, analysis, and criticism of the arts, including creative writing, but excluding the study of literature. Students must earn one course credit in this area.

Humanities

Goal: Analyze the systems of belief, knowledge, and ideas of the humanities

Courses that meet this goal have the HUMA course attribute in the catalog, and focus on the study of ancient and modern literature, classical and modern languages, religion, or philosophy. Students must earn one course credit in this area.

Social Sciences

Goal: Learn about one or more societies or cultures in terms of their social, political, or economic organization and/or their history

Courses that meet this goal have the SOCS attribute in the catalog.

They focus on history, ethnographic study, or the political and economic organization of the social world. Students must earn one course credit in this area.

Natural Sciences

Goals: Practice the scientific method and better understand the larger social implications of science

Students may satisfy these goals in either of two ways:

1. They may take two science courses with labs (NATL course attribute); or
2. They may take one lab science course plus one course designated “Natural Science in Perspective” (NSIP course attribute).

Natural Science in Perspective (NSP) courses help students understand:

1. The role played by theory in the natural sciences
2. The role of evidence in developing and testing scientific theories and what constitutes acceptable evidence in the natural sciences
3. How science deals with uncertainty, thus increasing students’ ability to reason quantitatively
4. The role science plays in today’s society, including those questions science attempts to answer and those questions that lie outside its domain
5. Real-world situations in which policy decisions need to be made without complete understanding or certainty. 

Language Study

Goal: Acquire linguistic and cross-cultural competency through foreign language study

Competency in a foreign language helps students develop an informed and thoughtful awareness of language as a system and facilitates their exploration of other cultural worlds. Students are strongly encouraged to begin language study in their first year and to complete the sequence of classes promptly; lengthy gaps between levels may disadvantage students in the next level course. Students are encouraged to complete their intermediate language competency by the end of their junior year (Please note that most departments offer the 101 introductory level course only in the fall semester.) On-campus placement tests are available throughout the year and will determine the student’s appropriate level.

Placement results are valid for two semesters; after that a student must retake the placement test. Students enrolled in a language class may not take the placement test in the same language after the first two weeks of class.

To fulfill the goal to “acquire linguistic and cultural competency through foreign language study,” students must pass the third course in a foreign language sequence or demonstrate equivalent proficiency through testing. The requirement may be satisfied in any of the following ways:

1. Passing at least one course at the 200 level or above taught in the student’s non-native language
2. Studying in a non-English speaking country and completing a course at the 200 level or above in a foreign language
3. Scoring 4 or 5 in the Advanced Placement Exam in a foreign or classical language
4. Scoring 5 or higher in a Foreign Language Course via the International Baccalaureate
5. Placing into the fourth semester course or higher in the language sequence as taught at Franklin & Marshall through a placement exam administered by the appropriate Franklin & Marshall academic department

Note that a student who tests out of this requirement for a particular language and who then decides to enroll in the 101, 102, or 201 level (the first three semesters) of that language forfeits the waiver and must complete a foreign language through the 201 level (third semester).

By submitting a petition to the Committee on Academic Status, international students from non-English speaking countries may petition to receive a waiver of this requirement. The petition form can be found on the Registrar’s Office’s website.

World Perspectives

(For students entering the College in the Fall of 2021 and following years)

Goal: Engage with and analyze the diversity of cultures and interrelated historical processes that have shaped the contemporary world; develop the skills to reach beyond and question the historically dominant perspective of European and European-settler societies; and grapple with perspectives originating from outside these dominant traditions, including the perspectives of indigenous, colonized, diasporic, and/or exilic groups.

A non-F&M course (including one taken abroad) may count toward the WP requirement if that course satisfies the goal described above; such courses will require approval by the appropriate department or program chair. (In cases where a course in question falls outside the domain of a department or program, the decision to approve will be made by the director of International Studies.) This requirement cannot be met via a proficiency exam, but only by earning a course credit for having completed an academic experience after matriculation at a college or university.

Concentration

In the Concentration phase, students will:

1. Gain depth and breadth within a specific field of inquiry.
2. Extend and deepen writing and analytical skills within the context of a specific discipline
3. Reflect on their intellectual development and prepare for the future

At Franklin & Marshall College, focus on a major field of inquiry allows students to pursue advanced work, which may include independent study and original research. Over four years, students hone their interests to develop a greater mastery over an area of specialty, and many do exceptional work in advanced research, upper level seminars and independent investigations. Students will have opportunities to participate in assessment and reflection exercises, whether formal or informal, curricular or non-curricular, and will be able to meet with advisers and professional staff to help prepare them for post-graduate life.

To qualify for the Bachelor of Arts degree, a student must complete a prescribed concentration of courses, referred to as the major. A major program must consist of at least eight required course credits and may not exceed 16 required course credits. All courses meeting major requirements must be taken for a regular grade; a student must earn a minimum of a 2.0 grade point average in those courses used by the major department to compute the major grade point average.

The regulations for admission to, and the maintenance of, an academic major at Franklin & Marshall College are as follows:

1. A student must submit to the Registrar a major declaration form, approved by the chairperson of the department in which the student chooses to major, by the end of the second semester of the sophomore year. Students who have not yet declared a major by the fall semester of their junior year will not be eligible to register for future classes until they have declared a major.
2. A department may refuse a student admission to “regular” major status or dismiss a student from “regular” major status only in the following circumstances:
   1. If, after the end of the sophomore year, the student has not taken courses in the department, or has failed to attain a grade point average of at least 2.00 in those courses within the major.
   2. If the student has failed to meet other clearly defined academic criteria, approved by the Educational Policy Committee, for admission to or continuance in the major in the department.
   3. A maximum of one hundred fifteen (115) students from any class may declare a major in Business, Organizations, and Society
3. Departments will establish a “provisional major” category to which students are assigned when their circumstances fit the situations outlined in Item 2. The department chairperson notifies the Registrar when a student is made a “provisional” major or is granted regular major status. If a student fails to satisfy departmental criteria for major status after one semester as a “provisional” major, the student may be dropped as a major by departmental action.
4. A student is permitted to continue in College for one semester without a major after having been dismissed from a major.
5. Appeals from students concerning their major status may be made to the Committee on Academic Status.

Descriptions of course requirements for each major offered by the College can be found in the Catalog sections on Departmental offerings.

A student may declare more than one major. A student who wishes to declare more than two majors must have the approval of the Associate Dean of the Faculty.

Students may also satisfy the major requirement by designing a Special Studies major or a Joint major.

Special Studies Major

Students design a Special Studies major in consultation with the Special Studies adviser and a primary and secondary adviser. The design must be intellectually coherent and include courses from three different departments. The major must be a genuine liberal arts major that could legitimately be offered at the College and must progress through higher levels of courses; an assemblage of introductory courses from three departments is not acceptable.

The rules governing the Special Studies major program include the following:

1. A student must prepare a proposal that includes a succinct but accurate title for the major, a brief description and a list of courses, including course numbers and names and grades in any courses already taken. The proposal must also include a rationale for proposing a Special Studies major instead of a double or Joint Major or a major/minor combination.
2. Courses must include at least five courses from one department/program, five divided between two other departments/programs and a one-semester independent study, SPC 490. Courses may include additional research (490) courses, Directed Readings and preapproved courses taken at other institutions, including study abroad courses. The total number of courses may not exceed 16.
3. The proposal must also include the signatures of a primary adviser, a secondary adviser and the official academic adviser to Special Studies majors. The primary adviser is usually a member of the department/ program in which five or more courses are taken.
4. When the proposed major intersects with programs such as Africana Studies, International Studies, Comparative Literary Studies, Science, Technology and Society, or Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, the major should be designed in consultation with that program and approved by the program chairperson.
5. A student must submit a copy of the approved proposal and a course projection sheet to the Registrar’s Office.
6. Changes to the original major proposal, including course substitutions, must be approved by all of the student’s major advisers.
7. Students in the Special Studies program can, if they have an outstanding academic record, pursue Academic Honors by writing a formal thesis and submitting to an oral examination by a committee of at least three voting faculty members. Such students are subject to the rules governing departmental or program honors.
8. A student who has declared a Special Studies major may not apply more than three courses from that major toward a second major or minor.

Interested students should consult Dr. Jon Stone, Associate Dean of the Faculty, who is the official academic adviser to Special Studies majors

Joint Major

A Joint Major is a group of courses from two departments/ programs and requires a rationale and the approval of both departments/programs and the Associate Dean of the Faculty. Each of the component majors must be  represented by eight distinct course credits, so that the Joint Major consists of sixteen distinct courses.

The following rules govern Joint Majors:

1. A Joint Major must be approved by both programs or departments and by the Associate Dean of the Faculty, Dr. Jon Stone.
2. Students must submit a projection form to the Registrar’s Office from each department or program. The student must provide a rationale* for the Joint Major.
3. Changes to the original major proposal, including course substitutions, must be approved by both of the student’s major advisers.
4. Students who have declared a Joint Major may not apply more than three courses from that major toward a second major or minor.
5. At least one of the departments/programs combined in the Joint Major must offer its own major.

*Additional details about the content of the rationale are provided on the application form.

The Minor

Students may choose to complete up to two minors. Minors, either disciplinary or cross- disciplinary, consist of six course credits. Departments and programs that offer minors are: Africana Studies; Anthropology; Art; Chemistry; Classics; Comparative Literary Studies; Computer Science; Dance; Data Science; Economics; English; Environmental Studies; Film and Media Studies; French; Italian; Geosciences; German; History; International Studies (includes Area Studies); Judaic Studies; Latin American Studies; Mathematics; Music; Philosophy; Physics; Psychology; Religious Studies; Russian; Science, Technology and Society; Sociology; Spanish; Theatre; and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies. Specific requirements for a minor are listed with each department’s offerings. All courses meeting the requirements for a minor must be taken for a regular grade.

The regulations for admission to an academic minor at Franklin & Marshall College are:

1. Students may elect to pursue a minor in any department or program offering an approved minor program.
2. Approved minor programs consist of six course credits arranged by a department or program to constitute an integrated, cumulative academic experience.
3. Minors should be declared before the beginning of the senior year.
4. All courses in the minor must be taken for standard grades, and the student must pass all six course credits with at least a 2.00 grade point average overall.
5. At least four of the minor courses must be taken at Franklin & Marshall College.
6. A student may officially declare only two minors.
7. To declare a minor, a student consults with the designated department or program chairperson and submits a minor declaration form to the Registrar’s Office.
8. A student who has declared a Special Studies major may not apply more than three courses from that major toward a minor.
9. A student who has declared a Joint Major may not apply more than three courses from that major toward a minor.

Electives: Extended Exploration

Within each phase of study, the curriculum is designed to incorporate additional curricular explorations. These are electives-courses that do not satisfy a requirement in the introduction, exploration, or concentration phases. Electives allow students to gain additional depth of knowledge outside their major or minor field of study, and to explore unfamiliar areas of knowledge. In addition to regular courses in the curriculum, electives may include internships, off-campus study, guided group study, or independent studies undertaken outside the major. Through the strategic use of electives, students individualize their academic experience. Thus, there is no curricular structure imposed on electives; students may take as many or as few as their other curricular commitments permit. However, students are encouraged to consult with their advisers so as to make best use of these opportunities in the context of their course of study.

International and Off-Campus Study

Recognizing the global nature of contemporary society as well as the need for intercultural understanding, Franklin & Marshall College views international study as a valuable component of a liberal arts education. Along with the numerous ways the College engages with a global world, study abroad promotes an increased understanding of the complexity of language and culture. It also constitutes one element of the College’s commitment to build an increasingly international campus. 

Off-campus experiences can be a semester-long program, a summer internship, or research project. In addition to owning Advanced Studies in England, located in Bath, England, the College partners with trusted programs across the globe with pre-approved programs in over 50 countries. Students interested in off-campus study should speak with their faculty adviser early in their academic career at F&M and visit the Office of International Programs at least two semesters in advance of the planned time away to begin shaping their off-campus study experience.