Does Colby have general education requirements?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Colby College
1

Trying to figure out if they have general distributive requirements or if you can pick whatever classes you want (and just fulfill requirements of your major). Thanks!

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Yes, they have GenEd requirements (1, 2 and 3). Here is the list of specific requirements for graduation.

Specific Requirements:

  1. First-Year Writing: a course designated as “W1” in its description. Must be completed in the first year.
  2. Foreign language: the equivalent of three semesters of a modern language (course usually numbered 127 or higher), or a classical language (course usually numbered 131 or higher); or a qualifying exam score (see catalogue); or completion of Colby’s intensive language program in Salamanca, Spain, or Dijon, France; or for students whose native language is not English or who have studied a foreign language not taught at Colby: by presenting evidence of reading, writing, speaking, and listening at an intermediate level.
  3. Areas: one course in each of these areas – arts (A), historical studies (H), literature (L), quantitative reasoning (Q), social sciences (S); two courses in natural sciences (N), one of which must include laboratory; and two courses which deal with specific diversity issues, one as they concern the United States (U) and the other in a context outside the United States (I).
  4. January Programs: three if in residence for seven or more semesters; two if in residence for six or fewer semesters. A “Jan Plan” must be completed in the first year.
  5. Residence: a full-time student at Colby for at least four semesters (64 credits), including the last semester.
  6. Wellness: four seminars/lectures, the web-based eCHECKUP To Go course, and sexual violence prevention training in the first year; sexual violence bystander intervention training in the second year. Wellness units do not earn academic credit hours.
  7. Major field of study (see catalogue, or consult major department).

If you’re looking for an LAC with more course flexibility consider Hamilton.

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3

The college’s catalog is fairly informative on this front:

Distribution Requirement

No part of any requirement can be satisfied with the satisfactory/unsatisfactory option.

First-Year Writing
All students, with the exception of incoming transfer students who have completed an equivalent course before entering Colby, must take a first-year writing course (designated W1) during their first year. W1 courses, offered in a variety of subject areas and topics, share a strong emphasis on drafting, argument development, and revision; close focus on individual writing skills and needs; required writing in a variety of forms; frequent professor and peer feedback; and exploration of the ethical, critical, and formal expectations for written work in college.

Foreign Language
This requirement may be met in one of four ways:

  1. By attaining before entrance a score of 640 or higher on the SAT Subject Test in a foreign language or in a Colby language placement test, a score of 4 or 5 in Advanced Placement language or literature, a 6 or 7 in an International Baccalaureate higher-level exam, or 7 on a standard-level exam. Refer to the section on placement in foreign languages in the Academic Advising and Placement section for information concerning Colby language placement tests.
  2. By successfully completing Colby’s intensive language program in Salamanca, Spain, or Dijon, France. The Salamanca language program is available either fall or spring semester; the Dijon program is available in the fall semester only. These programs are open to first-year students, sophomores, and juniors.
  3. By successfully completing the equivalent of three semesters of a modern language (course usually numbered 127 or higher), or of a classical language (course usually numbered 131 or higher). Students will be placed according to ability.
  4. By successfully completing a previously approved intermediate-level language course at an approved college or university (see Transferred Credits in the Academic Procedures section).

Students whose native language is not English or who have studied a foreign language not taught at Colby may fulfill the requirement by presenting evidence of reading, writing, speaking, and listening at an intermediate level of that language. For a language taught at Colby, confirmation from the chair of the appropriate department must be filed with the Office of the Registrar. For languages not taught at Colby, confirmation must be obtained from the Office of the Provost. Documentation or testing may be required.

Distribution Areas
Students are required to pass one three- or four-credit-hour course in each of Areas I, II, III, IV, and VI, and two courses in Area V. Normally, students will be expected to complete these requirements during their first two years. Course descriptions use the letter designations A, H, L, Q, N (and sometimes Lb or OptLb), and S to indicate the area requirement met, if any.

  • Area I Arts: Courses in the history, theory, and/or practice of the creative arts. (A)
  • Area II Historical Studies: Courses that investigate human experience by focusing on the development of cultures and societies as they evolve through time. (H)
  • Area III Literature: Courses that focus on literary works of the imagination and/or written texts in which ideas and creative or aesthetic considerations play a crucial role. (L)
  • Area IV Quantitative Reasoning: Courses that focus on quantitative or analytic reasoning about formally defined abstract structures. (Q)
  • Area V Natural Sciences: Courses that focus on the understanding of natural phenomena through observation, systematic study, and/or theoretical analysis. (N) At least one course taken to satisfy Area V must contain a substantial laboratory component (Lb for required lab; OptLb for optional lab).
  • Area VI Social Sciences: Courses that focus on theoretically and methodologically directed inquiry into various aspects of human behavior and interaction. (S)

Diversity
Students are required to pass two three- or four-credit-hour courses that are centrally concerned with:

  • the structures, workings, and consequences of; and/or
  • efforts at political and cultural change directed against; and/or
  • progress in overcoming prejudice, privilege, oppression, inequality, and injustice.

One of these courses must deal with these issues as they concern the United States (U designation in course description), and one must deal with these issues in a context other than the United States (I).

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