Courses recommended by major departments and programs for students interested in exploring a particular major.
Entry Courses to the Major
- AFRC 1001 Introduction to Africana Studies
- AFRC 2002 Introduction to African Studies
- AFRC 1176 Afro-American History 1550-1876
- AFRC 1177 Afro-American History 1876 to Present
- AFRC 2325 August Wilson & Beyond
- AFRC 2430 Race, Science & Justice
- ANCH 0100 Ancient Near East
- ANCH 0101 Ancient Greece
- ANCH 0102 Ancient Rome
- ANCH 1100 Ancient Mediterranean Empires
- ANTH 0020 Race and the Making of the Modern World
- ANTH 0030 Human Origins, Evolution, and Diversity
- ANTH 0040 The Modern World and Its Cultural Background
- ANTH 0050 Great Transformations
- ANTH 0120 Globalization And Its Historical Significance
- ANTH 1230 Communication & Culture
- ANTH 1238 Introduction to Medical Anthropology
- ANTH 1430 Explorations in Human Biology
- ANTH 1480 Food and Fire: Archaeology in the Laboratory
- ASAM 0103 Asian American Literature
- ASAM 0102 Asian American History
- ASAM 0100 Introduction to Asian American Studies
- ASAM 0101 Asian American Communities
- CHEM 1012 General Chemistry I OR CHEM 1151 Honors Chemistry I
- CHEM 1022 General Chemistry II OR CHEM 1161 Honors Chemistry II
- MATH 1400 Calculus I
- MATH 1410 Calculus II OR MATH 1610 Honors Calculus
- CHEM 2411 Principles of Organic Chemistry I with Laboratory. Note that this course has CHEM 1012 and CHEM 1022 as pre-requisites.
- CHEM 2421 Principles of Organic Chemistry II with Laboratory.
- CHEM 2510 Principles of Biological Chemistry. Note that this course has CHEM 2411 as a prerequisite.
- PHYS 0150 OR PHYS 0170 (Honors). Physics I: Mechanics and Wave Motion
- PHYS 0151 OR PHYS 0171 (Honors). Physics II: Electromagnetism and Radiation
Note: PHYS 0151 or PHYS 0171, CHEM 2421 and CHEM 2510 need to be completed by end of the second (sophomore) year.
Track I: Recommended for students with A.P., I.B. or other advanced biology courses and high school chemistry.
- BIOL 1121 Introduction to Biology - The Molecular Biology of Life (lec. and rec., 1.0 c.u.)
- BIOL 1123 Introductory Molecular Biology Laboratory (lab only, 0.5 c.u.), must be taken concurrently with BIOL 1121
- BIOL 1124 Introductory Organismal Biology Lab (lab with one hour lecture, 0.5 c.u.)
Track II: Recommended for students with one year of high school biology.
- BIOL 1101 Introduction to Biology A (lec. and lab, 1.5 c.u.)
- BIOL 1102 Introduction to Biology B (lecture and lab, 1.5 c.u.)
The main introduction to the major is:
- PHYS 2280 Physical Models of Biological Systems
Note that PHY 2280 has PHYS 0101, MATH 1400 and MATH 1410 or MATH 1510 as pre-requisites
Courses that introduce the major:
- CHEM 1011 General Chemistry I with CHEM 1101 lab (for students will little high school preparation in Chemistry and Physics) or CHEM 1012 General Chemistry I with CHEM 1101 lab or CHEM 1151 Honors Chemistry I with CHEM 1101 lab
Students who have passed the CHEM 1012 placement exam may take:
- CHEM 1022 General Chemistry II with CHEM 1102 lab
or - CHEM 1161 Honors Chemistry II with CHEM 1102 lab
Students who have passed BOTH CHEM 1012 and CHEM 1022 Placement exams should consult the Chemistry Major website.
- CIMS 1010 World Film History to 1945
- CIMS 1020 World Film History 1945-Present
- CIMS 1030 Television and New Media
- CIMS 1080 German Cinema
- CIMS 1160 Screenwriting Workshop
- CIMS 2000 Virtual Reality Lab
- CIMS 2010, CIMS 2011 Topics in Film History Courses
- CIMS 2020, CIMS 2021, CIMS 2022 Topics in Film Practice Courses
- CIMS 2910 East Asian Cinema
- CIMS 2950 Global Film Theory
- CIMS 2953 Digital Infrastructures and Platforms
- CIMS 2850 Art and Business of Film
- CIMS 3030 Queer Cinema
- CIMS 3200 CONTEMPORARY ISSUES ANIMATION
- CIMS 5110 Topics in Cinema & Media Studies
- ANCH 0101 Ancient Greece
- ANCH 0102 Ancient Rome
Any 100-level course, such as:
- CLSC 1000 Greek and Roman Mythology
- CLST 1700 Classical Traditions
- CLST 1300 Introduction to Mediterranean Archaeology
- CLST 1600 Dangerous Books
- ANCH 1100 Ancient Mediterranean Empires
- COGS 1001 Introduction to Cognitive Science
- COGS 1770: Research Practicum in Cognitive Science
- NRSC 1110: Introduction to Brain and Behavior
Also counting toward this major:
- CIS 1600 Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science
- LING 0001 Introduction to Linguistics
- LING 0600 Introduction to Sociolinguistics
- PHIL 1710 Introduction to Logic
- PHIL 2640 Introduction to Philosophy of Mind
- PSYC 1340 Perception
- PSYC 1230 Cognitive Neuroscience
- PSYC 1310 Language and Thought
- COMM 1230 Critical Approaches to Popular Culture
- COMM 1250 Introduction to Communication Behavior
- COMM 1300 Media Industries and Society
- COMM 2100 Quantitative Research Methods in Communication
- COMM 2160 Games, Globalization, and Social Justice
- COMM 2200 How to Listen: Qualitative Approaches to Communication Research
- COMM 2230 Social Media and the Self
- COMM 2250 Children and Media
- COMM 2260 Introduction to Political Communication
- COMM 2320 Gender and Media
- COMM 2400 Advertising and Consumer Culture
- COMM 2410 Introduction to Network Dynamics and Collective Behavior
- COMM 2468 The Neuroscience of Choice, Change and Connection
- COMM 2530 Divine Mediation: Media and the Shaping of Religious Identity and Practice
- COMM 2550 Foundations in Data Science for Communication
- COMM 2600 Media Activism Studies
- COMM 2620 Social Movements
- COMM 2640 Media, Culture, & Society in Contemporary China
- COMM 2830 Journey to Joy: Exploring the Science of Joy for Designing a Happier Life
- COMM 2898 The Art of Communication in Moments of Crisis (SNF Paideia Program Course)
- COMM 2900 Before Netflix: The Past and Present of Latin American Television
- COMM 2955 The First 100 Days
- COML 0540 Literary Theory, Ancient to Modern
- COML 1000 Introduction to Comparative Lit
- COML 1025 Narrative Across Cultures
- COML 1400 Intro to Literary Theory
- COML 1191 World Literature
- ENGL 3010: Introduction to Creative Writing
- ENGL 3101: Poetry Writing Workshop
- ENGL 3111: Experimental Writing
- ENGL 3200: Fiction Writing Workshop
- ENGL 3252: Writing for Young Adults
- ENGL 3307: Creative Nonfiction Writing
- ENGL 3411: The Arts and Popular Culture
- ENGL 3417: Political Journalism
- ENGL 3501: Writing and Witnessing
- ENGL 3516: Writing as Translation
Creative Writing - Journalistic Writing Minor
- ENGL 3010: Introduction to Creative Writing
- ENGL 3020 Extreme Noticing
- ENGL 3307: Creative Nonfiction Writing
- ENGL 3411: The Arts and Popular Culture
- ENGL 3417: Political Journalism English 3426: The Art of Editing
- CRIM 1000 Criminology
- CRIM 1100 Criminal Justice
- DSGN 0010 Art, Design & Digital Culture
- DSGN 0020 Design 21: Design After the Digital
- DSGN 1020 Art of the Web
- DSGN 1070 Graphic Design I
- DSGN 1070 Graphic Design I
- EESC 1000 Earth System Science
Good entry courses also include:
- ENVS 1000 Intro to Environmental Science
- EESC 2300 Global Climate Change
- Introductory Chemistry, Physics, Math and/or Biology are also recommended in the first two years.
- EALC 0020 Intro to Chinese Civilization
- EALC 0040 Intro to Japanese Civilization
- EALC 0060 Intro to Korean Civilization
Gateway Courses
- EALC 0020 Intro to East Asia: China
- EALC 0040 Intro to East Asia: Japan
- EALC 0060 Intro to East Asia: Korea
- EALC 0100 Art and Civilization in East Asia
- ECON 0100 Intro Microeconomics
- ECON 0200 Intro Macroeconomics
- MATH 1070 Mathematics of Change, Part I
- MATH 1080 Mathematics of Change, Part II
- MATH 1400 Calculus, Part I
- MATH 1410 Calculus, Part II
Note that students can currently choose between the two math sequences: MATH 1070/1080 or MATH 1400/1410. They must take one of the two sequences, but they cannot take both sequences.
- ENGL 1020 Literature Before 1660
- ENGL 1820 British Poetry 1660-1914
- ENGL 0010-Level Study of an Author (versions include Shakespeare, Austen, Dickens, Du Bois, and Morrison)
- ENGL 0020-Level Study of a Literary Theme (versions include Lit of the Viet Nam War and Global Feminisms)
- ENGL 0030-Level Study of a Literary Genre (versions include Short Story and Graphic Novels)
- ENGL 0040-Level Study of a Literary Period (versions include The Twentieth Century)
- ENGL 0060 Literature and Law
- ENGL 0070 Literature and Medicine
- ENGL 1190 Introduction to Postcolonial Literature
- ENGL 1650 Introduction to Digital Humanities
- ENGL 1270 Asian American Literature and Culture
- ENGL 1300 Theories of Gender and Sexuality
- ENGL 0300-Level First-Year Seminar (versions include Harlem Renaissance, Dangerous Literature, Medieval Worlds, Kerouac and Counterculture)
- ENVS 1000 Intro. to Environmental Science
Good entry courses also include:
- EESC 1000 Earth System Science
- EESC 1060 Natural Disturbances & Human Disasters
- EESC 2300: Global Climate Change
- Introductory Economics and Statistics are also recommended in the first two years.
- FNAR 0010 Drawing I
- FNAR 0020 Contemporary Art Studio
- FNAR 1010 Video I
- FNAR 1060 Sculpture I
- FNAR 1090 Painting Practices
- FNAR 1100 Introduction to Printmaking
- FNAR 1040 Digital Photography
- FNAR 1050 Mixed Media Animation
All FIGS majors
- FIGS 1000 – Seeing Differently: Transcultural Approaches to Francophone, Italian, and Germanic Studies
French and Francophone Studies Concentration
- FREN 0400 – Intermediate French II
- FREN 1000 – Advanced French
Italian Studies Concentration
- ITAL 0400 – Intermediate Italian II
- ITAL 1000 – Advanced Italian
German Concentration
- GRMN 0400 – Intermediate German II
- GRMN 1500 – Texts and Contexts
- GSWS 0002 Gender and Society
- GSWS 0003 Introduction to Queer Studies
- GSWS 0228: Studying Sex
- GSWS 0500: Introduction to Disability Studies: Form, Text, and Practices (First Year Seminar)
- GSWS 1011 The Family
- GSWS 1101 Sociology of Gender
- GSWS 1172: Bodies, Race and Rights: Sex and Citizenship in Modern American History
- GSWS 1173: History of Sexuality in the U.S.
- GSWS 1260: Latinx Literature and Culture
- GSWS 1300: Theories of Gender and Sexuality
- GSWS 1400: Asian American Gender and Sexualities
- GSWS 1490 Law and Social Policy of Sexual Reproduction
- GSWS 1500: Introduction to Disability Studies: Form, Text, and Practices
- GSWS 1800: Introduction to Queer Art
- GSWS 2700: Folklore and Sexuality
- GSWS 2770: Gender, Sex & Urban Life
- HSOC 0400 Medicine in History
- HSOC 0480 Health and Societies
- HSOC 0313 Cane and Able: Disability in America
- HSOC 0387 Epidemics in History
- HSOC 1330 Bioethics
- HSOC 1401: The People's Health
- HSOC 2457 History of Bioethics
- HSOC 0490 Comparative Medicine
- HSOC 1411 American Health Policy
- HSOC 2537 Gender and Health
- First-year seminars are also a great introduction to the major.
- SPAN 1000 Advanced Spanish
- SPAN 1200 Advanced Spanish II: Grammar and Composition
- SPAN 1800 Texts and Contexts: Contexts of Hispanic Culture and Civilization
- SPAN 1900 Introduction to Literary Analysis
- HIST 0100 Deciphering America
- HIST 0240 Rise and Fall of the Russian Empire, 1552-1917
- HIST 0300 Africa Before 1800
- HIST 0450 Modern Latin America 1808-Present
- HIST 1280 Origins of Nazism: From Democracy to Race War and Genocide
- HIST 1110 Hamilton's America: US History 1776-1804
- HIST 1706 Global Environmental History from the Paleolithic to the Present
- HIST 1710 Jews in the Modern World
- ARTH 1010 World Art Before 1400
- ARTH 1020 The Artist in History, 1400-Now
- ARTH 1030 Art and Civilization in East Asia
- ARTH 1040: Art of Global Asia
- ARTH 1060 Architect and History
- ARTH 1065: What is the Future of Architecture?
- ARTH 1100: What Is Modern Art?
- ARTH 1500: Eye, Mind, and Image
- ARTH 1800: Introduction to Queer Art
- HIST 3920 European Intl Relations 1648-1914
- HIST 3921 Europe and the World since 1914
- HIST 1191 U.S. Empire in the 20th Century
- INTR 1001 Transnational Issues in Global Politics
- INTR 2900 Topics in International Relations
- PSCI 0400 Intro to Intl Relations
- JWST 0325 Introduction to Mysticism
- JWST 0320 Modern Hebrew Literature & Culture in Translation
- JWST 1100 Women & Jewish Literature
- JWST 1150 American Jewish Experience
- JWST 0340 Scrimmage Over Scripture: Bible in the Cultures of Jews, Christians and Muslims
- JWST 0303 Introduction to the Bible
- JWST 1710 Jews in the Modern World
- JWST 1600 Jews & Judaism in Antiquity
- JWST 1610 Medieval & Early Modern Jewry
- JWST 1110 Jewish American Literature
- JWST 1090 Jewish Films and Literature
- LALS 0720 Introduction to Latin American and Latinx Studies
- LALS 1260 Latinx Literature and Culture
- LALS 0400 Colonial Latin America
- LALS 0450 Modern Latin America 1808 to Present
- LALS 0012 War on Drugs: Latin America (First-Year Seminar)
- LALS 1740 Capitalism, Socialism and Crisis in 20th Century Americas
- LALS 1520 Latin American Politics
- LALS 3702 Feminism in the Americas
- LALS 2610 Latinos in the United States
- LALS 1900 Contemporary Brazilian Cinema
- LALS 1254 Archeology of the Inca
- LALS 2670 Latin American Art
- SOCI 1120: Law and Society
- SOCI 1150: Fair Housing, Segregation and the Law
- SOCI 2240: Law and Social Change
- LING 0001 Introduction to Linguistics
- LING 0500 Introduction to Formal Linguistics
- LING 0600 Introduction to Sociolinguistics
- LING 0700 Data Science for Studying Language and the Mind
- LING 0740 Introduction to Language and the Brain
- LING 1100 The History of Words
- LING 1720 Language, Cognition, and Culture
- LING 2100 Introduction to Language Change
- LING 2170 Origins and Evolution of Language
- LING 2200 Phonetics I: Experimental
- LING 2300 Sound Structure of Language
- LING 2041 Language in Native America
- LING 2500 Introduction to Syntax
- LING 2700 Language Acquisition
- ECON 0100 Introduction to Micro-economics
- ECON 0200 Introduction to Macro-economics
- MATH 1410 or 1610 (Honors) Calculus II
- MATH 2400 or 2600 (Honors) Calculus III
Courses that introduce the major:
- MATH 1400 Calculus I
- MATH 1410 Calculus II
- MATH 2400 Calculus III
- MATH 2020 Proving Things: Analysis
- MATH 2030 Proving Things: Algebra
Major introduction courses for advanced students:
- MATH 1610 Honors Calculus II
- MATH 2600 Honors Calculus III
- ARTH 2350 Introduction to Visual Culture of the Islamic World
- HIST 0360 History of the Middle East Since 1800
- HIST 3351 Africa and the Middle East
- MELC 0002 Intro to the Middle East
- PSCI 1140 Politics in the Contemporary Middle East
- PSCI 1440 International Politics of the Middle East
- RELS 1460 Islam in the Modern World
- RELS 1430 Introduction to Islam
- MUSC 1700 Introduction to Theory and Musicianship (no prerequisite)
- MUSC 2700 Theory and Musicianship I (some background required)
- MUSC 1270 Introduction to Electronic Music Making
- MUSC 1300 1000 Years of Musical Listening
- MUSC 1420 Thinking About Popular Music
- MUSC 1430 History of Opera
- MUSC 1500 World Musics and Cultures
- MUSC 2300 Introduction to European Art
- MUSC 2400 Introduction to Musical Life of America
- MUSC 2500 Introduction to Ethnomusicology
- MELC 0600 The Middle East through Many Lenses
- MELC 0004 Myths and Religions of the Ancient World
- MELC 0201 Literary Legacy of Ancient Egypt
- MELC 0200 Land of the Pharaohs
- MELC 0001 Introduction to the Ancient Middle East
- MELC0002 Introduction to the Middle East
- MELC 0003 The Origin and Culture of Cities
- MELC 0050 Ancient Civilizations of the World
- MELC 0300 Introduction to the Bible
- MELC 0320 Modern Hebrew Literature and Culture in Translation
- MELC 0610 Modern Middle Eastern Literature in Translation
- MELC 0010 Intro to Folklore
- MELC 0102 Reading Ancient Mesopotamia
- MELC 0325 Introduction to Jewish Mysticism
- MELC 0305 Great Books of Judaism
- MELC 0400 Getting Crusaded
- MELC 0500 Introduction to the Quran
- MELC 0615 Modern Arabic Literature
- MELC 1200 The Bible in Translation
- MELC 1310 Introduction to Modern Hebrew Literature
- MELC 1700 Intro to Persian Poetry
- MELC 1710 Intro to Persian Fiction
- NRSC 0045: A Neuroscience Perspective on Brain Aging
- NRSC 0050 Forensic Neuroscience
- NRSC 0060 Music and the Brain
- NRSC 1110 Introduction to Brain and Behavior
- ECON 0100 Intro Micro-Economics
- ECON 0200 Macroeconomics
- PHIL 1330 Ethics
- PHIL 1433 Social Contract
- PHIL 1800 Philosophy of Science
- PSCI 1402 International Political Economy
- PSCI 1800 Introduction to Data Science
- PSCI 0601 Modern Political Thought
- PSYC 1440 Social Psychology
- PSYC 2737 Judgment and Decisions
Courses that introduce the major:
- PHYS 0150 Principles of Physics I (MATH 1400 co-req)
- PHYS 0151 Principles of Physics II (PHYS 0150 pre-req, MATH 1410 co-req)
Courses for students with advanced background in Physics:
- PHYS 0170 Honors Physics I
- PHYS 0171 Honors Physics II
- PSCI 1800 Intro to Data Science
- PSCI 0100 Introduction to Comparative Politics
- PSCI 0101 Comparative Politics of Developing Areas
- PSCI 0200 Introduction to American Politics
- PSCI 1404 American Foreign Policy
- PSCI 0400 Introduction to International Relations
- PSCI 1401 International Security
- PSCI 1402 International Political Economy
- PSCI 0600 Ancient Political Thought
- PSCI 0601 Modern Political Thought
- PSCI 0602 American Political Thought
- PSYC 0001 Intro to Experimental Psychology
For students with a waiver:
- PSYC 1210 Introduction To Brain & Behavior
- PSYC 1340 Perception
- PSYC 1230 Cognitive Neuroscience
- PSYC 1310 Language & Thought
- PSYC 1462 Abnormal Psychology
- PSYC 1440 Social Psychology
- PSYC 1777 Intro to Developmental Psychology
Language:
- RUSS 0100 Russian I
- RUSS 0201 Russian for Heritage Speakers I
- Consult with the department about other regional languages and for advanced courses in Russian
Literature, Film, History, Society, taught in English:
- REES 0010 Central and Eastern Europe: Cultures, Histories, Societies
- REES 0410 Masterpieces of Nineteenth-Century Russian Literature
- REES 0100 Portraits of Old Rus: Myth, Icon, Chronicle
- REES 0172 Madness and Madmen in Russian Culture
- REES 0110 Portraits of 19th Century Russian Society
-
REES 0190 Russia and the West
REES 1680 Sex and Socialism
- STSC 0100 The Emergence of Modern Science
- STSC 0600 Technology & Society
- STSC 0283 Medicine, Magic and Miracles
- STSC 0823 Sport Science in the World
- STSC 1201 Darwin's Legacy
- STSC 1151 Modern Biology and Social Implications
- STSC 1600 The Information Age
- STSC 1880 Environment & Society
- STSC 1120 Science, Technology & War
- First-year seminars are also a great introduction to the major.
- SOCI 1000 Introduction to Sociology
- SOCI 2420 Social Problems & Public Policy
- SOCI 1010 The Family
- SOCI 1020 American Society
- SOCI 1030 Deviance
- SOCI 1040 Population and Society
- SOCI 1050 Social Stratification
- SOCI 1051 The Rich and the Poor
- SOCI 1060 Race & Ethnic Relations
- SOCI 1090 Urban Sociology
- SOCI 1070 Media and Popular Culture
- SOCI 1080 Work and Careers
- SOCI 1100 Sociology of Gender
- SOCI 1110 Medical Sociology
- SOCI 1111 Mental Illness
- SOCI 1120 Law and Society
- SOCI 1140 Asian Americans in Contemporary Society
First-year seminars are also a great introduction to the Sociology major:
- SOCI 0001 – Poverty and Inequality
- SOCI 0002 – Social Inequality and Health - First Year Seminar
- SOCI 0003 – Sociology of Race and Ethnicity
- SOCI 0004 – The Law in our Lives
- SOCI 0005 – Sociology of Education - First-Year Seminar
- SOCI 0006 – Anxious Times: Social Change and Fear
- SOCI 0007 – The Future of Work - First Year Seminar
- SOCI 0008 – Work and Careers in the 21st Century - First Year Seminar
- SAST 0001 Intro to Modern India
- SAST 0002 The City in South Asia
- SAST 0003 History, Culture, Religion in Early India
- SAST 0004 India's Literature
- SAST 0006 Hindu Mythology
- SAST 0007 Introduction to Modern South Asian Literatures
- SAST 0008 India: Culture and Society
- SAST 0009 Introduction to Hinduism
- SAST 0010 - Musical Cultures of Modern India
- SAST 0063 East/West: Hitchhiker's Guide to the Cultural History of the Modern World
- THAR 0076 Theatre in Philadelphia
- THAR 0100 Intro to Theatre
- THAR 0101 Theatre, History & Culture I
- THAR 0102 Theatre, History & Culture II
- THAR 0120 Intro to Acting
- THAR 0121 Intro to Directing
- THAR 0130 Intro to Theatre Design: Sets, Lighting & Costumes
- THAR 3500 Rehearsal & Performance
- URBS 0010 Homelessness & Urban Inequality
- URBS 0210/HIST 0810 Urban Apartheid: Race, Segregation and Policing
- URBS 0248 The Urban Food Chain
- URBS 0335 Dubois's Philadelphia
- URBS 1000 The City: Introduction to Urban Studies
- URBS 1153 The Transformation of Urban America
- URBS 1090 (SOCI) Urban Sociology
- URBS 1780 Urban University-Community Relations
- URBS 2020 Urban Education
- URBS 2050 People & Design
- URBS 2500 Urban Public Policy
- URBS 0210 The City
- ARTH 1020 World Art: 1400 to Now
- COGS 1001 Intro to Cognitive Science
- FNAR 0010 Drawing I
- PHIL 1170 History of Modern Philosophy
- VLST 1010 Eye, Mind & Image
- VLST 1020 Form and Meaning