Nov 22, 2024  
Course Catalog 2016-2017 
    
Course Catalog 2016-2017 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Courses Open to and Appropriate for New Students


This list contains courses that are open and appropriate for the fall semester registration that takes place for incoming first-year students over the summer. If you have advising questions about these courses, please email first.year.advice@oberlin.edu.

Beginning in Fall Semester 2013, courses in the College of Arts and Sciences academic departments are offered as “full” or “half” academic courses.  A full academic course is four credits; a half academic course is two credits. PLEASE NOTE: In the listing below, you may see the word “full;” this does not mean the course does not have any available seats, it means that it is a full academic course equivalent to four credits.

Omitted from this list are courses with pre-requisites and courses that require consultation with a member of the faculty before registration. You will be able to register for these courses during the on-campus registration period in August.

For complete descriptions of these courses, click on the link for the courses below.

A quick guide to all fall courses is available at: http://new.oberlin.edu/office/registrar/class-schedules/ or you may search PRESTO (presto.cc.oberlin.edu) for schedule information.

Language Courses: If you have no prior experience in a certain language, you should take the 100-level course in that language. If you have prior study or exposure to the language, you must take a placement test before registering. The placement test will guide us in placing you in the correct course in our curriculum; once you know the results of the placement exam, you will be able to register for the appropriate class after you arrive on campus. More information about placement tests may be found here.

Biology


Biology 090, Human Biology, is appropriate for students who are considering a major outside the sciences. Biol 100, Organismal Biology, is the more appropriate choice for students who are prospective science majors.  

First Year Seminar Program


 The courses listed below appear to require consent but do not for the summer registration process. You do not need to contact the faculty member to obtain consent until orientation begins and you register on campus.

German


New students will have an opportunity to register for upper level German courses after arriving on campus and taking placement exams.

Greek


First year students with prior preparation in Greek may enroll in 200 or 300 level courses during registration in August. The Classics department does not give or require a placement exam in Greek; however, during orientation Classics faculty are happy to consult with students about which level of the language would be appropriate for them.

Hispanic Studies


Except for 101, all Hispanic Studies courses require appropriate AP or SAT II scores or a placement exam. You will have an opportunity to register for other Hispanic Studies courses after you arrive on campus so consider other courses offered in the department and see specific information about entry into HISP courses at new.oberlin.edu/hispanic_studies.

Latin


First year students with prior preparation in Latin may enroll in 200  or 300 level courses during registration in September. The Classics department does not give or require a placement exam in Greek but during orientation Classics faculty are happy to consult with students about which level of the language would be appropriate for them.

Mathematics


In order to take introductory statistics (STAT 113 or 114) or introductory calculus (MATH 131 or 133 only), students must take the corresponding ‘readiness’ exam. These short tests are given during orientation week and other times during the semester.  Once you have taken the readiness test and met with your advisor, you will be able to register for the appropriate course during on-campus registration.

The Calculus Readiness Exam (but not the Statistics Readiness Exam) is also available online on Blackboard.  (You can get to it by logging in to Blackboard, clicking on the “Classes” tab and then following the directions in the box titled “Placement Tests” under the “Information” tab.)  After taking the readiness exam and meeting with an advisor, you will have the opportunity to register for statistics, calculus and other mathematics classes once you are on campus.

Please note that only 100 and 200 level courses are listed, but 300 level courses will be open for on-campus registration.

Neuroscience


First year students with an Biology AP score of 5 or an IB score of 6 will be able to register for open seats in NSCI 201 after they arrive on campus. Students with this preparation should speak to the course instructor during orientation for permission to add the course.

Physics and Astronomy


Students interested in taking physics should consult with a physics faculty member for appropriate placement into either PHYS 103, PHYS 110, or PHYS 212, based on past experience. PHYS 110 is the typical entry course for prospective physics and 3-2 engineering majors; MATH 133 is a prerequisite, with students usually taking concurrently MATH 134.  

Psychology


 First year students with a Psychology AP score of 5 will be able to register for open seats in 200-level Psychology courses during on-campus registration in August.

Rhetoric and Composition Practica Courses