• Note: Click here for a table listing all of the courses in the four thematic categories.

• Global Studies (GL prefix): Courses whose primary focus is on non-Western cultural traditions, or on the interrelationships among multiple societies.
• Rhetoric and Expression (RH prefix): Courses whose primary focus is on human communication in all its forms.
• Self and Society (SL prefix): Courses whose primary focus is on the dynamics and patterns of human and social interaction.
• Values and Contemporary Issues (VA prefix): Courses whose primary focus is on societal values and/or on current topics of importance.
• Note: The prefix of foreign language courses identifies the language:
  • GE German
  • JA Japanese
  • SP Spanish

• All students, with the exemption noted below, are required to take RH 131, Rhetoric and Composition, on campus. Freshman, unless exempted or taking a foreign language, are normally enrolled automatically in the course in either the Fall or Winter Quarter. Students who have taken a writing course at another college will be granted Rhetoric and Expression transfer credit, but are not exempted from RH 131.
• EXEMPTION: An entering student who achieves a score of 4 or higher on the AP Language and Composition examination will receive four hours of credit by examination for RH 131. (A student who achieves a score of 4 or 5 on the AP Language and Literature examination receives four hours of credit by examination for a course in Rhetoric and Expression.)

Students who elect to take a foreign language should note the following special requirements.

• A minimum of two successive language courses must be taken to receive HSS credit.
• Students who take 2-4 courses in a foreign language sequence may allocate those language courses in any of the four thematic categories as they choose, but may have no more than one language course in any category. In other words, the student must still take one course in each thematic category in a discipline other than foreign language and must also take RH 131.
• Students who take twelve courses (four years) in a single language are exempted from RH 131 and from both courses in Global Studies.
• Note: Students planning to study abroad should be sure to have their program approved ahead of time by the head of the HSS Department and by the head of the Department in which they are majoring.