Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Maymester

Maymester runs from Monday, May 19 through Friday, June 6, 2025. Current students and non-matriculated students will be able to take one course with an HWS faculty member for 3.5 hours, five days a week. Classes are scheduled in the mornings (9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.) or afternoons (1:30 – 5 p.m.).

2025 Courses

• AMST 101 Sports and Identity in American Culture
  
  • Social Inequality (Substantial)
• ARTS 161 Photography: Design in Nature
  
  • Artistic Process (Substantial)
• CPSC 130 Humanity in Computing
  
  • Quantitative Reasoning (Partial)
  • Ethical Judgement (Substantial)
• DATA 101 Introduction to Data Analytics
  
  • Quantitative Reasoning (Partial)
• ENV 216 Birds in Our Landscape
  
  • Scientific Inquiry (Substantial)
• GLS 101 Introduction to Global Studies: Alcohol
  
  • Social Inequality (Substantial)
  • Cultural Difference (Substantial)
• GSIJ 204 Politics of Health
  
  • Social Inequality (Substantial)
  • Ethical Judgement (Substantial)
• HIST 200 Quantitative Methods for Historians
  
  • Quantitative Reasoning (Substantial)
• MATH 110 Discovering in Mathematics
  
  • Quantitative Reasoning (Substantial)
• MDSC 100 Introduction to Media and Society
  
  • Artistic Process (Partial)
  • Social Inequality (Partial)
  • Cultural Difference (Partial)
• MDSC 211 Media Professions
  
  • Artistic Process (Partial)
• MGMT 120 Economic Principles
  
  • Quantitative Reasoning (Substantial)
  • Ethical Judgement (Substantial)
• MGMT 315 Organizational Management
  
  • Ethical Judgement (Partial)
• PSY 203 Child Psychology
  
  • Scientific Inquiry (Partial)
  • Social Inequality (Partial)
• SOC 212 Data Analysis
  
  • Quantitative Reasoning (Substantial)
• WRRH 313 Sports Media Seminar
  
  • Social Inequality (Partial)
  • Cultural Difference (Partial)

AMST 101 Sports and Identity in American Culture
In Person
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
American Studies
Professor Elizabeth Belanger
Social Inequality (Substantial)

This course uses the context of sports to explore issues of power and difference in American society. Far from being simply a game, sports are a pervasive and politicized form of culture in the United States. How do sports reproduce and reinforce dominant beliefs and values? How do they provide spaces for marginalized groups to assert agency? Do they act as agents of democratization or frameworks for exclusion and oppression? This course reveals the complex and contradictory relationship between sports and society by examining a series of case studies in American sports history. What do the games we play tell us about America? No prerequisites.

ARTS 161 Photography: Design in Nature
Remote
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Art and Architecture
Professor Christine Chin
Artistic Process (Substantial)

Photography allows us to see and explore the natural world in ways that expands human vision and understanding. We will use our cameras to look for specific design elements in the natural world, and bring nature inside in improvised tabletop studios. Camera controls, exposure, lighting, and lenses will be discussed to help students achieve their photographic goals. Looking at the work of artists who photograph nature will help us explore larger questions: Can photography help us to understand the species who share our planet? What are the possibilities and limits on how photography can advocate for the natural world? How does photography explore the effects of and interactions between humans and nature? Students will use their cameras to complete assignments that will culminate in an individual book project. This is an introductory course in photographic image-making at Hobart and William Smith. This course serves as a prerequisite for upper-level imaging courses and as a studio course for the ARTS major and minor and also fills requirements for other majors including Arch, Art History, MDSC, Environmental Studies and Women’s Studies

CPSC 130 Humanity in Computing
Remote
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Math and Computer Science
Professor Hanqing Hu
Quantitative Reasoning (Partial)
Ethical Judgement (Substantial)

Do you worry about the impact of constantly evolving technology on your day-to-day life? Do you want to be a responsible citizen in the technical space? This course will discuss computing technologies’ impact on society. The course will provide introductory technical knowledge of one specific aspect of computer science, such as machine learning or cybersecurity. After being equipped with basic understanding of the technology, the course will discuss the humanity, philosophy and ethics side through reading and hands-on experiments/project. The course requires no technical or coding background. The aspect of focus is determined by the individual instructor. No prerequisites.

DATA 101 Introduction to Data Analytics
In Person
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Data Analytics
Professor Jim Capreedy
Quantitative Reasoning (Partial)

Introduction to Data Analytics introduces students to answering questions with large datasets. We explore data types, obtaining data, integration, management, visualization, and examples of data modeling. We will also explore questions of data privacy, the ethics of collecting, storing and manipulating data, and the specter of bias. Students will also begin to acquire fluency in the R statistical computing language and will fine tune professional skills including effective communication, presentation, and storytelling with data. Students will develop a working knowledge of data analytics through hands-on projects and case studies in a variety of domains. Class sessions will be a combination of lecture, demonstration, independent coding work, and group collaboration. This introductory course is open to all students interested in the applications of data analytics and is the first course in the Data Analytics minor. No prerequisites.

ENV 216 Birds in Our Landscape
Remote
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Environmental Studies
Professor Mark Deutschlander
Scientific Inquiry (Substantial)

Birds are an apparent and familiar part of our environments, whether hiking in a national forest or spending time in our own backyards. From pristine natural areas to the most urban settings, birds are ubiquitous and serve as sentinels for the health of the environment. Examining population trends and geographical distributions of birds can help us understand the impacts of urbanization, pollution and pesticides, climate change, and more. In this course, you will learn how distributions of birds inform scientists about environmental change and the impacts of change on the function of ecosystems. You will learn, firsthand through field excursions and exercises, to identify local bird species and how to conduct some basic field techniques for direct monitoring of birds. You will learn how scientists collect distribution data on birds using remote sensing and how citizen science has greatly advanced our ability to understand the distributions and movements of birds. You will also learn how scientists communicate their findings by reviewing scientific publications, which we will use as case studies of how birds in our landscape impact us and tell us about our environments. No prerequisites.

GLS 101 Introduction to Global Studies: Alcohol
Remote
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Global Studies
Professor David Galloway
Social Inequality (Substantial)
Cultural Difference (Substantial)

For over nine thousand years human beings have produced alcoholic drinks in various forms. While some theories say our ancestors started to do so millions of years ago in a quest for calories, now alcohol is many things to many people: indispensable beverage, religious obligation or prohibition, sign of high or low culture, curse or blessing, and more. We will consider the historical, cultural, and political roles alcohol has played in multiple contexts as we engage the question of how this substance has both driven human development and also reflects the cultures which consume (or refuse to consume) it. No prerequisites.

GSIJ 204 Politics of Health
Remote
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Public Health
Professor Jessica Hayes-Conroy
Social Inequality (Substantial)
Ethical Judgement (Substantial)

This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to the critical study of health politics, including the politics of gender, race and sexuality. Through the themes of social and environmental justice, students will explore the uneven distribution of health care and wellness both within the United States and beyond. Topics include the history of the women’s health movement, breast cancer awareness campaigns, reproductive health and technologies, HIV/AIDS, feminist psychology, eating disorders, environmental health and toxicity, and more. In exploring these topics, feminist theory will serve as a lens through which we examine different experiences of illness and disease. At the same time, feminist pedagogy will serve as the model upon which we build our policy recommendations. No prerequisites.

HIST 200 Quantitative Methods for Historians
Remote
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
History
Professor Sarah Whitten
Quantitative Reasoning (Substantial)

Historians use big data sets and quantitative tools to understand the past especially in the fields of demography, economic history, and environmental history. This course provides an introduction to the quantitative tools used by historians including basic statistical methods, visual presentations of data sets, and regression analysis. Students will examine how this quantitative data is used make historical arguments as well as the limits of these methods. Lastly, students will explore how these tools and historical arguments are relevant to the contemporary world. Individual courses will investigate different topics, but all courses will have the same methodological approach. No prerequisites.

MATH 110 Discovering in Mathematics
Remote
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Math and Computer Science
Professor Yan Hao
Quantitative Reasoning (Substantial)

A study of selected topics dealing with the nature of mathematics, this course has an emphasis on the origins of mathematics, and a focus on mathematics as a creative endeavor. This course does not count toward the major or minor in mathematics. No prerequisites.

MDSC 100 Introduction to Media and Society
Remote
1:30 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Media and Society
Professor Iskander Zulkarnian
Artistic Process (Partial)
Social Inequality (Partial)
Cultural Difference (Partial)

Media surrounds us. Instagram feeds, Facebook updates, films, advertisements, and Netflix series form a rich textual backdrop to our everyday lives. In MDSC 100, we will pay special attention to the media that we regularly encounter and make sense of it through close analysis, theoretical intervention, and the creation of our own media texts. By turning a critical eye toward communication in its various forms, we can begin to understand how media both shapes, and is shaped by, the social, cultural, economic, and political contexts in which it is created and circulated. This course provides the theoretical background and foundational skills for pursuing a major in the field of media studies. No prerequisites.

MDSC 211 Media Professions
Remote
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Media and Society
Professor Lisa Patti
Artistic Process (Partial)

How do you break into a career in the media industries? What are the jobs that make the production, distribution, and exhibition of media possible? How do you prepare for media professions, and how do you pivot from one role to another?  How have careers in the media industries changed over time?  We research media labor in the film and television industries and other communications fields, including advertising, marketing, public relations, and journalism. We develop our understanding of media professions by exploring memoirs, interviews, and documentaries featuring first-person perspectives of artists, executives, and other media professionals and by meeting with media professionals and learning about their careers and the companies where they work.  Students will develop resumes and professional networking skills through a series of individual and group assignments. No prerequisites.

MGMT 120 Economic Principles
In Person
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Business, Management, and Entrepreneurship
Professor Kevin Miles
Quantitative Reasoning (Substantial)
Ethical Judgement (Substantial)

The course seeks to provide students with the foundational knowledge understanding of microeconomic theory necessary to pursue entrepreneurial enterprises in contemporary markets. Students will acquire the analytical tools for solving complex organizational or policy issues. Key topics will include: economic principles guiding various types of organizations; rational behavior; competition vs. monopoly power; simple game theory; pricing strategies; and production costs and behavior in the short and long-term. This course will be more applied than a traditional intro to economics class, relying on entrepreneurial case studies and news reports as appropriate. No prerequisites.

MGMT 315 Organizational Management
Remote
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Business, Management, and Entrepreneurship
Professor Craig Talmage
Ethical Judgement (Partial)

This course offers majors the opportunity to engage materials that will enhance their knowledge of the art and science of management across sectors (i.e., for-profit, nonprofit, public, etc.). The course covers the many roles of managers across enterprises and begins with foundational/historical components of enterprise administration (e.g., Fayol's planning, organizing, coordinating, commanding, and controlling). The course continues with contemporary theories and practices in management (e.g., diversity, equity, and inclusion; lean management; sustainability; flexible work arrangements; data-driven decision-making; learning organizations; intrapreneurship; among others). This course draws on interdisciplinary perspectives on management spanning across nonprofit management, industrial/organizational psychology, sociology, among others. Prerequisite: PSY100, SOC 100, MGMT 101, MGMT 120 or ECON 160.

PSY 203 Child Psychology
Remote
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Psychological Science
Professor Julie Kingery
Scientific Inquiry (Partial)
Social Inequality (Partial)

This course provides an overview of the major theories that guide the study of child development, as well as the normative physical, cognitive, social, and emotional changes that take place from infancy through late childhood. This course also considers contextual influences (e.g., the family, peers, schools, culture, and the media) on development and several key themes (e.g., how children shape their own development, individual differences, and the use of research findings to promote children's well-being). Prerequisite: PSY 100.

SOC 212 Data Analysis
Remote
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. with a 2 – 3:30 p.m. lab on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
Sociology
Professor Kendralin Freeman
Quantitative Reasoning (Substantial)

This course provides an introduction to the organization and analysis of data in the process of social research. Presentation of data in tabular and graphic forms, the use of elementary descriptive and inferential statistics, and the use of bivariate and multivariate analytic procedures in the analysis of data are examined. This course includes a laboratory experience in the use of computing software to display data and test hypotheses. The course is ultimately intended to prepare students for original research efforts and to help them become more sophisticated consumers of the literature of the social sciences today. No prerequisites.

WRRH 313 Sports Media Seminar
Remote
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Writing and Rhetoric
Professor Ben Ristow
Social Inequality (Partial)
Cultural Difference (Partial)

The last century has seen a radical transformation in media representations of athletics and the figure of the athlete. Sports media has evolved over the same period from print journalism to a host of evolving new media, including podcasts, documentary film, and now, social and interactive media. Athletes are not passive spectators to the narratives that construct them, and they take political or social justice stances, argue for fair labor conditions, and advocate for themselves and others on multiple platforms. Sports media is a lucrative, global enterprise, and this seminar analyzes the way that sports are represented, distributed, and consumed in our contemporary moment in the U.S. Students read, write, view, and produce essays and scripts in written and video form, and they learn about careers in journalism, sports communication, television/film production, and podcasting. No prerequisites.