Hampshire College

The School of Natural Science faculty believe that  students need to be actively engaged in finding knowledge, not just passively receiving it. Thus, we design our introductory courses so that students do their own research projects in the lab, field, or in the library. We are pioneers in student-active science.

Some teachers use the case-based approach in which teams of students are given a case (such as a medical case) to solve, where they must figure out what information is needed, make tentative diagnoses, and get the background and knowledge to come to an answer.

Other classes involve students in designing and carrying out their own research projects—for example, testing water in local brooks for pollution, or determining what chair design causes more tension in neck muscles. These research-based courses also have students working in teams.

At upper levels, students gain deeper skills and knowledge. In Division II, students design their own majors, which can be interdisciplinary. In Division III, each student chooses and carries out a major research project.