Division I for Current Students
This page has everything you need to know about having a successful, meaningful experience in Division I including policies, procedures, and resources.
Division I is designed for exploration. In Division I students will engage with new ways of working across a wide range of critical, scientific, and creative approaches through Hampshire’s transdisciplinary curriculum.
Requirements
To complete Division I, students must:
- Take a Division I Seminar
- Complete at least six faculty-evaluated courses.
- Three Five College courses graded C or better may be used to satisfy Division I. Students are not encouraged to take Five College courses in their first semester.
- 40 hours of Community Engaged Learning (CEL-1). 10 hours must be activities addressing race and power.
- Compile a Division I portfolio.
- Meet with Division I faculty advisor to official pass Division I.
Students entering in the Spring semester do not take a Division I Seminar, and will take seven faculty-evaluated courses.
Division I Seminar
Students take one Division I seminar, an innovative course taught by faculty in different fields focused on a single question of contemporary relevance. Each seminar embeds different disciplinary approaches, enabling students’ learning about a wide range of skills and approaches to the topic. In addition to innovative course content, Division I seminars support the transition to Hampshire by introducing students to campus resources and community. The Division I Seminar is only for first-semester students and is supported by a Division II or III teaching assistant.
Division I Advisor
All students, upon entry to Hampshire College are assigned a faculty advisor that supports a student’s academic progress, selection of courses, and progress toward completion of Division I. All faculty advisors during a student’s entire time at Hampshire will meet regularly through the semester to:
- Assist students in exploring their educational interests and developing an academic concentration
- Help students understand Hampshire's programs and how they progress through the Divisional system
- Evaluate and ensure students meet Divisional requirements
- Write letters of recommendation upon request from a student
- Counsel students about field study, exchange, leave of absence, and withdrawal
Student’s Responsibilities
It is the student's responsibility to remain in regular communication with the faculty advisor and to attend advising meetings on Advising Days. Students are expected to come prepared to advising meetings with updates on course progress and overall academic performance, questions regarding course selection, and future academic plans.
It is also the student’s responsibility to maintain and collect samples of work from academic courses and CEL-1 for the creation of the Division I portfolio.
Passing Division I
After completing seven or more courses and fulfilling the CEL-1 requirement, students prepare to pass Division I by developing a portfolio of selected Division I work and a retrospective essay.
Passing Division I is approved and evaluated by a student’s faculty advisor. Students who do not satisfy all Division I requirements on the basis of their first two semesters' work should consult with their faculty advisor to address the need for further study to ensure the satisfactory completion of Division I. Students must pass Division I before filing Division II.
Portfolio
At the end of Division I, first-year students are responsible for preparing a Division I portfolio that contains:
- All completed course evaluations or Five College course grades
- Samples of work from courses
- Retrospective essay that reflects on Division I, CEL-1, and goals for Division II
Students meet with their advisor to review and discuss their academic progress and Division I portfolio. Typically students create an E-Porfolio to compile all of the components required to pass Divison I.