One unique aspect of the Hampshire College experience is that students get to work closely with a faculty committee of their choosing. A student’s four years at Hampshire are separated into three Divisions, and the committee is an essential part of Divisions II and III. During Division II, students design a concentration based on their areas of interest. In Division III, students complete a major independent project.
On a recent Monday night, I sat with a group of fellow Hampshire College students in the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton. The five of us who attended are members of a Hampshire stand-up group, and we had come to see Eugene Mirman—a comedian who graduated from Hampshire in 1996. He is now well known for his stand-up as well as his roles on “Flight of the Conchords” and “Bob’s Burgers.”
In high school, I wished I had more freedom to control my own education. I disliked having specific requirements to fulfill and being forced to take classes about subjects I had no interest in. As a student who wanted more freedom in college, Hampshire was a school that immediately stood out to me.
For students who are interested in the biology and brain cognition of animals, Hampshire College offers an animal behavior program through its School of Cognitive Science. Available courses cover topics such as animal behavior, animal cognition, communication, and evolution. Through the School of Natural Science, students can also learn about the anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, genetics, and ecology of animals.
As a creative writing concentrator at Hampshire College, I have taken a lot of writing classes, and one of my favorites was a playwriting course I took during my first year.
