Integrated Sciences First-Year Program

The Integrated Sciences First-Year Program (ISFP) is a series of classes at Hampshire College designed to challenge students to learn about complex systems and systems thinking, improve quantitative skills, make connections among fields of science, develop innovative collaborative projects, and create a vibrant science community. Currently the program uses the R.W. Kern Center as a case study. There are three parts to the program: collaborative courses, student design projects, and a summer research intensive.

The collaborative courses are taught during the fall semester. Students work on interdisciplinary projects, share expertise, and form a collaborative science learning community. Students read and share primary literature, complete problem sets, and work collaboratively on projects. Check out this student video from Fall 2015:

Students who complete the collaborative courses may choose to continue their work using the R.W. Kern Center in a Collaborative Projects Design course during the spring semester. Students learn skills in independent and collaborative research, project design, grant writing, presentation, and science writing. Students may use this course to develop project proposals for summer work as part of or to prepare them for work in Division II.

During the summer following their first year, students can apply to the 4-week Integrated Sciences Summer Experience. Students receive room and board, a research stipend, and an immersive experience in conducting research with faculty members. Hop over to the Hampshire News page to hear about how students from ISFP III won the American Ecological Engineering Society’s water filtration design challenge in 2016.