2014-2015 Pitzer Catalog 
    
    Mar 19, 2024  
2014-2015 Pitzer Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Academic Opportunities at Pitzer



Pitzer has developed a variety of special courses, seminars and programs beyond the regular course offerings. Among these are the First-Year Seminar program; the New Resources Program, designed for students who are regularly enrolled students of post-college-age; PACE, designed to provide intensive English language training for international students; Internships; Independent Study; and Study Abroad programs in the U.S. and abroad.

These opportunities are described below. For further information, please contact the persons listed in the sections below or the Dean of Faculty’s office.

First-Year Seminars

Pitzer’s first-year seminar (FYS) program, launched in 1973, is designed to help students become more literate people who think, read, write, and speak both critically and competently.. Each seminar topic and selected readings reflect the professor’s area of expertise and passion.  All focus on close textual analysis, broadly conceived, and effective writing strategies for diverse audiences and purposes.

Reaffirming the FYS mission originally formulated in the 1973-74 Pitzer Catalog, first-year seminars are distinguished from many other courses offered at an introductory level not only by their small class size but also by their pursuit of a theme or problem rather than the intent to introduce students to a specific discipline or field.  In this spirit, the seminars are meant to pique students’ intellectual curiosity and encourage them to pursue a focused interest in depth. Many incorporate activities outside the classroom, such as fieldtrips, engaging in discussion over a meal, and watching films or plays.

Required of all first-year students, FYSs are writing-intensive courses that fulfill the college’s Written Expression educational objective. During the course of the semester, students are expected to write upwards of 25 pages, including formal assignments and polished essays, in-class writing, and informal writing exercises outside of class. Drafting, peer review, and revising are central to the process-oriented view of writing that the seminars seek to foster. In response to feedback from the professor and/or their peers in the class, students will have the opportunity to revise at least 10 pages of their written work. Students are also encouraged to visit the Writing Center for additional feedback.

Near the end of the fall semester, the FYS professor will provide an assessment of the students’ competence in writing. The evaluation, which will be sent to the students’ advisers, will state whether they have met the writing objective. Students who do not meet the writing objective through a first-year seminar will be required to successfully complete an appropriate writing-intensive course (i.e., an academic writing course or some other course designated as writing-intensive) before they graduate.

First-year seminars challenge students to achieve the following aspirations:

  1. Regard learning to write well as a life-long pursuit, not the accomplishment of a single semester or even an entire undergraduate career.
  2. Grapple with the ambiguity and complexity found within texts, which range from the written word to film, art, performance, and beyond; respond to texts critically and thoughtfully.
  3. Engage in an ongoing process of intellectual inquiry and “conversation” through writing:
  •  Appreciate and experience the creativity, independent thinking, and intellectual risk-taking involved in effective academic writing.
  • Craft thoughtful and insightful questions worthy of investigation; raise significant problems.
  • Recognize and contend with alternative viewpoints/counter-arguments.
  • Identify research/information needs.
  • Locate appropriate scholarly and popular sources.
  • Engage with, evaluate, and draw inferences from sources.
  • Craft a clear, arguable, and compelling thesis.
  1. Experience writing as a complex social interaction between writer and reader:
  • Participate in an intellectual community of peers where writing and ideas are exchanged and critiqued.
  • Rethink and deepen ideas through a recursive process of discussing, drafting, receiving and giving feedback, and revising at any and every point along the way.
  • Gain awareness of audience and of voice.
  1. Practice writing as a form of critical thinking, rather than merely the achievement of sentence-level correctness.

All first-year seminars meet Tuesday and Thursday, 11:00-12:15.

Please note that ten (10) of the 18 FYSs are part of Pitzer’s Global-Local Mentoring Program (GLMP). These FYSs are marked by an asterisk (*) and include additional required programming outside of scheduled class time (TBA). Because professors teaching a GLMP FYS serve as their students’ faculty adviser for the first three semesters, students in the program develop strong mentoring relationships with faculty and gain a broad understanding of how the curriculum intersects with their individual educational goals. (Normally, incoming students are assigned faculty advisers in a field related to the major interest that they indicated on the college application.) In addition, global-local mentorship goes beyond the first semester by providing diverse venues for students to participate early on in community engagement and study abroad, two of the hallmarks of a Pitzer education.

1. Human Rights and Terrorism.* This first-year seminar explores two contentious issues in the world today: human rights and terrorism. It exposes students to the origins and our understanding of these two phenomena, and how they have affected global (international) relations. For example, there will be discussions on how terrorism has radically changed our travels. Students will write a series of short papers on some of these contested issues about human rights and terrorism. This course includes an additional required hour of “global-local” programming each week. [L. Tongun, International and Intercultural Studies and Political Studies]

2. Writing about Art.* This seminar - appropriate for artists and non-artists - asks what it means to engage with an artwork through writing. How is the practice of the art writer - the critic, curator, or historian - In conversation with the work of the artist? What can writing bring to art? Do difficult artworks require the art writer to explain them? Can writing about art be a creative practice as well as a scholarly one? In addition to reading, writing, and talking about art, this class will also visit exhibitions and interact with visiting artists and critics. Projects and assignments range from conventional to experimental. This course includes an additional required hour of “global-local” programming each week. [B. Anthes, Art History]

3. Reality Hunger.* “Art is not truth; art is a lie that enables us to recognize truth”-writes novelist David Shields in Reality Hunger, a tour-de-force manifesto composed largely from plagiarized sources, including work by Picasso, the original author of this quote. Yet if art is artifice, why do we continue to expect sincerity from writers? What does the growing cultural interest in the “real”-from the rise of the memoir to the ubiquity of reality t.v.-tell us about our expectations about the truthfulness of stories? In this seminar, we explore our vexed relationship with the real by analyzing its close affinity with deception. We begin by reading cultural works that both harness and poke fun at our expectations, including novelist Lorrie Moore’s fake instructions “How to Become a Writer” and poet August Kleinzahler’s writings about being raised by the family dog. We’ll then pen essays about our own life stories, testing our versions of the truth against academic theories about the slipperiness of language and memory. Next we’ll use writings about deception to analyze Brian Lerner’s Leaving the Atocha Station, a novella based on a troubled Fulbright Fellow who travels to Spain to become a “real” poet. For the final paper, students write op-eds about any topic related to our culture’s obsession with the “real.” This course includes an additional required hour of “global-local” programming each week. [A. Scott, Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures]

4. Right Wing Politics.* This course explores contemporary right-wing politics, both in the United States and globally.  By reading right-wing political theory, by analyzing right-wing political movements, and by writing extensively about both, we will uncover the social and political foundations of the contemporary right.  In doing so, we will seek to move beyond superficial dismissals of conservative politics and instead to figure out why exactly people associate with the political right today.  All this, of course, will allow us to ask: what is to be done? This course includes an additional required hour of “global-local” programming each week. [W. Barndt, Political Studies]

5. A Short History of the Sale.* When people buy and sell things, what goes on at the heart of the transaction? Why do we buy what we buy? What are the moral dilemmas of the trusting relationship between the buyer and seller? How has the art of selling developed over time in the United States? Rather than looking at salesmanship (and saleswomanship) as a business practice or a form of advertising, this seminar will employ literary and historical texts-such as Melville’s The Confidence Man and Miller’s Death of a Salesman-to examine the moral and social meanings of transactions in American culture. This course includes an additional required hour of “global-local” programming each week. [S. McConnell, History]

6. The Trojan War.* What do Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, James Joyce, Brad Pitt, several computer viruses, and countless sports teams have in common? They were all inspired by the Trojan War. From Heinrich Schliemann to Homer Simpson, the story of the Trojan War has been told and retold, used and abused since long before it was first written down by the man we call (the other) Homer and up until today. In this course we will explore the Trojan War through archaeology, Greek and Roman art and literature as well as interpretations from around the world and into the modern era. This course includes an additional required hour of “global-local” programming each week. [M. Berenfeld, Classics]

7. Utopias and Dystopias.* Throughout history, writers have created ‘ideal societies’ to question their own cultures and to envision solutions or alternatives to pressing social concerns and problems. Sometimes these visions have galvanized social or political action, sometimes they have been rejected as dangerous. In this course, utopias and dystopias will be our entry into the cultures that produced them. We will explore critiques of economic and political systems, gender relations, sexuality, and modernity in texts from ca. 400 to the 1970s. This course includes an additional required hour of “global-local” programming each week. [C. Johnson, History, Gender and Feminist Studies, and Religious Studies]

8. Africana Film: UK to USA.* This course explores the Diasporic African experience through film. It presents selected films that explore issues and themes of the African experience in the United Kingdom and in the Western Hemisphere. The course explores methods of film criticism and is writing intensive. This course includes an additional required hour of “global-local” programming each week. [H. Fairchild, Psychology and Africana Studies; D. Basu, Sociology and Africana Studies]

9. Making Space and Unsettling Settlers: California Indian Nations and Pitzer College.* This course will critically examine higher education as a site of decolonizing struggle within settler societies such as the United States. We will study colonization and decolonization, the cultural specificity of knowledge production, the educational experience of indigenous peoples, and differences between Western and indigenous ways of learning and knowing. Within this framework, and premised on the understanding of Pitzer College as a settler institution, we will consider Pitzer’s relationships with the Indian Nations of Southern California. In light of Pitzer’s social responsibility ethic, we will go beyond analysis to actively imagine new relationships and move towards enacting them. As part of this, the class will take actions in support of educational access for Indigenous youth as well as engaging in other types of service learning with Tribal Nations. This course includes an additional required hour of “global-local” programming each week. [E. Steinman, Sociology]

10. Model Minority and Perpetual Foreigner: Asians in America.* What is the contemporary Asian American experience? How does Asian America look when we take into account differences in ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, and generation? This course offers a sociological examination of what it means to be Asian American today. Topics include immigration, assimilation, demographic trends, ethnic identity, discrimination, socioeconomic mobility, gender, and relationships with other groups. By exploring the structures that shape Asian American experiences and Asian American challenges to those forces, the course encourages students to consider their own role in transforming US society. This course includes an additional required hour of “global-local” programming each week. [A. Junisbai, Sociology]

11. What Is Science and Who Owns It? This course traces the development of science from the Ancient Greek traditions (ca. 2400 to 2000 years ago) to the birth of modern science (16th and 17th centuries) to the present, with particular attention on the effect modern science has exerted and continues to exert on our view of the world and our place in it. Some portions of the course require knowledge of basic mathematics including basic algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. This will be accessible to all students who have taken pre-calculus in high school.[A. Fucaloro, Chemistry]

12. Science in the Public Imagination. From “Frankenfood” to “Intelligent Design,” we are bombarded in our daily lives with scientific (and pseudoscientific) information. The goal of this seminar is to explore how science is presented, discussed, and critiqued in the public sphere. We will focus on three central questions: How do people assess and assimilate scientific information in the context of daily decision-making? How accurately are scientific controversies presented in the media? How do the portrayals of science and scientists in fiction and film affect public understanding of science? No prior science experience necessary. [S. Gilman, Biology]

13. Love and Loathing in Los Angeles. In 1990, Mike Davis, in his polemic City of Quartz, railed against what he calls the Los Angeles region’s “spatial apartheid,” a reality borne out by the subsequent Rodney King riots in 1992. Through readings, cinema, and selected field trips to iconic LA spaces, students will unpack the stereotypes of communities and the natural environment of Los Angeles and come to their own understanding of this enigmatic and deeply flawed city. The course will focus on communities of color within LA and the cultural, environmental and economic “apartheid” that impacts them. Readings will begin with City of Quartz and other texts, both fiction and non-fiction, that reflect the changes in Los Angeles in the later part 20th century. [M. Poston, Dean of Faculty and Environmental Analysis, and M. Ballagh, Study Abroad & International Programs]

14. What is Human? This seminar will examine the ways in which we as a species have identified ourselves as distinct from other animals, machines, and biological creations. Do computers have consciousness? Do clones have souls? Do we think with our heart? Do we have obligations to others? We will explore how people in other eras have defined “humans” and how those distinctions are being challenged by contemporary technology and biological research. Readings range from philosophical and political treatises to science and science fiction.[S. Snowiss, Political Studies, International and Intercultural Studies, Human Biology, and Gender and Feminist Studies]

15. Native Americans and Environments. This seminar examines traditional relationships of several Native American ethnic groups with their environments. Did all Native American peoples formerly live in perfect harmony with their environments, as a common understanding asserts? We will discuss this issue, and the possibility of “environmental determinism” in Native American subsistence practices, patterns of social relationships, religious belief systems, and the arts. We will consider the Inuit, Cahuilla, Hopi, Navajo, Blackfeet, Lakota, Iroquois and Cherokee along with other ethnic groups. [S. Miller, Anthropology]

16. Deviant Heroes. This course will look at the positive, altruistic and heroic side of deviant behavior. We will explore the nature of conformity and non-conformity, and we will learn about various deviant heroes from various societies and cultures. Sometimes, going against the grain, violating the rules, breaking the law and rebelling against one’s culture can be a good thing-even heroic. [P. Zuckerman, Sociology].

17. Environmental Documentaries: Controversy, Evidence, Persuasion & Critical Analysis. This course introduces students to environmental controversies and the social justice issues surrounding them through their documentation in film. Through class discussion and writing assignments, we will analyze the methods of persuasion and types of evidence these documentaries use to examine how effective films are at conveying messages and inciting viewers to action. Readings range from excerpts from Aristotle’s Rhetoric to popular blogs on persuasive writing to materials that provide background, additional evidence, and counter-arguments on the subjects of the documentaries. Topics include: petroleum and environmental justice in the Amazon, Niger Delta, and Louisiana, water and food, and the exploitation of rare species. [M. Herrold-Menzies, Environmental Analysis]

18. Youth Culture. This course presents an overview of youth culture from the development of the idea of the teenager in the post-war period to the present day. It will use a variety of case studies in areas such as music, movies, television, and comics to examine how youth-oriented subcultures influence social, cultural, and political change. This course will also be interested in the ways that youth culture influences media industries creative and industrial practices. [E. Affuso, Media Studies]

19. Signs of the Future* (open only to non-native English speakers participating in the International Scholars Program). This course explores questions of social justice and the impact that culture and politics can have on human relationships. Students will analyze contemporary and historical social issues, the ways they have shaped American culture and the Pitzer experience, and opportunities for ordinary people to effect change. Topics will include racial diversity, family relationships, environment, and gender rights. This course includes an additional required hour of “global-local” programming each week. [L. Herman, Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures]ic intellectual debates and to stage writing as a process predicated on peer review and revision. [A.Scott, Writing] 

New Resources Program

Pitzer College established the New Resources program in 1974 to bring the small, liberal arts college experience to students of non-traditional college age. The program was founded with the conviction that a truly diverse campus is one eager to encounter the added dimension brought by students of a range of ages as well as backgrounds and interests.

To be considered for admission, applicants must be in good standing at the last institution attended and be 25 years of age or older. New Resources candidates may download the application online or request a hard copy from the Admission Office. In addition to the application for admission and a non-refundable $70 application fee, New Resources candidates must complete two essays, send official transcripts and submit two references from professors or employers.

New Resources students can transfer a maximum of 64 semester units or 96 quarter units from a community college. An additional 32 semester units or 48 quarter units may be transferred from an accredited four-year institution.  Transfer credit does not calculate into a student’s Pitzer GPA

Applicants for the New Resources program are required to have an on-campus interview with an Admission Counselor by May 1.

Further information about the program may be obtained from the Office of Admission by calling 909.621.8129.

 Summer Session

Summer Session at Pitzer provides an opportunity for students to continue and enrich their education in a rigorous academic atmosphere distinct from the traditional school year. Students may choose from a slate of undergraduate courses offered across the curriculum during two intensive six-week terms. All courses are taught by Claremont Colleges faculty.

Courses are regular, full-credit offerings of Pitzer College. Students earn one full-course credit (4 semester units) per course completed. Summer courses are open to students of The Claremont Colleges as well as students in good standing at other four-year colleges and universities. Housing and board options are available. Summer Session 2015 is tentatively scheduled to take place as shown below. Specific course listings are generally published in January.

Session I May 18 through June 26
Session II June 29 through August 7

For more information, please see the Summer Session Website at www.pitzer.edu/summer

Pitzer College Study Abroad for the Liberal Arts and Sciences

Pitzer College embraces a unique set of educational objectives that encourage students from all majors to think about the world in ways that expand their understanding of other cultures while working to translate that knowledge into action that will benefit the communities they become a part of here and abroad. This type of learning is fostered by the Pitzer curriculum in Claremont and at our study abroad sites around the world.

To further its educational objective of intercultural understanding, Pitzer has carefully developed its own study abroad programs and cultivated exchanges with overseas universities that support responsible exploration of the world and sustained engagement with its diverse communities. Pitzer programs employ a nationally recognized cultural immersion model integrating intensive language instruction, family stays, a core course on the host culture and the opportunity to pursue an independent study project. The same model informs our Pitzer exchange programs, which require students to navigate a different educational system, often in another language, at selected institutions abroad while bringing international students and their diversity of linguistic and cultural perspectives to the classrooms and residence halls in Claremont. Pitzer is a member of an organization called International Student Exchange Programs (ISEP) to provide additional options for study locations.

A semester of study abroad is not an experience that is considered separate from the rest of a Pitzer education. Students are expected to complete coursework prior to going abroad that will facilitate a sustained engagement with another culture. Ongoing critical reflection is expected of all study abroad participants through a portfolio of writing and opportunities for independent research projects. Having a study abroad program fully integrated into a Pitzer education is a key factor contributing to the record breaking number of prestigious post graduate grants and fellowships like the Fulbright, Watson, Rotary and Coro awarded to Pitzer students since 2003. Students who study abroad comprise nearly 85 percent of those winning such awards. Pitzer leads the nation for a school its size in the number of Fulbright awards received.

A semester of study abroad is a demanding academic experience that may not be for everyone. Seen not as a “break from college” but as a key component of Pitzer’s challenging liberal arts and sciences curriculum, Pitzer Study Abroad has strong support from faculty. Roughly 67 percent of Pitzer students will complete a study abroad program during their undergraduate career at Pitzer. Nationally less than 15 percent of U.S. college students study abroad and only 40 percent of those do so for a semester or longer. In comparison, nearly 90 percent of Pitzer students who study abroad are on full semester or year-long programs. The remaining students participate on Pitzer’s own six-week summer programs that are particularly demanding due to the intensive program structure. The College is pleased that the destinations chosen by Pitzer students are more diverse and widely distributed around the globe than the national averages with the majority of Pitzer students choosing programs outside of Western Europe and the English-speaking world. Pitzer College encourages students to stretch beyond their comfort zone to become engaged, thoughtful and critically reflective citizens both of their own country and the contemporary world.

Pitzer Study Abroad Options

Exchange in Argentina through ISEP: The culture of this vibrant nation blends European and South American traditions to form a unique heritage all its own. Students with four semesters of Spanish completed prior to participation may select from a broad range of courses at one of two institutions in Buenos Aires, Argentina’s lively capital city, or at a third university in the historically rich city of Córdoba.

Pitzer Exchange in Australia: University of Adelaide: With more than 2,000 international students from 70 countries, the University of Adelaide has produced two Nobel Prize winning graduates and nearly 100 Rhodes Scholars. The University of Adelaide has major strengths in biological sciences, physical sciences, environmental sciences and social sciences. Students live in university dormitories with Australian students and other international students.

Pitzer College in Botswana: Pitzer in Botswana offers students an in-depth, cross-cultural learning experience organized around a challenging schedule of language training in Setswana, field projects and a core course on Botswana and regional development. Students live with host families and have the opportunity to pursue independent research and internships. Botswana is one of Africa’s most economically successful and politically stable countries. This “African Miracle” is home to 1.8 million people inhabiting 226,900 square miles of vast savannas, the Kalahari Desert and beautiful national wildlife parks. Botswana’s citizens enjoy standards of health, education and economic well-being rivaled on the continent only by neighboring South Africa.

Pitzer Exchange in Brazil: Open to students with advanced Spanish skills, this exchange with Universida de Federal de Roraima in Boa Vista offers students an intensive Portuguese language course as part of the required course load and the opportunity to live with a Brazilian host family. Boa Vista is the capital of the state of Roraima located in the north region of Brazil. Boa Vista’s estimated population is 250,000.

Exchange in Bulgaria through ISEP: The American University in Bulgaria is located in the southwestern part of the country in the city of Blageovgrad. A GPA of 3.0 is required for applicants interested in taking coursework in a broad range of social sciences including European history, political science, international relations and journalism.

Exchange in Chile through ISEP: This volcanic land of “Fire and Ice” has some of the most diverse landscapes in the world. Students with four semesters of Spanish prior to participation may choose between Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, one of the most prestigious institutions in Chile and located in the cultural and legislative capital and main commercial harbor in Chile, or Universidad Católica del Norte in the coastal city of Antofagasta.

Pitzer Exchanges in French-Speaking Canada: Students select from one of several participating institutions in Quebec, Canada. McGill University in Montreal offers classes taught in English across the curriculum. Several other institutions throughout Quebec province offer coursework entirely in French as an option for students who have completed French 44. Students find their own housing in the local French-speaking community and live as regular members of a neighborhood in Montreal, Quebec City or Sherbrooke.

Pitzer College in China: Pitzer in China offers a unique in-depth learning experience in Beijing, China’s capital and the heart of cultural and political life. Among the broad modern avenues and picturesque traditional hutongs, you will find the nation’s leading universities, medical schools and centers of art and media. The program is affiliated with Beijing University, the premier institution of higher education in China. Students follow a structured and demanding schedule of intensive Chinese study, live in dormitories with Chinese students have a brief home stay with a Chinese family, take a core course on Chinese society and culture, and complete an independent study project. Students may also choose to take an elective course in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), advanced Chinese, or calligraphy. Other elective courses can occasionally be arranged on a case by case basis.

Pitzer College in Costa Rica: Pitzer in Costa Rica immerses students in two communities in Costa Rica while taking intensive Spanish and studying tropical and human ecology at the College’s own Firestone Center for Restoration Ecology on the Pacific Coast. Language skills improve while living with one host family near San Jose and completing an intensive Spanish course. In the second home stay in a community near the Firestone Center, families serve as important resources for students’ understanding of the regional ecological issues that will be studied in an independent research project. The courses in tropical ecology and human ecology are taught at the Firestone Center by faculty from The Claremont Colleges.

The Costa Rica program also offers a Spanish Track that emphasizes linguistic and cultural competence in Spanish, integrating appropriate disciplines in the comparative study of global/local education, health, and/or ecological issues. It uses Pitzer’s Firestone Center for Restoration Ecology (FCRE) as a base to engage in sustained longitudinal social science research projects of benefit to communities in the surrounding District of Baru. Students who participate in the Spanish Track in the Pitzer in Costa Rica semester spend the first half of their 16-week semester at the same language institute in San Jose. They spend the second half of their semester in the Baru area near the FCRE. Students must have intermediate levels in Spanish to participate in the Spanish Track.

Pitzer Exchange with Sarah Lawrence in Cuba offers students the opportunity to be exposed to a culturally and politically unique society. Students may take courses in the humanities, social sciences and the arts at the University of Havana alongside Cuban classmates. Students may also take film history at either the University of Havana or at the Fundación del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano, and performing and visual arts at the Instituto Superior de Arte. All courses are taught in Spanish. Students will be housed in a guest house run by the small farmers’ organization, ANAP. The guest house is centrally located and near the University of Havana.

Exchange in Denmark through ISEP: Aalborg University is Denmark’s youngest, most innovative and internationalized university with an interdisciplinary approach to teaching. Courses available in English include international cultural studies, psychology, economics, philosophy and political science. Students will live in student dormitories or local residences, arranged through ISEP.

Pitzer Exchange in Ecuador: The program is located in Quito, one of the most spectacular cities in South America, and affiliated with Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador (PUCE). Structured to deeply involve students in Ecuadorian life and culture, the program offers a core course on Ecuador, intensive Spanish language courses or electives at the university for those who have advanced Spanish language skills, and an independent study project. Students live with Ecuadorian families in the suburbs of Quito, providing a unique opportunity to improve their conversational Spanish while exploring the richness and complexity of urban life. A second, rural home stay experience with a highland, Quichua speaking family allows students to participate in indigenous life and culture.

Pitzer Exchange in England: University of Bristol. The University of Bristol declares its priorities to be learning, discovery, enterprise-teaching excellence, internationally distinguished research and scholarship and effective knowledge transfer. Bristol’s track record in all three accounts for its position in the first rank of UK universities and its excellent reputation in Europe and the wider world. Located less than two hours west of London by train, Bristol offers a wide range of coursework. University-arranged, off-campus accommodations are available to exchange students.

Pitzer Exchange in England: University of Birmingham. The University of Birmingham is a leading research university in one of the most vibrant and cosmopolitan cities in Europe. At the heart of England’s industrial belt, the University of Birmingham offers a wide selection of courses in languages, literature, history, multidisciplinary programs, social sciences, government and politics, engineering, and health sciences. Accommodation is available in university-arranged housing.

Pitzer Exchange in England: University of Essex. The University of Essex is the United Kingdom’s most internationally diverse campus university with students from 130 countries included in the current enrollment of 8,000 students. Academic departments span the humanities, social sciences, science and engineering and law and management. Students are typically accommodated in residences near the campus.

Pitzer Exchange with Sarah Lawrence College in Oxford.  Sarah Lawrence College in Oxford offers students a year-long experience at one of the oldest and most recognized universities in the world. Known as the City of Dreaming Spires, Oxford blends English past and international present, natural beauty and urban energy. Students on the program will participate in two academic tutorials each term. Tutorials may range from History of Economic Thought to Existential Philosophy and Literature. Students are housed in flats in Merifield, Wadham College student housing. The Oxford application is competitive. Students must possess a minimum GPA of 3.5.

Pitzer Exchange in France: Sciences Po. Sciences Po, with campuses In Paris, Dijon, Le Havre, Menton, Nancy, Poitiers and Reims is the prestigious university at which many of France’s political leaders have studies. Like Pitzer, it has a very explicit commitment to diversity. Classes are available In French and English in the following fields of study: Economics, International Relations, Law, History, Political Science and Sociology. Students with less than four semesters of previous French language study enroll in an intensive French language and culture studies program with French as a foreign language and can take social science courses taught in English. Each of the regional campuses has different foci. Students in Paris are housed with host families. Students enrolled at one of Science Po’s regional campuses reside In student residence halls.

Pitzer Exchange in France: The University of Nantes. The city of Nantes is two hours from Paris by train and is located close to the Atlantic, at the western end of the Loire river valley with approximately one million people living in the greater Nantes area. The University of Nantes is a large, well-known university with proportionately few foreign students among the 40,000 French students. Classes in the fields of languages, literature, history, geography, sociology, political science, economics, and psychology are taught in French and are open to students whose competence in the French language is up to the challenge. International students are housed in university residences and integrated with local French students.

Pitzer Exchange in France: The University of Valenciennes. Valenciennes, in northern France near the Belgian border, prides itself on its reputation for friendliness and getting around the city is convenient and safe. Its appeal includes a vibrant economy and an attractive way of life. The University of Valenciennes enrolls 12,000 students and offers a full range of subjects. Classes are taught in French and French language courses for non-native speakers are also available as support courses. Students live in a university residence on the campus or may rent a room from a local family. Students without strong French language skills may choose from a limited number of courses taught in English with an option to do an internship in Brussels in the spring semester.

Pitzer Exchange with Sarah Lawrence College in Paris. Sarah Lawrence College in Paris offers students exceptional opportunities to pursue their studies in the humanities, the social sciences and the arts. The breadth of these choices combined with Sara Lawrence’s highly personalized approach to education, makes this program a unique opportunity. Sarah Lawrence has partnerships with a number of French institutions. Students may select courses at any one of these schools, as long as they have the required proficiency In French and appropriate academic background.

Pitzer Exchange in Germany: The University of Erfurt’s long history dates back to 1392, when it was established as Germany’s third university, after Heidelberg and Cologne. The city is a culturally lively and historically interesting location for students interested in economics, history, linguistics, literature, philosophy and social sciences. Students should complete at least one year of German language study prior to participating in the program. Students may continue German language studies at intermediate and advanced levels. A home stay with a local family may be possible or students will be housed on campus.

Pitzer Exchange in Germany: University of Koblenz-Landau, situated in the historic city of Landau in southeastern Germany, offers classes taught in English in literature, cultural studies and linguistics. Students can take German language classes at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. Additionally courses are offered in German to students with appropriate levels of language competence. Single room dormitory accommodations are available on the Landau campus.

Exchange in Ghana through ISEP: Located on the western coast of Africa, Ghana is one of the most peaceful and politically stable countries in Africa. Students enroll in classes taught in English with local students at the University of Ghana. Fall participation is strongly advised so that students can take advantage of a required Twi language course. The most appropriate fields of study are African Studies, geography with resource development and the social sciences. One of the University’s objectives is to ensure that its students have an understanding of world affairs and the histories and cultures of African civilization. Students will live in student residences.

Pitzer Exchange in Hong Kong: Lingnan University. A major objective of Lingnan’s liberal arts education is to provide students with international exposure and whole-person development, particularly through bilateral cultural exchange. This is achieved by sending students abroad to experience different cultures, and by admitting non-local students for exchange or degree studies, so that they can experience Lingnan University’s liberal arts environment as well as enrich it. Lingnan University seeks to equip students with language and communication skills in order to cope with Hong Kong’s multilingual environment.

Exchange in Hungary through ISEP: At the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, students enroll in classes taught in English in Central European studies, engineering and social science. Alternately, students may study Central European languages and cultures, at the University of Debrecen with offerings in linguistics and British, Canadian and American cultural studies. Students are housed in local accommodations.

Pitzer Semester in Israel: University of Haifa. Through the International School, students may choose from a variety of courses taught in English, participate in an internship program, and take Hebrew and Arabic language courses. Students will also participate in a pre-semester intensive Hebrew Ulpan that is one of the most effective language learning programs in Israel.

Pitzer Exchange in Italy: Pitzer in Italy places students in the heart of the Emilia-Romagna region in the city of Parma. Home to Verdi, Toscanini, the country’s oldest university and Europe’s finest Romanesque cathedral, Parma offers a vital, friendly and authentic Italian setting off the tourist track yet within access of Milan and Florence. The program allows students to rapidly develop their language skills and arrive at a more profound understanding of Italian culture through an interdisciplinary core course and a half-credit course on Italian Renaissance Art while pursuing a community- based service learning project (independent study). According to interests, students are assigned to a volunteer organization in Parma (health, education, immigrant assistance, environmental, etc.) for a full immersion experience that combines

Italian language, socio-anthropological training and field work. Students with sufficient Italian language skills have the option of a studio art community-based service learning project at the Paolo Toschi Art Institute in drawing and painting (oil, tempera, watercolor), TV/film direction, graphic and computer design, sculpture, or theater (acting and/or directing).

Pitzer Exchange in Japan: Kwansei Gakuin University. This university was founded in 1889 and relocated to the current campus in Nishinomiya, Japan, outside of Kobe, in 1929. At least one year of Japanese language study is required to be eligible for the program. Courses in Japanese and Korean language and culture are available to exchange students, as well as environmental studies courses at the Sanda campus. Students with sufficient Japanese language skills may select from any of the regular courses taught at the university. Students live with host families.

Exchange in Korea through ISEP: Students may select from one of three institutions in the capital city, Seoul: Korea University, Ewha Woman’s University or Yonsei University. No previous study of Korean language is required and a limited selection of course options is possible in English. Housing arrangements vary depending on the campus selected.

Exchange in Latvia through ISEP: Latvia, the heart of the Baltic States, has made a successful transition from Soviet Republic to member of NATO and the European Union. The University of Latvia, located in the historic city of Riga, is the largest in the Baltic region, where students may take courses taught in English in Baltic studies, as well as anthropology, economics, history and international relations. Latvian and Russian language courses from beginner through advanced levels are also available. Housing arrangements vary depending on the campus.

Pitzer Exchange in Mexico: Autonomous University of the Yucatan. The Autonomous University of the Yucatan, located in Mérida, offers a wide range of coursework in Spanish with Mexican students, giving occasion for a high level of cross-cultural interaction and collaborative work. Pitzer students need to be fluent in Spanish to qualify (minimum of four semesters of Spanish or its advanced equivalent). University-arranged homestays are available at or near the Yucatan campus.

Pitzer Exchange in Morocco: Al Akhawayn University. Set in the Atlas mountain region, Ifrane has been around for centuries with the earliest permanent settlement dating from the 16th century. The fall semester begins with an Arabic language course taught in Fes (or Fez), the third largest city in Morocco and an UNESCO World Heritage site. Students then relocate to the campus of Al Akhawayn University with classes in a broad range of liberal arts subjects. Courses are taught in English. Exchange students are expected to continue their Arabic language studies in addition to the other courses selected. Students live with Moroccan students in campus dormitories.

Pitzer College in Nepal:  Pitzer in Nepal is the College’s longest-running program and has gained recognition for its highly effective approach to language and cultural training. An intellectually and physically demanding schedule blends family stays, language classes, lectures, field trips, community projects and independent study. A trek and family stay in a Himalayan village, allow participants to learn first-hand about a surprising wealth of cultures and climates. The integrated curriculum enables students to interact more closely with the people and cultures of Nepal.

Pitzer Exchange in Singapore: Singapore Management University. Set up as Singapore’s first private university, SMU occupies a state-of-the-art city campus located in the heart of Singapore’s civic, cultural and business districts. SMU is home to more than 6,000 students and comprises six schools. Students must take Introduction to Malay or Chinese language and a course on Singapore while at SMU. Students are welcome to take any other courses from across the curriculum.

Pitzer Exchange in South Africa: University of KwaZulu Natal. Located in Durban, near the Indian Ocean, the University of KwaZulu Natal provides instruction in English across the curriculum. Special courses are available in Zulu language, cultural studies and media studies. The University of KwaZulu Natal offers a unique slice of the diversity of South Africa for a student of culture. Within a square mile one is likely to meet South African Indians, Afrikaners, Xhosas, Zulus, San, Sothos, Ndebeles and English-speaking peoples. University dormitory accommodation is offered.

Pitzer Exchange in Spain: University of León. The city of León is one of the most historic sections of Old Castile with a bustling market area and ample historic buildings to view. The University of Leon maintains high standards in both teaching and research in over 30 departments with particular strengths in biotechnology, natural resources and environmental sciences. Courses are taught in Spanish with regular Spanish university peers or students may enroll in a program of intensive Spanish language classes for the full semester. Students live in homestays arranged by the University.

Pitzer Exchange in Spain: Spanish Institute for Global Education (SIGE) and the University of Sevilla.This program is coordinated through SIGE, twenty minutes outside of Sevilla. The institute offers an orientation program and a three-week refresher Spanish class for students with intermediate and advanced Spanish language skills. Students are then eligible to take special courses arranged for foreigners at the University of Sevilla. The university classes cover topics related to Spanish area studies in fields such as literature, history, international relations and language. Students live in homestays throughout the area and commute by bus to classes each day.

Pitzer Exchange in Turkey: Middle East Technical University (METU). Based in Ankara, the capital of Turkey with a population approaching 5 million people, students on the METU exchange can select from a wide range of courses taught in English that they attend together with their Turkish peers. The university has strong offerings in the sciences, sociology, political studies and economics. While appropriate for students in any major, METU is an ideal choice for natural science students who want to explore a new culture while maintaining a competitive standing in their major. Combined with Pitzer’s cultural immersion model, through which students can study Turkish language and culture and live with a local familyfor the first few weeks of the program and then in METU residence halls with Turkish students, participants get the best of all possible worlds: a rich investigation of a fascinating culture at the crossroads of European and Middle Eastern civilization as well as a first-rate education.

Pitzer Summer Health Program in Costa Rica: Pitzer Summer Health Program in Costa Rica provides participants with an opportunity for a Spanish-speaking, cultural immersion experience and a first-hand look at health care in Latin America. The integrated curriculum combines intensive Spanish language study and family stays with health-related internships in San Jose, the Costa Rican capital city and a core course focused on health issues. Students accepted to the program must be enrolled in courses on campus in the prior spring semester to attend lectures and orientation during the spring semester. Several excursions help students gain a broader perspective on health and environmental issues.

Domestic Exchanges are possible with Spelman College (GA), Colby College (ME) or Haverford College (PA). Additional exchanges are available with the CIEL institutional partners- Alverno College (WI), Daemen College (NY), The Evergreen State College (WA), Fairhaven College (WANew College (FL), New Century College (VA), Prescott College (AZ), and Marlboro College (VT).

Non-Approved Programs

In addition to the choices offered above, a small number of students may be approved to attend programs administered by other institutions and organizations. To be eligible for a non-approved program, students must demonstrate a significant level of appropriate academic preparation for the specific program selected and that the program meets a strong academic need that cannot be fulfilled on one of the already approved options listed above. The External Studies Committee will give preference to applicants for programs that focus on intercultural and language education and offer a strong fit with Pitzer’s graduation guidelines. Depending on the number of applications, approval for a non-approved program is highly competitive so students should select an alternate option from the Pitzer programs and exchanges.

Note: This list of program options may change without notice. Consult with an adviser in the Office of Study Abroad for more information.

Preparation

Preparation is required for students who intend to participate in study abroad.

Students are encouraged to plan well in advance and are required to consult with their faculty advisers early in their academic career. Some programs have specific prerequisites, including the completion of courses related to a particular language, region, culture, or issue. In cooperation with the other Claremont Colleges, Pitzer offers a rich selection of appropriate courses in international, intercultural and language education. The Office of Study Abroad can provide interested students with advice on their program choices and help students make the most of what is almost always a life-changing educational experience.

The opportunity to participate in a study abroad program is a privilege and the application process is competitive. Students typically participate on study abroad programs in their junior year or the first semester of their senior year and those students are given priority. Class standing is determined by the number of courses completed so students normally should have completed at least 16 courses but not more than 25 courses prior to the semester of participation. Students may participate as sophomores if appropriate to the student’s academic plan and space is available on the chosen Pitzer program or exchange. Sophomores are not eligible for non-Pitzer programs. Ordinarily, second semester seniors are ineligible.

Participation in study abroad is generally limited to one semester during enrollment at the College. Students wishing to have a year-long or other study abroad experience may be eligible to do so by demonstrating how the second experience fits with their overall educational plan at the College.

Students typically begin the application process by consulting early with their faculty adviser about their plans and attending an information session in the fall of their sophomore year. Priority is given to students who follow the advising procedures and meet all application deadlines.

Cost

For students participating in study abroad, cost is the same comprehensive fee (inclusive of tuition, fees, double room charge and full board) as a semester at Pitzer College. Students make a contribution to the cost of the airfare ($550 for the 2014-15 academic year) and the College will cover the remainder of the airfare charges out of Los Angeles (or equivalent priced airport) for the first semester of study abroad. Students are responsible for the full airfare on any additional semesters of study abroad. Students traveling on dates that differ from the program dates or departing from airports other than Los Angeles may be responsible for the additional airfare charges. Normally, the costs for tuition, housing, food and the remainder of the airfare expenses are covered in the fees that Pitzer collects from each student. In cases where the total program costs paid by Pitzer, including the College’s own direct expenses, exceed the comprehensive fee, students may be asked to pay the difference. All fees, charges and expenses are payable in U.S. dollars in Claremont, California. There are other costs associated with overseas study that students should plan for in their budget. Students are advised to consult with a study abroad adviser early in the process about any additional expenses.

Financial Aid

Financial aid awards are transferable to semester programs approved by Pitzer College and the External Studies Committee. Financial aid is not available for summer programs with the exception of the Summer Health Program in Costa Rica. Pitzer College does not provide financial aid for students from other colleges and universities participating on Pitzer programs and such visiting students are advised to consult their home institution for information on whether their financial aid package can be applied to a Pitzer program.

Credit

Academic credit for the Pitzer programs and exchanges in Botswana, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador (partially), Japan, Italy and Nepal is treated as any other grades received in Claremont. Credit for all other exchange programs and pre-approved non-Pitzer programs will follow the Registrar’s policies for transfer credit. Students must check carefully to ensure that the course load abroad is the equivalent of four course credits or a full semester load at Pitzer College allowing for normal progress toward graduation. Students are required to study the host language in any non- English speaking destination unless already fluent in that language. In addition, students are required to take at least one area studies course and may receive credit for one or two other courses in any discipline as available at their chosen program. Please consult the Office of Study Abroad and the Registrar about the amount of credit typically awarded for each program. Faculty advisers will determine whether courses taken abroad can be used to fulfill requirements of a major or a minor. The coursework completed on a study abroad program may be used toward the residency requirement of 16 courses completed while registered at Pitzer.

No Pitzer College credit will be granted to Pitzer students for study abroad programs during the academic year without prior approval of the External Studies Committee and payment of the regular Pitzer College comprehensive fee and airfare contribution. This applies to any course work taken outside of the United States or outside the campus of another U.S. institution during the regular academic year. This policy does not apply to summer programs or to courses enrolled in or completed by students prior to their admission to Pitzer College.

Application Process

Applications for participation in study abroad programs for Fall 2015 are due by Monday, November 10, 2014. Applications for Spring 2016 are due on March 25, 2015. Priority is given to students meeting all Pitzer application deadlines. Students applying for non-approved programs for either the fall or spring have one application deadline, which is November 10, 2014.

Selection Process

Selection for any particular program is based on a student’s college record, the strength of the application essays, academic preparation and suitability of the chosen program to the College’s goal of intercultural understanding. The competitiveness of the applications will vary based on the number of applicants, the limited availability of some exchanges or the allotment of limited spaces on non- Pitzer programs. All applicants are required to list a Pitzer program or exchange as an alternate choice. The External Studies Committee, consisting of faculty, students and staff will make final selections. In the event that the number of qualified applicants exceeds the number of spaces available for studying abroad, priority for programs with limited spaces will be based on class standing and the strength of the application. Some qualified students may be asked to delay their participation to another semester or to select an alternate program. Students on academic or disciplinary probation or with outstanding debts to the College are ineligible for participation in study abroad.

Further information on study abroad is available through the Office of Study Abroad. Students are encouraged to drop in or contact the office by e-mail at studyabroad@ pitzer.edu, or visit the Pitzer College Study Abroad Website at www.pitzer.edu/studyabroad.

 English Language and American Culture Studies

Pitzer’s English Language Programs develop advanced levels of English proficiency for international students. Programs include the International Scholars program for incoming students; the International Fellows Program (IF) with the Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management at Claremont Graduate University; and English Language and American studies for incoming International Exchange Students. See also International Students section.

Community-Based Education Programs Community Engagement Center (CEC)

The Community Engagement Center (CEC) is the hub for social justice praxis at Pitzer College (connecting theoretical frameworks with experiential learning/applied research and continuous critical reflection). CEC supports Pitzer faculty, students, staff and community partners in forwarding social responsibility, social justice and community engagement in surrounding neighborhoods through research, advocacy, collaboration and action.

CEC works in the community creating partnerships not to dispense “expert” solutions to pre-defined needs, but to identify and engage resources-both human and material-within the community. Among its core partnerships are the Pomona Day Labor Center and Fernando Pedraza Community Coalition, both programs of the Pomona Economic Opportunity Center (PEOC); Camps Afflerbaugh-Paige, a youth detention camp located in La Verne; Prototypes Women’s Center in Pomona, a recovery and rehabilitation Center for women and their children; Jumpstart, an AmeriCorps program aimed at increasing early childhood literacy and closing the achievement gap; and lastly, our Native American community cultural and educational partnerships. Through on-going engagement collaborations with these long-term community partners, a variety of concrete projects and meaningful, reciprocal relationships have been nurtured. Ongoing programs include, for example, teaching English as a second language, co-creating urban farms and gardens, facilitating writing and spoken word programming, providing tutoring, mentoring and childcare for under-resourced youth, and facilitating college pipeline programming and cultural exchanges with high school youth interested in college access.

In addition to these core partnerships, CEC works with dozens of local community organizations and schools on themes related to social, cultural, political and environmental justice and community-building. CEC endeavors to support faculty and students with the logistics of community engagement (travel, funding, and programmatic resources) as well as pedagogical and methodological tools related to research and service. Through on-going relationship-building with community partners and advocating of community-based learning and teaching within the college culture and curriculum, CEC advances Pitzer’s learning objectives related to social responsibility, social justice, environmental sustainability and intercultural understanding.

CEC recognizes and honors the students, staff, faculty, and community members (past and present) who founded each of Pitzer College’s community engagement programs and give thanks to all those who sustain these partnerships day after day. CEC invites all new faculty, staff and students to join us in existing and new community engagement collaborations!

CEC is located on the first floor of Scott Hall. Contact us at cec_staff@pitzer.edu or phone 909.607.8183. For further information, visit our website at www.pitzer.edu/offices/cec or our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CECPZ.

Munroe Center for Social Inquiry

The Munroe Center for Social Inquiry at Pitzer College promotes interdisciplinary research and public discussion of important issues concerning society, cultures and public policy. Each year the Center sponsors a themed series of events, including lectures, seminars, panel discussions, exhibitions, screenings, and performances. Students of the Claremont Colleges can apply to be Student Fellows of the Center for each spring semester. MCSI Student Fellows enroll in MCSI 195 PZ  , which involves attending all of the spring events of the Center, small group meetings with the Center’s visiting speakers, and the preparation of a semester long research paper or media presentation. The position of Student Fellow in the Center is limited to 18 students. Applications are available on the Center’s website and are due in November 2014. In the spring of 2015, the Center’s theme of inquiry is Virus. The Director for 2014-15 is Professor Alexandra Juhasz. For more information about the Center, see www.pitzer.edu/mcsi

Pitzer in Ontario Program

Pitzer in Ontario is a comprehensive, semester-long, three-course community-based education and cultural immersion program in Ontario, California, with theoretical foundations in the social sciences and a strong emphasis on experiential education. The program integrates an extensive internship with interdisciplinary coursework that provides the analytical framework from which social and urban issues can be effectively evaluated. The core course, Critical Community Studies, provides a transdisciplinary, theoretical and contextual framework for the Pitzer in Ontario program. The Social Change practicum course incorporates an intensive internship experience to provide students with a focused exposure to the roles particular agencies play in addressing urban issues and a hands-on experience in playing a proactive role in the local community. The primary goals of the Qualitative Methods course is to use the classroom itself to generate empathy toward conditions of research and to enable the creation of a mutually beneficial research project at the internship site. See here   for course descriptions. 

Bachelor/Master’s

Accelerated (“4+1”) Degree Programs with Claremont Graduate University

Claremont Graduate University (CGU) offers superior undergraduate students at The Claremont Colleges the opportunity to work simultaneously toward the completion of their undergraduate degree requirements and a master’s degree in selected academic fields.  Depending on the students’ qualifications, these programs will involve some shortening of the time normally required to complete an undergraduate and a master’s degree. The tuition and time savings are calculated on a case-by-case basis, but on average students save a semester of graduate study in time and tuition costs. For more information, visit: http://www.cgu.edu/pages/623.asp.

Below is a list of all the academic programs you can apply through the 4+1 Program. Note that each program has individual requirements and procedures. Students must be recommended by their respective colleges and normally apply to the program by January of their junior year. Those accepted into the program normally begin coursework at CGU in their senior year. 

Please email a CGU program representative via the addresses listed under “CGU contact.” They will be happy to answer all of your questions, give you a tour of campus, arrange a meeting with an academic department, or even arrange for you to attend a class or meet with a faculty member. Applications are available through the CGU Office of Admission and Records, on the CGU website, as well as through the CGU academic departments. The application fee is waived for students within the Claremont Consortium.

  

Program

CGU Contact

Pitzer Contact

Applied Women’s Studies

humanities@cgu.edu

contact CGU directly

Archival Studies

humanities@cgu.edu

contact CGU directly

Arts Management

artsmanagement@cgu.edu

contact CGU directly

Economics

spe@cgu.edu

contact an economics faculty member

Education

ses@cgu.edu

contact CGU directly

 

Education: Teacher Ed

http://www.cgu.edu/4plus1ed/

ses@cgu.edu

contact CGU directly

English

humanities@cgu.edu or (909) 621-8612

contact CGU directly

Financial Engineering

drucker@cgu.edu

contact CGU directly

History

humanities@cgu.edu

contact CGU directly

Information Systems

sisat.info@cgu.edu

organizational studies professor,Jeff Lewis

Management

http://www.cgu.edu/pages/5953.asp

drucker@cgu.edu

contact CGU directly

Mathematics

http://www.cgu.edu/pages/1121.asp

math@cgu.edu

 

consult with the mathematics faculty early in your undergrad career (math@pitzer.edu)

 

Media Studies

http://www.cgu.edu/pages/9506.asp

humanities@cgu.edu or

Eve Oishi, Associate Professor of Cultural Studies, (eve.oishi@cgu.edu)

contact a media studies faculty member

Museum Studies

humanities@cgu.edu

contact CGU directly

Music

music@cgu.edu

contact CGU directly

Philosophy

humanities@cgu.edu

contact a philosophy professor

Politics & Policy

spe@cgu.edu

 

contact a political studies, organizational studies, environmental analysis, or sociology faculty member

 

Psychology

psych@cgu.edu

 

consult with a member of the psychology field group

 

 

Public Health

http://www.cgu.edu/pages/6567.asp

scgh@cgu.edu

darleen.peterson@cgu.edu

contact CGU directly

Religion

religion@cgu.edu

contact CGU directly

Combined Bachelor/ Medical Degree Program with Western University of Health Sciences (“Pitzer-WUCOM” linkage program)

A unique linkage program between Pitzer and Western University of Health Sciences in nearby Pomona, California, allows students to complete the BA degree from Pitzer and the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree in seven years.

Admission to this program is highly selective. A joint Admission Committee admits a maximum of six first-year students into the program each year. The Admission Committee expects that applicants have taken some of the most challenging courses offered at their high school, including Honor/AP/IB biology, Honor/AP/IB chemistry, Honor/AP/IB physics and Honor/AP/IB calculus. In addition, we expect to see community involvement and motivation for a career in primary care medicine. Finalists are required to come for a day-long personal interview with the Admission Committee at Pitzer and Western University in late March. Interview dates change from year to year, so we advise you to check our website for the most up-to-date information.

Admitted students will study at Pitzer for three years, fulfilling the Education Objectives and premedical requirements, interacting with Western University clinics and physicians, and undertaking medically related internships. Upon completion of their third year at Pitzer and having maintained a minimum overall GPA of 3.20 in the non-science courses, a minimum of 3.30 in the science courses, and a minimum of 24 on the scored sub-tests of the Medical College Admission Test, and demonstrated personal dedication and traits suitable for health professions and career development, students will be admitted to Western University of Health Sciences where they will pursue the four-year course of study for the DO degree. This is followed by internship and residency. For further information, visit: http://www.pitzer.edu/admission/westernu/index.asp and http://www.pitzer.edu/admission/westernu/Wucom.pdf. Applications are available through the Office of Admissions.

Combined BA/BSE in Management Engineering

A five-year program, offered in conjunction with other institutions, allows students to receive both a bachelor of arts Degree in Management Engineering from Pitzer and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering from the second institution. The first three years of study are undertaken on the Pitzer campus. After this, students enroll in the engineering programs at other institutions. Upon completion of the two-year engineering program, graduates simultaneously receive an engineering degree from the second institution and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Pitzer. Although a formal program exists with Columbia University, students can transfer to other engineering programs. It is essential for students to plan courses carefully and early in the program. Details of specific course requirements, recommendations, and general program expectations may be obtained from Keck Science Department Professor Jim Higdon (jhigdon@kecksci.claremont.edu) or and by visiting: http://www.jsd.claremont.edu/majors/managementengineering.asp.

Internships

Pitzer students have access to thousands of internship opportunities in Southern California and around the world each year through Career Services (ClaremontConnect, Nationwide Internship Consortium) and the Community Engagement Center (CEC). Internships during the academic year and over the summer are incredibly important experiential learning opportunities that can have a substantial impact on a student’s ability to achieve their post-graduation goals.  Pitzer students should strive to have at least one, and preferably two or three substantive internships during their time at Pitzer.  In addition to the many internships that Pitzer students can find through ClaremontConnect, Career Services is always building new relationships with Pitzer alumni and parents who are looking to specifically hire Pitzer students to make significant contributions to their organizations as interns.  Due to the generosity of many alumni and parent donors, Career Services also awards a limited number of stipends to students each year to support substantive summer internships through the Pitzer Internship Fund.  In 2012-13, the Pitzer Internship Fund awarded $64,200 to 42 Pitzer students to support summer internships that would otherwise be unpaid.  

Independent Study

Independent Study is a creative option for students wanting to explore an area in more depth. The provisions for Independent Study are intended by the faculty to foster students’ intellectual development. It is hoped that students will develop the capacity to plan and execute projects of their own conception and will acquire a competence in original research and writing beyond that required by the regular courses of instruction. For more information see the section on  Independent Studies  .

Teacher Education

As preparation for teaching all subjects in an elementary school classroom, students must pass the MSAT (Multiple Subjects Assessment for Teachers) of the PRAXIS Series and the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST) which they are strongly encouraged to take before their senior year. Interested students should see Professor Mita Banerjee (mita_banerjee@pitzer.edu) or Professor Maya Federman (maya_federman@pitzer.edu) and should contact Career Services (http://www.pitzer.edu/offices/career_services/) for information regarding teaching as a career. The Office of Teacher Education at Claremont Graduate University (http://www.cgu.edu/pages/1642.asp) also has specific information regarding its Internship Program.