2013-14 Catalogue
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1 Contents Academic Calendar .................................................................................................................2 General Information ...............................................................................................................5 A History of Vassar College ....................................................................................................5 Learning and Living at Vassar .................................................................................................6 Admission ..............................................................................................................................12 Fees .........................................................................................................................................15 Financial Aid .........................................................................................................................17 Alumnae and Alumni of Vassar College (AAVC) ...............................................................23 Academic Information ..........................................................................................................24 Degrees and Courses of Study ................................................................................................24 Preparation for Graduate Study .............................................................................................35 Instruction 2013/14 ...............................................................................................................36 Departments and Programs of Instruction .............................................................................37 College Organization ..........................................................................................................253 Board of Trustees 2012-13 ...................................................................................................253 Administration 2012-14 ......................................................................................................254 Alumnae and Alumni of Vassar College .............................................................................260 Faculty 2013-14 ...................................................................................................................260 Degree Programs ..................................................................................................................269 Index ....................................................................................................................................270 For the college website and the catalogue online, please refer to: www.vassar.edu 2013/2014 Catalogue 2 Academic Calendar Academic Calendar 2013/2014 Vacations, recesses, and holidays are shown in underlined figures. July August September S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 1 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 29 30 31 26 27 28 29 30 31 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 October November December S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 1 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 28 29 30 31 25 26 27 28 29 30 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 January February March S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 1 2 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 27 28 29 30 31 24 25 26 27 28 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 April May June S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 1 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 28 29 30 26 27 28 29 30 31 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Although Vassar College has no religious affiliations, it does respect the observance of religious holy days by members of the college community. Academic Calendar 3 Fall Semester, 2013/14 July 2013 July 31 Wednesday Last day for payment of first semester fees August 2013 August 27 Tuesday Residence houses open at 9:00 am for new students only. All new students arrive before 2:00 pm for beginning of orientation. First board meal is lunch. September 2013 September 1 Sunday Residence houses open at 9:00 am for all other students. September 2 Monday Labor Day - No Classes September 3 Tuesday Classes begin. Registration of Special Students September 11 Wednesday Fall Convocation at 3:30 pm September 16 Monday Add period ends Last day to withdraw from all first semester classes. September 21-22 Saturday-Sunday Freshmen Families Weekend October 2013 October 11 Friday Drop period ends October Break begins at 5:30 pm October 20 Sunday October Break ends at midnight November 2013 November 4-15 Monday-Friday Preregistration for Spring, 2014 November 27 Wednesday Thanksgiving recess begins at 10:00 pm December 2013 December 1 Sunday Thanksgiving recess ends at midnight December 11 Wednesday First semester classes end December 12-15 Thursday-Sunday Study period December 16-20 Monday-Friday First semester examinations December 21 Saturday Residence houses close at 9:00 am. Last board meal is breakfast Note: Because there are 14 Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and only 12 Thursdays and Fridays in the fall term, the following changes are necessary: Tuesday, December 10th = Thursday teaching day. Wednesday, December 11th = Friday teaching day. Second Semester, 2013/14 January 2014 January 6 Monday Last day for payment of second semester fees January 19 Sunday Residence houses open at 9:00am. New students arrive. First board meal is lunch. January 22 Wednesday Second semester classes begin. Registration of special students. February 2014 February 4 Tuesday Add period ends. March 2014 March 7 Friday Drop period ends Spring vacation begins at 5:30 pm March 8 Saturday Residence houses close at 9:00 am. Last board meal is breakfast March 23 Sunday Spring vacation ends at midnight. Residence houses open at 9:00 am on Saturday (22nd). First board meal is lunch on Saturday, March 22nd April 2014 April 4-6 Friday-Sunday All Families Weekend April 7-18 Monday-Friday Preregistration for fall, 2014 April 30 Wednesday Spring Convocation at 3:30 pm May 2014 May 6 Tuesday Second semester classes end Last day to withdraw from all second semester classes. May 7-13 Wednesday-Tuesday Study period May 14-20 Wednesday-Tuesday Second semester examinations May 21 Wednesday Residence houses close at 9:00 am (except seniors) May 25 Sunday 150th Commencement. Residence houses close at 9:00 am on Monday, May 26th (for seniors) June 2014 June 13-15 Friday-Sunday Vassar College Reunions 4 Academic Calendar Four-Year Calendar 2013/14 - 2016/17 First Semester 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 Classes Begin 9/3(Tues) 9/2 (Tue) 8/31 (Mon) 8/29 (Mon October Break Begin 10/11 (Fri) 10/17 (Fri) 10/9 (Fri) 10/14 (Fri) End 10/20 (Sun) 10/26 (Sun) 10/18 (Sun) 10/23 (Sun) Thanksgiving Begin 11/27 (Wed) 11/26 (Wed) 11/25 (Wed) 11/23 (Wed) End 12/01 (Sun) 11/30 (Sun) 11/29 (Sun) 11/27 (Sun) Classes End 12/11 (Wed) 12/10 (Wed) 12/9 (Wed) 12/7 (Tue) Study Period Begin 12/12 (Thu) 12/11 (Thu) 12/10 (Thu) 12/8 (Wed) End 12/15 (Sun) 12/14 (Sun) 12/13 (Sun) 12/11 (Sun) Final Exams Begin 12/16 (Mon) 12/15 (Mon) 12/14 (Mon) 12/12 (Mon) End 12/20 (Fri) 12/19 (Fri) 12/18 (Fri) 12/16 (Fri) Note: No Classes on Labor Day Second Semester Classes Begin 1/22 (Wed) 1/28 (Wed) 1/27 (Wed) 1/25 (Wed) Spring Break Begin 3/7 (Fri) 3/13 (Fri) 3/11 (Fri) 3/10 (Fri) End 3/23 (Sun) 3/29 (Sun) 3/27 (Sun) 3/26 (Sun) Classes End 5/6 (Tue) 5/12 (Tue) 5/10 (Tue) 5/9 (Tue) Study Period Begin 5/7 (Wed) 5/13 (Wed) 5/11 (Wed) 5/10 (Wed) End 5/13 (Tue) 5/19 (Tue) 5/17 (Tue) 5/16 (Tue) Final Exams Begin 5/14 (Wed) 5/20 (Wed) 5/18 (Wed) 5/17 (Wed) End 5/20 (Tue) 5/26 (Tue) 5/24 (Tue) 5/23 (Tue) Commencement 5/25 (Sun) 5/31 (Sun) 5/29 (Sun) 5/28 (Sun) General Information 5 studies. Vassar, among the first to offer courses in drama, psychology, and Russian, has experimented with interdepartmental courses since General Information the early 1900s and has long been recognized for curricular innovation. After declining an invitation to merge with Yale, Vassar decided to open its doors to men in 1969. In keeping with its pioneering spirit, A History of Vassar College Vassar was the first all-women’s college in the country to become A pioneer for women’s education and liberal arts education in the coeducational: men now represent 45 percent of the student body United States, Matthew Vassar founded Vassar College in 1861. of 2,450. Opening its doors to its first class of 353 students paying $350 for The unique traditions upon which the college was founded con- tuition and “residence” on September 26, 1865, the college offered tinue to be upheld today: a determination to excel, a willingness to young women a liberal arts education equal to that of the best men’s experiment, a dedication to the values of the liberal arts and sciences, colleges of the day. Coeducational since 1969, Vassar College set the a commitment to the advancement of equality between the sexes, and standard for higher education for women for more than 100 years and the development of leadership. Vassar continues to stand at the fore- now sets the standard for true coeducation. Recognized as one of the front of liberal arts institutions and has positioned itself as a leading best liberal arts colleges in the country, Vassar has successfully fulfilled force in higher education in the 21st century.