AhsPolicies

1. AHS Policies
2. Foundation
3. Concentrations
   1. What is a concentration?
   2. Why do I have to have a concentration?
   3. What do I have to do? When do I have to do it? How do I propose a concentration?
4. Capstone
   1. What is the AHS Capstone?
   2. What's the point?
   3. What do I have to do? When do I have to do it? How do I propose a Capstone?

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AHS Policies

All students must complete at least 28 units of AHS and E! by graduation, and at least 12 of these credits must be in AHS. At a more detailed level, all students must complete:

• an AHS Foundation (four credits)

• an E! Foundation (four credits)

• an eight or more credit “Concentration” in AHS or E!

• a four credit AHS or E! “Capstone” in the same field as the Concentration

After satisfying the foundation, concentration, and capstone requirements, students can choose any other AHS and E! courses to reach the above credit totals (i.e., 28 AHS/E! with at least 12 AHS).

Sample course and credit breakdowns:

• ARTHUR AHS wants to sample different AHS disciplines, so takes the following courses:

  • AHS Foundation (4)

  • E! Foundation (4)

  • AHS Concentration (8)

  • Other AHS course1 (4)

  • Other AHS course2 (4)

  • AHS Capstone (4)

  • Total: 28

• ERIN E! wants to focus on Entrepreneurship:

  • AHS Foundation (4)

  • E! Foundation (4)

  • E! Concentration (8)

  • AHS course1 (4)

  • AHS course2 (4)

  • E! Capstone (4)

  • Total: 28

• FRANZ FOCUS wants to specialize in one AHS field:

  • AHS Foundation (4)

  • E! Foundation (4)

  • AHS Concentration (16) <-- four courses

  • AHS Capstone (4)

  • Total: 28

Note that all of these fine individuals are encouraged to take more than 28 credits of AHS and E! Seize the day!

Foundation

All Olin students will register for an AHS Foundation course in their first semester at Olin, barring extenuating circumstances. All AHS Foundation courses have three learning objectives in common:

• Develop written and oral communication skills (including at least two course-specific workshops offered by Gillian Epstein, Olin’s Writing Consultant) -- this broad category includes the development of other skills related to communication, such as critical thinking, organization, use of evidence and support, analysis, and so on. We will elaborate on these learning objectives soon.

• Offer a multi- or inter-disciplinary approach to AHS topics.

• Integrate AHS and technical topics (some more than others)

AHS Foundation courses can be found in the course catalog on the StAR Center website.

Concentrations

What is a concentration?

The AHS concentration can be thought of as a depth requirement. The concentration is satisfied by eight or more credits of AHS coursework that build upon or connect to each other. “Building upon” each other implies that one course is a prerequisite for another, and therefore the first course aids the student’s progress in the second course and allows the second course to approach greater disciplinary depth. “Connecting to” each other implies that the courses work together to address a common and coherent question or topic. In either case, a good test of the AHS Concentration is to imagine the AHS Capstone projects that might emerge from it.

The simplest way to complete a concentration is to complete two or more courses that are prerequisites for each other, because these courses will by definition build upon and connec to each other. However, the courses comprising your concentration do not have to be taken in the same institution, the same department, or in the same solar system.

We say that a concentration needs to consist of "eight or more" credits of coursework. Please note that if you propose more than eight credits of coursework you will be responsible for completing everything you propose. Therefore, you might want to consider proposing only the eight credits of coursework that you are most likely to complete and that hold together the best. For example, if you identify 16 credits of coursework and only complete 12 of them, you will have to resubmit your concentration proposal because you did not complete what you proposed. Fortunately, resubmitting a proposal is easy.

NOTE: in order to count as AHS these courses cannot have a primary emphasis in math, science, engineering, or Entrepreneurship. To figure out whether your BBW courses are AHS, see the “BBW course credit coloring” Excel spreadsheet at http://arb.olin.edu/documents.html. If your proposed course is not listed there you should contact the CSTB (Course Substitution and Transfer Board) at cstb@lists.olin.edu so they can review it.

Why do I have to have a concentration?

Students must complete either an AHS or an E! Concentration but do not need to complete both. The AHS Concentration requires students to identify a question or subject or field of interest to them and pursue more than one course in that area. There are three goals of this AHS Concentration:

1. The first goal is the opportunity for students to take ownership of this piece of their education by defining their Concentration area and articulating how their selection of courses will further their individual goals. In particular, students will justify how their Concentration courses either build upon or connect to each other, and why this is important.

2. A second goal is the acquisition of knowledge and experience (“depth”) in this AHS area beyond the introductory level. The Committee believes that eight credits of coursework represent a minimal level of experience in this area and hopes students will choose to exceed this minimum credit requirement and pursue their area of interest further.

3. A third goal is preparation for the AHS Capstone. Students should assume that the field of their AHS Concentration will determine the field of their AHS Capstone, although they can petition for an exception. This will be described in the AHS Capstone section below. Being able to articulate the major questions addressed by these courses, connections between them, and the relevance to the student’s interest is a good first step towards defining and pursuing a Capstone project.

What do I have to do? When do I have to do it? How do I propose a concentration?

Students must complete either an AHS or an E! Concentration but do not need to complete both. All students must submit an AHS Concentration Proposal to the AHS committee by the stated deadline in the spring semester of their sophomore year (the specific deadline will change each year but will precede registration day). You must have a concentration proposal accepted before beginning a capstone project. Students must complete their AHS concentration coursework before beginning the AHS Capstone.

Students can propose courses they have already taken or courses they plan to take. Note that students are never committed to an AHS Concentration if a proposal is accepted and are welcome to submit a new proposal at any time and for any reason.

All proposals must include the following:

• Your name

• Your eight or more credits of proposed AHS coursework:

  • Course numbers

  • Course titles

  • Credits for each course

  • Institution offering each course

  • The year and semester that you completed each course (or plan to complete it if you have not taken it yet)

• Your concentration justification. Please tell us:

  • The title of your concentration (please make this a descriptive and informative title and not a joke -- it helps us determine whether the courses connect and build upon each other)

  • How one or more of your courses build upon and inform(s) the other(s), and enhances your understanding of the Concentration as a whole.

• Do you give us permission to post an anonymous version of your proposal on the AHS website or WIKI to help other students?

Please submit your proposals by email to ahs at olin -dot- edu.

The AHS committee will respond to all proposals. If your proposal is not accepted you will receive instructions on how to proceed.

Capstone

What is the AHS Capstone?

The AHS Capstone is a four-credit activity that can be taken in either semester of a student’s senior year, corresponding to total student effort of twelve hours per week (including meeting or seminar time). This activity is an opportunity for each student to pursue a self-designed advanced project in their favorite AHS area. AHS Capstones must represent individual work, although students may petition for permission to work together on some common aspects of their Capstone (while preparing some deliverables individually).

AHS Capstone Projects will take many different forms, including (but not limited to!) artistic or musical creative projects, research projects in any AHS discipline, and activity-centered projects such as community service work. Students will ideally be matched up with a disciplinary expert qualified to supervise all aspects of their project, but some students will have to work with an Olin faculty member in a different discipline who will help with competency development and the overall project planning and completion process. All students regardless of project choice must attend Capstone seminars throughout the semester and produce a substantial analytical paper.

All AHS Capstones must build upon prior experience in an AHS area. This experience will usually be obtained by completing the coursework comprising the AHS Concentration before beginning the Capstone. Students may petition to undertake an AHS Capstone that does not follow the coursework of an AHS Concentration but the burden of proof will be upon the student, who must illustrate why they are qualified and prepared to undertake an advanced project in this field. In extenuating circumstances a student may simultaneously complete the AHS Capstone and Concentration.

What's the point?

First, it requires all students to assume full ownership of an advanced AHS project, from conceptualization to implementation and presentation. Related learning objectives include:

• Actualizing and articulating a vision

• Assessing and articulating the relevance and merits of a project before deciding to undertake it

• Developing lifelong learning skills related to advanced independent work in an AHS subject (time management, overcoming challenges, etc.)

Second, the AHS Capstone culminates in the production of a significant written deliverable, involving the following learning objectives:

• Take an analytical approach to a creative or scholarly challenge (use analysis as a part of the creative process without jeopardizing creativity)

• Address questions uncovered during the research, service, or creative process

• Understand and articulate the context of a question or challenge before engaging it

• Explain complex processes and conclusions to non-specialists

• Demonstrate graduation-level competence in communication

Finally, the AHS Capstone represents an opportunity to learn more about the methods of an AHS discipline.

• Demonstrate scholarship, expertise, or proficiency in the methods and practice of an AHS discipline

• Analytically explore the depth of an AHS subject

• Build upon and deepen prior AHS experience

• Understand the context of an AHS field and use this concept to plan and execute a research, community service, creative, or other AHS project

What do I have to do? When do I have to do it? How do I propose a Capstone?

All students must submit an AHS Capstone proposal to the AHS Committee by registration day of the spring semester of their junior year although they are heartily encouraged to do so earlier. This deadline applies to students planning to complete their Capstone in either the fall or the spring of their senior year. Well-prepared students can petition to complete their AHS Capstone in their junior year. These students should propose a Capstone by the midpoint of the semester prior to the Capstone activity, and will be admitted on a space available basis.

The proposal and application process is the same for all students regardless of the specifics of their Capstone. Proposals might be reviewed by disciplinary experts and the AHS Committee. The AHS Committee will discuss and respond to all proposals, and students are welcome to resubmit a proposal after reading the AHS Committee’s feedback.

To submit a proposal, answer these questions in an email to ahs at olin.edu.

• Your name

• In which semester do you wish to undertake the Capstone (i.e., fall of your senior year, fall of your junior year, spring of your junior year…)

• What is the tentative title of your Capstone

• Describe all prior AHS experience that will qualify you for the advanced project work (e.g., describe your Concentration, or other activities of equal rigor to an AHS Concentration).

  • When did you or will you complete all of this preparatory work?

  • If you will not complete all preparatory work by the start of the AHS Capstone, explain why and describe how you will complete it while simultaneously undertaking your Capstone.

• Goals of the Capstone:

  • What questions will this project answer?

  • What outcomes will result from this work?

• Methodology and Implementation:

  • What activities will you conduct throughout the semester, including writing and research?

  • Will you do any of this work in a group? Why? Who is in the group?

  • Will you do any of this work in conjunction with a different course or activity?

• Describe all disciplinary deliverables that you will produce during this Capstone (e.g., artist portfolio, research paper, music composition, documentary of service work…)

• Will you be performing any preparatory or exploratory work (independent work) for this Capstone prior to the start of the semester in question? What is it (e.g., interviews, off site research…)?

• Which experts (BBOW faculty members or others) might supervise and/or assess this Capstone? How do you know them? Have you contacted them?

• What resources would be helpful? (Note that funding from Olin is not guaranteed.)

• Will you be working with human subjects for this project (i.e., interviewing people, observing them, conducting surveys)? If yes, who and in what capacity?

The AHS Committee recently proposed a CapstoneCourseOption that would allow students to petition to satisfy the AHS Capstone requirement with an additional AHS Concentration course in lieu of the AHS Capstone project (which will still be offered at Olin). The project will be the default. All students (i.e., students who satisfy this requirement via a course or a project) will present their results to the Olin community. Click on the preceding link to read this proposal in full.

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