Overview

Before he or she graduates, each student must complete a concentration in either the AHS or Entrepreneurship field. More information on the Entrepreneurship concentration can be found here. An AHS concentration is a twelve-credit sequence with a Capstone as an optional path for the final four credits. The concentration will be declared during the second semester of a student’s sophomore year via a survey sent out by the Registrar. If you miss the deadline or change your plans, email ahs@olin.edu with details on the twelve credits of connected coursework (or eight credits and capstone) and how they connect.

Goals

The AHS concentration has two goals:

• Allow students to take ownership 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.


• Facilitate the acquisition of knowledge and experience (“depth”) in this AHS area beyond the introductory (Foundation) level. Twelve credits of coursework represent a minimal level of course concentration, and Olin hopes students will choose to exceed this minimum credit requirement and pursue their area of interest further.

The AHS concentration has a further set of goals for students who elect to undertake an AHS Capstone, which offers an introduction to the content, practice, and goals of the AHS field that makes Capstone project work possible.

Requirements

There are two paths a student can take to build an AHS concentration. The first is to take three related courses in an AHS field, approved by the AHS faculty. These courses must build upon and/or connect to each other and all courses must fall within the AHS discipline. These courses cannot be taken pass/fail, as an Independent Study, or as an Olin Self Study except by petition to the AHS Committee (by email at ahs@olin.edu). Finally, the AHS Foundation course cannot be counted as part of a concentration unless another Foundation course has been taken to satisfy that requirement.

The second available path is for a student to take two related courses and complete a Capstone project in their chosen field. Courses must fulfill the same requirements as the courses discussed above, and the Capstone will be discussed in greater detail below.

There is an option of doing a combined AHS and E! Concentration. If you are interested in pursuing this option, please contact ahs@olin.edu to propose a 12-credit coherent combined concentration. For Sustainability Certificate students: although the SUST Synthesis course earns a student 4 credits of AHSE! as of Fall 2013, this course cannot go into an AHS Concentration or into a combined AHSE! Concentration.

Capstone

The Capstone project (AHSE 4190) is an optional project that can be used to satisfy the final four credits of the AHS concentration. Successful completion of the Capstone effectively fulfills the requirement for the Olin Self Study because of the learning objectives associated with the project. Please note that before beginning a Capstone project, students must have completed the AHS Capstone Preparatory Workshop (aka “Prepstone”) and a Capstone Proposal as outlined here. The Prepstone (AHSE 3190) is a one-credit pass/fail activity offered every semester to give students a head start on their AHS Capstone.

The Capstone is generally completed as an individual project, though students may petition for permission to conduct a joint project. Other guidelines for AHS Capstones are discussed here.