Each of the three areas within the studio arts concentration--ceramics, drawing and painting, and photography--has common studio foundation and art history requirements. All students concentrating in the studio arts must take at least two introductory (100-level) studio arts courses from the following areas: drawing/painting, 3D arts (ceramics, sculpture), and the lens-based arts (film, photography); students must also complete at least one art history courses. It is recommended that a student should have completed (or be enrolled in) at least two of the studio foundations courses and one art history survey course at the time of moderation.

Explore the basic principles of ecology, including the structure and function of various ecosystems. You'll do both lab work and fieldwork, with courses focusing on specific ecosystems, such as the agroecology of Simon's Rock Community Garden and the aquatic ecology of local ponds, streams, and the majestic Hudson River. This series of courses is an introduction to the theory and practice of political ecology through applied work that focuses on particular topics.

Along with their study of Spanish language, students in this concentration also study the literature, culture, history, and politics of Spain and of Latin America. The threefold emphasis--advanced verbal and written communication, research skills and analysis, and broad knowledge of diverse Spanish-speaking cultures--prepares students for graduate study or careers in a variety of areas, including business, economics, journalism, history, international relations, comparative literature, law, library science, medicine, political science, social services, and diplomatic service. Students often pair Spanish and Latin American studies with another concentration in order to enter professions related to bilingual education, social work, government and international organizations, diplomacy, business, journalism, law, and medicine.

The German Studies concentration considers the language, history, cultures, art, and philosophy of the German-speaking people. We encourage students to approach this concentration from an interdivisional point of view and to select relevant courses in the arts and in social studies, in addition to the required courses. This is especially desirable if a student is already familiar with German before coming to Simon's Rock. Students who elect the German Studies concentration typically enroll at an institution of higher learning in one of the German-speaking countries: Bard College in Berlin offers an opportunity to take some classes in English while being immersed in a German-speaking environment and receiving formal instruction in the German language.

The concentration in creative writing offers students the opportunity to explore an array of writing styles and genres, thereby helping them discover and develop their own voices. Beyond the introductory course in which students write fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction, students take specialized workshops offered each term, as well as tutorials and independent studies. A number of Simon's Rock graduates have gone on to great success in graduate programs in writing, and have published their own stories, poems, essays, novels, and biographies. However, the concentration is intended to assist all students who wish to make creative writing a part of their course of study, rather than only those students interested in writing as a profession.

Learn basic Chinese in our accelerated introductory course, while being exposed to Chinese culture through movies, music, and food. Develop your language skills with a class on Chinese Theater Performance, and take advanced-level courses that allow you to discuss abstract topics with depth and nuance. Students read, rehearse, and perform a work from the modern Chinese dramatic repertoire as a means of furthering developing skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

This concentration provides students with the analytical and laboratory tools to investigate the physical world and prepares them for training in engineering, medicine or education. When supplemented by additional physics courses, the physics concentration prepares students for a graduate education in physics. Students interested in engineering should also consult the catalogue for the 3/2 dual-degree program. Students in the physics concentration are in demand in fields such as engineering, education, medicine, environmental science and law.

Establish a foundation in digital arts, master electronic tools, and produce art. Inspiring professors, visiting artists, and peers will help you to hone your voice and build a portfolio. Students in this concentration learn and apply key skills, gaining basic mastery of electronic tools useful for creating contemporary visual and performance art. In addition to thinking and writing about the arts, students create interactive environments, fiction and nonfiction videos, computer graphics, electronic music, and art using multiple media. Courses in studio arts, performing arts, historical and cultural studies in the arts, and literature provide a foundation in the use of electronic media and traditional techniques and aesthetic assumptions. Students create and exhibit work at the Daniel Arts Center, which also hosts events throughout the year.

Develop your passion for music--as an art form and field of intellectual inquiry--through intensive experiences in the classroom and live venues. The concentration in music prepares students to excel as composers, performers, and scholars by combining theory with technique, study with performance, and individual talent with meticulous teamwork. Whether you're repeating passages in a practice studio, attending the South Berkshire Concerts at the Kellogg Music Center, or settling in a seat at the Daniel Arts Center to experience The Orchestra Now, you'll be immersed in musical experiences. As a performer, you'll have opportunities to collaborate with peers and participate in several ensembles: Chorus, Chamber Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble, and Madrigal Group.

A concentration in visual studies acknowledges the profound impact of visual texts in the past and the present around the globe. This concentration allows students to approach visual studies both creatively and critically. A student in this concentration will have the freedom to explore a full range of visual expression, from painting and sculpture through photography, graphics, film, and digital video. A student may give her or his attention to visual texts aesthetics, politics, technological production and reproduction, psychological and/or verbal associations, or their commodification, to name a few directions. In every case the student of visual studies will be expected to respond to visual texts by locating them within cultural and social values.

A concentration in chemistry gives a fundamental understanding of those chemical processes that affect all our lives, allowing us to make informed choices about a range of issues from energy and food consumption to our relationship to the physical environment. The chemistry concentration also provides a solid background that, when augmented by additional coursework or a second concentration in the sciences, will prepare the student to pursue graduate studies in chemistry or a health-related area. Students with a concentration in chemistry may enter into fields and positions such as biotechnology, environmental chemistry, environmental law, food chemistry, forensics, medicine, and teaching.

Learn to program, theorize about artificial intelligence, study algorithmic processes, explore the history of video games, and analyze complex biological data. Whether you are taking a single course or concentrating in Computer Science, you'll work closely with faculty and tackle projects based on your interests. You'll have the opportunity to learn several languages including Python, C, and Java as well as the basics of functional programming. With the annual topics course, you'll work on projects of contemporary themes. Many students supplement course work with classes in Mathematics and Pre-Engineering.

The economics curriculum at Simon's Rock is rooted in the liberal arts tradition of rigorous analysis, thus developing students' reading, discussion, and problem-solving skills within the discipline. The economy comprises the systems for the production and exchange of goods, services, money and financial assets; the use of labor, capital, and natural resources; and the relation of these to other societal and historical processes. The Economics concentration at Simon's Rock serves students interested in pursuing further study or work in business, finance, economics, and public policy, as well as those interested in gaining a deeper understanding of forces at work in the contemporary world.

History as an academic discipline provides crucial knowledge about the human condition. We, as individuals, could not comprehend our daily lives without the aid of personal memory, and the same holds true for us in the aggregate--as ethnic, national, social, and gendered groups. In other words, we risk profoundly misunderstanding the contemporary world without access to the collective and individual memories of our predecessors. The study of history offers the analytical tools to interrogate these memories, so that we may gain a critical understanding of our own historical moment. Older views of history emphasized its didactic function: To provide valuable moral and practical lessons, exemplified by the deeds and ideas of exceptional individuals.

The philosophical studies concentration welcomes students to explore diverse approaches to these and other fundamental questions about the world and our place in it. Some philosophers address these questions by emphasizing the evaluation of arguments in accordance with deductive and inductive canons of reasoning. Others focus on the analysis of individuals in their historical and social context, as well as the political implications of various philosophical views. Religious thinkers address these questions from a standpoint of faith in a godhead or a spiritual order of the universe. It is hoped that concentrating in philosophical studies will foster students appreciation of the variety, creativity, and elegance of extant responses to the above questions, and help them gain a foundation for formulating their own.