Choosing Courses: Guidelines and Advice

Following is detailed information to help you make course decisions for fall before you register in July. Please read it carefully and thoroughly!

The basics

  • Students at Kalamazoo College take THREE courses each term. In fall term, all first-year students will take a First-Year Seminar and two other 1.0 or 1.2 credit courses. You can also take .2 or .25 credit courses, such as physical education activities or music ensembles in addition to your three other courses (but you cannot go above 3.95 total credits/units).
    • We have a fall, winter, and spring term at K. You are ONLY registering for fall term at this time.
  • You can view the fall course schedule for First-Year Seminars and First-Year Friendly courses in Hornet HQ. To learn how to use Hornet HQ to search for classes, build your fall schedule, and ultimately register, you will need to read the First-Year Registration information provided by the Registrar’s Office.
    • NOTE: You will need your Kalamazoo College Username (k25xx## format) and password to access Hornet HQ. Find them on your Applicant Status Page.
    • It is recommended that you search for courses and put many options on your fall plan well in advance of your registration time.
    • Do not be alarmed if most classes already appear to be “Closed” before registration has even started. We have saved seats for incoming students in First-Year Friendly courses. These saved seats will not be released until right before registration appointments begin on July 14-16.

Deciding which courses to choose

First-Year Seminars

  • All first-year students are required to register for one First-Year Seminar in fall term.
  • Read ALL of the Seminar descriptions. Titles in Hornet HQ are short and don’t fully tell you what the class is about.
  • Even though the topics and course numbers vary widely, all Seminars focus on developing critical thinking and writing skills.
  • No prior knowledge of the topic is required!
  • Identify at least six-eight that interest you.
  • First-Year Seminars meet in fall term only.

Other Courses

  • Some ideas for selecting your other two courses:
    • Start exploring. Try something completely new – you might find out you are interested in something you haven’t studied before.
    • Take an introductory course in a potential major department.
    • Since Kalamazoo is known for study abroad/away, think about courses with an international or intercultural focus.
    • Make progress on the language requirement.
  • Look over ALL the First-Year Friendly courses on the online schedule. You never know what might grab your attention. Titles are short and don’t fully tell you what the class is about.
  • Plan a potential list of at least eight-ten courses that sound interesting (in addition to your Seminar choices).
  • You are free to register for courses not on the First-Year Friendly list if you meet the requirements/pre-requisites (i.e., classes that must be taken beforehand) for the course.

Language selection and placements

Proficiency in a second language through the Intermediate Level (i.e., the 103 course for Arabic and Japanese; the 201 course for Chinese, French, German, Greek, Latin, and Spanish) is a graduation requirement at Kalamazoo College. Starting this requirement early has many benefits!

Remember: you are required to take the placement exam for any language studied in high school or for which you have even minimal proficiency – even if, at this point, you do not intend on or are not sure about continuing in that language at K.

  • Which language should I choose?
  • If you choose to CONTINUE a language you have previously studied, you MUST start with the course indicated by your placement exam result. If you completed the exam by June 15, scores will be posted in early July before registration. Note that the course you placed into might not be offered in fall term.
  • If you wish to study a NEW language, you must start with the beginning level 101 course. You do not need to take the placement exam if you are starting a new language. To allow yourself plenty of options for study abroad, don’t be afraid to start a new-to-you language!

101 course offering schedule

  • Arabic, Japanese, and Latin: 101 courses are ONLY offered in fall
    • Therefore, if you plan to study one of the above languages at the 101 level, you should do so this fall or in the fall of your sophomore year.
  • Chinese: the 101 course is offered in fall and winter
  • French: the 101 course is offered in fall and spring
  • German: the 101 course is offered in fall and winter
  • Spanish: the 101 course is offered in fall, winter, and spring

Language labs

Many language courses have a required lab section as part of the course that you must register for concurrently/at the same time . For example, if you are taking SPAN-101, you can find the available lab sections (e.g., SPAN-101L) in the Course Catalog under the Spanish department. The course description details will include a notice if your language course has a required lab section.

Pre-Med/Pre-Health, Science, and Math students

  • If you are interested in Pre-Med/Pre-Vet/a health career, potentially majoring in Biology, Chemistry or Biochemistry, Computer Science, Dual Degree Engineering, Mathematics, or Physics, you should try to start taking these courses in fall term. Make sure to also read the science-specific guidelines and advice.
  • Make sure to take the required Math and/or Chemistry placement exams. If you completed the exams by June 15, scores will be posted in early July before registration. Note that the course you placed into might not be offered in fall term.

Business and Economics students

  • If you are interested in a potential business or economics major or in taking advanced courses in these departments, Calculus I (MATH-112) is required for the major and is a pre-requisite for some courses. Make sure to take the Math placement exam because you won’t be able to sign-up for Calculus without a placement exam score!

AP/IB/Dual Enrollment/Transfer credit

  • If you took AP or IB exams, you will be granted one unit of credit for each subject area in which you earned a score of 4 or 5 on the AP Exam or a score of 5 or higher on the Higher Level IB Exam. Official scores must be sent directly to the College. The AP Board should send these scores to us by the end of July. Double check to make sure we have received any scores you can get credit for at K!
  • Dual Enrollment and/or transfer credit is awarded based on the College’s transfer policies. Official college/university transcripts are required for evaluation. Transcripts for incoming students will often not be evaluated until after registration. If you took a previous class that you wish to use as a pre-requisite for a fall class, please contact the Registrar’s Office. Evaluation of transfer credits can take up to several weeks so pre-requisite approval is not guaranteed in time for registration.

General things to keep in mind

  • Take course registration seriously – but remember to also be patient and open. You are registering only for fall term at this time. Introductory courses in many departments will also be offered in winter and spring terms.
  • Remember that there is no perfect set of courses that fits everyone. There’s a wide variety of what students choose: one student might take a Seminar, history, and Latin; another a Seminar, chemistry, and economics.
  • Every course offered counts toward graduation. Think broadly when identifying your list of potential courses for fall and don’t be afraid to try something new!
  • Being at a liberal arts institution, you will be encouraged to explore new areas, perspectives, and varied disciplines throughout your first year.
  • During orientation you’ll meet with your academic advisor and be able to adjust your schedule, if needed. However, note that First-Year Seminar choices are final after the registration period in July.
  • Our new students have been registering online over the summer for quite some time. Because of our open curriculum, you have a lot of flexibility with your choices.The First-Year Registration website is full of excellent information, and we are here to answer your questions and to help you. Don’t worry! You will be able to make good choices.

Questions?

  • E-mail the Advising Office (from your Kalamazoo College email account only, please). We are happy to talk with you about course selections.
    • If preferred, we can set-up a video chat through Microsoft Teams – email us to find out more about this option!
    • We can also be reached at (269) 337-5767.
  • The Registrar’s Office is also here to help! They can help with questions related specifically to Hornet HQ, the course schedule, registration times, and more.
    • They can also be reached at (269) 337-7204.