Whether a student's passion lies in STEM-based learning, the humanities, the arts or something else, Wyoming Seminary Upper School designs its course offerings to inspire and guide students to success.
Below are just a handful of courses offered by various departments at Sem.
Arts
- Music 251: Introduction to Musicianship — Introduction to Musicianship is an introductory course designed to give students a glimpse into the world of the music performance industry. This course is open to students of all musical capabilities—from those who have been practicing an instrument since middle school, to those who have never picked up an instrument. This course acts as an alternative to Vocal Methods, with an approach that uses instruments (including percussion and handbells) instead of the human voice. A supportive and friendly environment will enable all students to experiment and learn just what it takes to be a musician through an understanding of pitch and rhythm.
- Visual Art 107: Painting — Basic watercolor or acrylic techniques will be explored while painting from observation and imagination. Some projects are directed to the whole class and others are designed to suit individual growth. Color theory, distinctions of Form and Content and stressing the enjoyment of creativity are primary goals.
- History and Theory 128: History of Television — Who could have predicted that a glass tube could change the world? While the first images brought into households around the world by the cathode-ray tube may have been black and white, perhaps no invention has more colored the way that we see the world than television. As an art form, television programming has always reflected and challenged the values of the times in which is was produced, both capturing the past and the present and presenting an image of the future. This course will examine key periods, genres, personalities, and developments in the medium as we work to understand its importance, relevance, and potential.
English
- English 229: British Mystery — The British Mystery course will examine literature that tempts our fascination with murder mysteries and the detectives who solve them. The course will focus on developing understanding of texts that fall within the genre of British mystery and detective fiction. We will focus on close literary analysis of the fiction of the time period and work with historical contexts so that students have a better understanding of the literature and the social and cultural influences of the period. Students will learn literary elements of detective fiction, examine the development of the detective as a literary figure and detective fiction as a genre, and analyze depictions of the law and legal system. Readings will include work by Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as well as various short stories.
- English 260: Comedy and Satire — Do you like your humor light or black, soothing or abrasive? Do you prefer plots that delight and reassure, or ones that threaten and attack? Are you an optimist or a cynic, an idealist or a realist? This course explores all of these sides of the human spirit and the lively literature that flows from these different temperaments. Our journey will take us across the spectrum of comical and satirical writing and may include texts from Jonathan Swift, Joseph Heller, George Saunders, and David Sedaris.
- English 262: Novel into Film — In the past two decades, authors and filmmakers returned to America’s legacy of slavery in their artistic endeavors. These novels and films have drawn wide acclaim, winning National Book Awards, Pulitzer Prizes, and Golden Globes. While these contemporary representations of slavery employ both fact and fiction, reality and fantasy, and natural and supernatural elements, their central question remains the same. These works ask audiences to consider the various ways that the institution of slavery has affected contemporary African American life. Therefore, this course will take a comparative approach to thinking about contemporary representations of slavery through analysis of 21st century novels, films, and television shows.
Global Languages
- French — In the ever-expanding career opportunities of the 21st century, French is the foundation of international business, finance and trade, and will enhance your appreciation of art, literature, history and food.
- Latin — The study of Latin opens a world of ancient history, medieval and early modern learning, Greek and Roman mythology, and enhanced linguistic understanding to students.
- Chinese — Knowing Chinese connects you to over one fifth of the world’s population, enriches your understanding of Asian culture and gives you a competitive edge over other people in the globalized job market.
- Spanish — Given the nearness of Spanish-speaking countries to the United States, familiarity with Spanish promotes an awareness and appreciation of our neighbors’ language, cultures and place in the world today.
- Greek — Students will learn to read basic texts in the Attic dialect, compose short sentences, analyze constructions, and recognize the most common vocabulary words.
History
- History/Social Science 438: AP U.S. Government and Politics — This Advanced Placement course in American government and politics is a full-year examination of the structure and operation of the American political system. The course begins with a study of the foundations of our political system, concentrating on the emergence of a federal constitution. Students will focus on the issues and events that shaped the framing of the constitution, and will read and analyze primary sources, including The Federalist Papers. The course then proceeds to examine the institutions and policies of the government, with an emphasis on their origins, while continually relating them to the issues of contemporary American society. The course evaluations include a paper in the fall term. Students who complete the course are expected to take the AP Government exam in the spring term.
- History/Social Science 441: Psychology I — This class provides a general overview into the varied topics of human psychology. With unifying themes of multicausation, subjectivity of experience, and cultural impacts we will examine the major theories involved in sensation and perception, consciousness, human development, and more. There will also be a historical introduction to the field of Psychology and the major players. Group work and activity-based learning are prioritized within this class, allowing students to learn from each other and their own unique life experiences.
- History/Social Science 336: Marketing and Communication — Students will be introduced to concepts related the foundations of marketing including the marketing mix and the functions of marketing. They will also explore basic concepts of communication including media, advertising, and public relations. Case studies, discussions, and project-based group work will be required components of the course.
Mathematics
- Mathematics 500: Algebra I — This course emphasizes the structure of algebra by building a basic vocabulary and developing the fundamental operations. It is intended to provide a solid background for future courses in mathematics.
- Mathematics 551: AP Statistics — The course includes four conceptual themes: (1) exploring data, observing patterns and departures from patterns; (2) planning a study, deciding what and how to measure; (3) anticipating patterns in advance by using probability and simulation to produce models; and (4) using statistical inference to confirm models. Students who complete this course in good standing are strongly encouraged to take the Advanced Placement Test in Statistics.
- Computer Science 938: AP Computer Science — This year-long course will be an introduction to modern computer science using the Java computer programming language. By designing and writing their own computer programs, students will explore key programming concepts such as selection and iteration as they are introduced to the central principles of object-oriented design and programming: classes and objects, encapsulation, inheritance and polymorphism. Students will also be introduced to advanced data structures and the algorithms used to sort and search them. This course will prepare students for the AP Computer Science exam.
Science
- Science 815: Forensic Science I — Forensics is the application of science to solve crimes using scientific evidence that will be admissible in a court of law. Forensic Science I will be offered in the fall term as an elective for juniors and seniors who have completed two years of science. This course employs a multi-disciplinary approach that encourages problem solving in biology, chemistry and physics as applied to crime scene analysis. Fall term topics covered include processing a crime scene, fingerprinting, hair and fiber analysis, toxicology, entomology, and forensic pathology.
- Science 835: STEM Locomotion — STEM Locomotion is a term course in which students explore the beginnings of robotics using the Lego Mindstorms EV3 programmable brick with the Java programming language. The course consists of a series of design/programming challenges that students will work on individually, as well as in groups. Through these challenges students will explore having robots navigate an environment through the use of sensors that can measure distance, sound, light, and touch.
- Science 839: Marine Biology — Marine biology is the study of ocean life. This course explores marine organisms and the challenges they face living in marine environments affected by climate change. Topics include marine ecosystems and the factors that shape them, marine organisms and their physiological adaptations, interrelationships among marine organisms, resources from the sea, changes in the range and distribution of marine life as a result of climate change, and human impact on the marine environment.