One way of thinking about the curriculum at COA is to imagine it as consisting of four stages.

1.   Introductory and Foundational Courses.    In this stage, you will gain academic breadth by taking one or two courses from each of our three resource areas: arts and design, environmental sciences, and human studies. Strengthen skills that will be needed for intermediate and advanced work at the college. The most important of these is writing; all students take at least one writing class during their first four terms at COA. In addition, most students take one quantitative reasoning course and one history class during their first two years.

2.   Intermediate Courses and Self-Directed Study.    In this stage, you will pursue intermediate coursework in areas of interest to you. This is also a time in which many students pursue self-directed work through independent studies, group studies, or tutorials. Students often choose to study abroad, through a COA program or one offered by another organization.

3.   Advanced Studies.    This last stage takes many different forms, depending on the particular direction you choose for your studies. This is the stage when most students perform their internship. You will also take advanced classes and tutorials. Many students, particularly those in the sciences, work on a research project with a professor at COA or elsewhere. You might do a residency, a three-credit independent study, which allows you to complete a focused, intensive term of self-directed work.

4.   Final Project and Human Ecology Essay.    This stage represents a culmination of your experience at COA. In the final project, you will use their previous work as a foundation and undertake a significant, term-long project. The final project is done sometime during the senior year, and most students complete the final project during their last term. During winter term of their senior year, you will complete your human ecology essay, an expository essay intended to provide an opportunity for you to synthesize your thoughts on human ecology and your educational trajectory at COA.