Requirements

With the spring equinox last weekend, we’re only getting closer to summer, especially since the second round of summer 2021 registration is approaching on March 29. This year, Columbia and Barnard students have the opportunity to take extra classes tuition-free if they are within their respective credit limits. For an overview of what this summer will look like for undergraduates, take a look at Spectrum’s crash course on the summer semester.

If you’re a Barnard first-year still trying to figure out which First-Year Writing or Seminar class would best fit your needs and desires, fear not! Here is a short but sweet collection of highly recommended classes you should consider taking this coming spring–not just for the sake of fulfilling the Barnard degree requirements, but to hopefully gain drops of wisdom along the way.

In my Chinese class last semester, our teacher once asked us, “What is your special trait?”

Due to several technical errors on the part of Barnard’s Office of the Registrar, some seniors were mistakenly sent emails over the weekend informing them that they would not be able to graduate in May for failing to meet credit requirements.

Chances are that when you chose to come to Barnard, one of the draws was the fact that it is in NYC. Lucky for you then that one of your Foundations requirements is called “Thinking Locally—New York City,” but what does that mean? Thinking, in general, as NYC dwellers, or thinking about New York? If the latter, what about it?

Both Columbia College and SEAS have a two-semester physical education requirement. If you aren’t a person who likes to exercise, this may seem daunting. Luckily, there are still plenty of ways to fulfill the requirement. Most of the classes meet twice a week for an hour, but there are a few classes that deviate from the norm. If you’re looking for something that won’t take up too much of your time or is a bit more lax than your traditional run-around-a-track class, you have a handful of options.

For many humanities-oriented Barnardigans, satisfying science Foundations requirements might seem daunting. If you didn’t come into college with much science experience (or like me, forgot everything you ever learned the moment you graduated from high school), even a university’s intro classes can seem intimidating.

It’s that time of year again—Barnumbians are busy planning out their schedules for next semester. If you’re looking for a few more gen ed classes, or you’re just tired of boring lectures, look no further than Columbia’s quirkiest-sounding courses. Ranging from the rational to the eccentric, the following roundup of unusual courses covers all types of departments and requirements.

Whether you love the idea or not, CCers, GSers, (and some SEASers if they want to) are gonna have to take a year of Global Core. If you’re extremely passionate about a specific subject and have found a course in the directory that satisfies this requirement, then, by all means, take it. You’re one of the lucky ones—you’ll get to knock this req out of the way while still learning about something you actually care about.