Hobart and William Smith Colleges

J-Term

J-Term runs from January 2 to January 17, 2026. Current students and non-matriculated students will be able to take one course with an HWS faculty member for 3.5 hours, seven days a week (note that J-Term courses meet on weekends). Classes are scheduled in the mornings, with afternoons and evenings for class preparation, projects and assignments.

Please note: All J-Term courses will be offered remotely.

The tuition for courses is $3,000 for current HWS students, including graduating seniors, and non-matriculated students.

HWS matriculated students can register through their HWS PeopleSoft account from November 11 to December 16. Non-matriculated students should fill out a non-matriculated student application form and send it to Nicholas Metz at nmetz@hws.edu.

2026 COURSES

Documentaries and Decolonization
Photography: Design in Nature
Birds in Our Landscape
Introduction to Meteorology
Hookup Culture
Cultures of Advertising
Quantitative Tools
Graphic Medicine
Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering

AFS 200 Documentaries and Decolonization
Online Course
Africana Studies
Professor Andre Nascimento

It may still be partly true that “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” (Scott-Heron, 1971), yet in the era of smartphones, it will certainly be documented. This course examines how independent documentary filmmaking challenges dominant narratives, constructs “counterinformation,” and archives testimonies of resistance. Focusing on Afro-Indigenous struggles across the Americas, students will engage with decolonial theory, visual anthropology, and Black and Indigenous studies to explore the politics of storytelling and visual sovereignty. Through hands-on exercises in mobile documentary production, students will research “untold stories” and interrogate the limits of creation, collection, and circulation of narratives in times of social instability. No prerequisites.

ARTS 161 Photography: Design in Nature
Online Course
Art and Architecture
Professor Christine Chin

Photography allows us to see and explore the natural world in ways that expands human vision and understanding. We will use our cameras to look for specific design elements in the natural world and bring nature inside in improvised tabletop studios. Camera controls, exposure, lighting, and lenses will be discussed to help students achieve their photographic goals. Looking at the work of artists who photograph nature will help us explore larger questions: Can photography help us to understand the species who share our planet? What are the possibilities and limits on how photography can advocate for the natural world? How does photography explore the effects of and interactions between humans and nature? Students will use their cameras to complete assignments that will culminate in an individual book project. This is an introductory course in photographic image-making at Hobart and William Smith College. No prerequisites.  This course substantially addresses the artistic process goal.

ENV 216 Birds in Our Landscape
Online Course
Environmental Studies
Professor Mark Deutschlander

Birds are an apparent and familiar part of our environments, whether hiking in a national forest or spending time in our own backyards. From pristine natural areas to the most urban settings, birds are ubiquitous and serve as sentinels for the health of the environment. Examining population trends and geographical distributions of birds can help us understand the impacts of urbanization, pollution and pesticides, climate change, and more. In this course, you will learn how distributions of birds inform scientists about environmental change and the impacts of change on the function of ecosystems. You will learn, firsthand through field excursions and exercises, to identify local bird species and how to conduct some basic field techniques for direct monitoring of birds. You will learn how scientists collect distribution data on birds using remote sensing and how citizen science has greatly advanced our ability to understand the distributions and movements of birds. You will also learn how scientists communicate their findings by reviewing scientific publications, which we will use as case studies of how birds in our landscape impact us and tell us about our environments. No prerequisites. The course substantially satisfies the scientific inquiry goal.

GEO 182 Introduction to Meteorology
Online Course
Geoscience
Professor Neil Laird

The influence of weather and climate affect our daily activities, our leisure hours, transportation, commerce, agriculture, and nearly every aspect of our lives. In this course many of the fundamental physical processes important to the climate system and responsible for the characteristics and development of weather systems will be introduced. We will examine the structure of the atmosphere, parameters that control climate, the jet stream, large-scale pressure systems, as well as an array of severe weather phenomena including hurricanes, tornados, thunderstorms and blizzards. Upon completion of this course, we will have developed: (a) a foundation of basic scientific inquiry (b) a basic comprehension of the physical processes that govern weather and climate, and (c) an understanding of the elements of weather and climate that are most important to society. No prerequisites. The course partially satisfies the quantitative reasoning goal and substantially satisfies the scientific inquiry goal.

GSIJ XXX Hookup Culture
Online Course
Gender, Sexuality and Intersectional Justice
Professor Jiangtao Harry Gu

What does "hookup culture" reveal about the politics of love, sex, and connection in contemporary society? This course examines how intimacy and desire are shaped by technology, the law, and cultural norms. It explores how ideals of commitment and marriage reflect broader systems of power and morality. From monogamy to polyamory, from hookup apps to "situationships," students will examine how norms about love and sex are produced and policed, as well as how they have been challenged by social movements and practices. Drawing on feminist, queer, and abolitionist frameworks, students will analyze literature, media, and social trends to ask: Who is monogamy for? Who is stigmatized for wanting or refusing sex? What might freedom in love demand of us and how can we be transformed by it? Together, we will explore how rethinking intimacy can help us rethink justice, care, and what it means to love one another. No prerequisites. The course substantially satisfies the ethical judgement and social inequalities goals.

MDSC 200 – Cultures of Advertising
Online Course
Media and Society
Professor Leah Shafer

Advertising is among the most pervasive forms of cultural representation in our global society. In this course, we approach advertisements as economic, aesthetic, and ideological forces whose analysis reveals crucial information about cultural attitudes and ideologies of their time and place. We will study the industrial and aesthetic history of advertising by analyzing advertising campaigns as well as their strategies, themes, and practices. Our materials will be drawn from both corporate and non-profit campaigns, global and local campaigns, and from anti-consumerist actions and other resistant practices. Our work will cover diverse media, including: print culture, television, film trailers, mobile marketing, social networking sites, and new media branding and marketing campaigns. No prerequisites. This course partially addresses the artistic process, social inequalities, cultural difference goals.

MGMT 201 Quantitative Tools
Online Course
Business, Management and Entrepreneurship
Professor Melanie Dun Moodie

This course covers many basic skills necessary for success in the Management and Entrepreneurship program. The course includes a heavy emphasis on understanding and applying Excel skills. We will use actual start-ups and existing companies for assignments, labs, and projects. Topics covered include: customer discovery, market analysis, survey design, financial statements, financial ratios, data visualization, basic statistical methods, and company valuation. Prerequisite: MGMT 101, MGMT 120, or ECON 160. This course substantially addresses the quantitative reasoning goals.

PBHL 260/360 Graphic Medicine
Online Course
Public Health
Professor Jessica Hayes-Conroy

This course introduces students to graphic medicine, a field within the health humanities that harnesses the power of comics to tell stories about health, illness, disability, and care. Students will read and analyze a range of graphic medicine texts addressing topics such as pandemics, disability, dementia, mental health, medical ethics, environmental health, and HIV/AIDS care, alongside critical essays that explore the field’s rapid growth and significance to medicine and public health. In addition to reading and discussion, students will experiment with making comics through guided workshops and exercises, culminating in the creation of a graphic medicine piece of their own. No prior artistic skill is required. The course is offered at both the 200- and 300-level: students enrolled at the 300-level will complete additional readings, produce an extended comparative book review, and meet higher expectations for depth and refinement in all work. No prerequisites. This course substantially addresses the artistic process and social inequalities goals.

PHYS 116 Engineering Fundamentals: An Introduction to Engineering
Online Course
Physics
Professor Laurentiu Dumitriu

Engineering is a diverse discipline encompassing many specialized fields that applies physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematical principles to design and construct practical solutions to solve real-world problems. When choosing an engineering path, students may find themselves overwhelmed by the broad range of engineering fields, various pathways towards a career in engineering, and the knowledge/skills required to be a successful engineer. This course will broadly introduce the engineering profession and highlight the socio-technical and interdisciplinary nature of engineering. It will help students to develop their identity as modern engineers who will collaboratively contribute to sustainable and equitable communities. Through a variety of team and project-based learning activities students will explore: 1. the branches of the engineering profession, the interface of the engineer with society, and engineering ethics; 2. the engineering education process and effective strategies to reach their full academic potential; 3. the methods of engineering analysis, design and problem solving. No prerequisites. The course substantially satisfies the quantitative reasoning and scientific inquiry goals.

ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL INFO

Refund Policy
Notification of withdrawal and requests for refunds must be made in writing and addressed to the appropriate Dean. A full refund will be given to students who withdraw before the second day of classes. After this deadline, the refund of tuition and return of federal and education loans and other sources of payments are prorated based upon the percentage of the term that the student is enrolled. If the student is enrolled past 60% of the term, there is no refund of costs of attendance. The official withdrawal date used by the appropriate Deans Office will be used to determine the prorated refund.

Loan Information
Students taking one class during J-Term can apply for a private alternative loan to assist with the costs.

For more information regarding aid options, please contact the Financial Aid Office at 315-781-3315.