Division II for Current Students

A strong Division II concentration is a highly individualized program of study that gives the student a solid foundation in knowledge and techniques, the broader concepts behind them and the contexts from which they emerge, and critical, analytical, and creative skills. Division II is typically four full semesters of academic work, culminating in the production of a Division II portfolio and a final meeting with the committee

Requirements

To complete Division II students must: 

• Participate in the committee request process.
• Develop and write an initial Division II contract.
• Complete at least twelve (12) faculty-evaluated courses or Five College courses graded C or better.
• Complete a Division II supported project.
• Fulfill 40 Hours of Community Engaged Learning (CEL-2) addressing an on or off-campus need.
• Meet 40 hours of the Race and Power requirement through research and/or coursework.
• Revise the Division II contract in collaboration with the committee at least one time to most accurately reflect .
• Compile a Division II portfolio and write a retrospective essay.
• Have a Division II pass meeting with the student’s committee (chair and member).

Division II Procedures

Division II Committee Request Process and Contract

Students begin to design their individual concentrations in the spring of their first year. As part of the committee process, students identify and meet with Hampshire faculty in their area(s) of interest working toward the goal of both developing a faculty committee who will oversee their Division II, and formulating a Division II contract. The Division II contract is officially documented and electronically signed by faculty committee on The Hub.

A student’s Division II contract includes:

• A concise statement of what a their academic concentration will be
• Questions they plan to pursue, skills they plan to learn, and goals they hope to accomplish
• Courses, learning activities, and Division II project(s) they plan to pursue
• How they will complete 40 hours of Community Engaged Learning (CEL-2) and the 40 hour race and power requirement.

The Division II contract is periodically reviewed and revised as the student’s program of study evolves. The contract supports the student in thinking about the questions that drive them, the goals they have for their learning in Division II, and their plan to accomplish their goals. Students’ goals might include acquiring content knowledge and skills (e.g. research, writing, quantitative, production, project management, creative expression, cultural perspectives, collaboration skills), learning a language, or other educational goals.

The initial Division II contract must be revised during the final semester of Division II to accurately portray the work that was completed in Division II and to reflect changes in focus.

Passing Division II

Most students complete Division II by the end of their third year, or may wait and pass at the beginning of their fourth year. After completing the requirements to pass Division II, students develop a portfolio of selected Division II work and a retrospective essay.

To begin the Division II pass process, the student and the faculty committee discuss if the student is ready to pass Division II. When determining whether a student is ready to pass Division II, the faculty committee takes into consideration: 

• Whether the student has met the goals set out in their contract
• The number of courses and other learning activities and whether they form a comprehensive body of work
• Student’s proficiency in writing and other modes of expression and presentation
• The student’s readiness to begin Division III in terms of requisite knowledge and skills
• Ability to carry out independent work

If a student is ready to pass Division II, they will arrange the time of the final meeting with each of the members of the committee and compile their Division II portfolio and write their retrospective essay. 

Division II Portfolio

At the end of Division II, students are responsible for preparing a Division II portfolio that contains:

• All completed course evaluations or Five College course grades
• Samples of work from courses and learning activities, as specified by their committee
• Retrospective essay that reflects on Division II, CEL-2, the Race and Power requirement, Division II Project, and goals for Division III

The goal of the Division II portfolio is the creation and presentation consisting of papers written for courses or independent projects, course and fieldwork or internship evaluations, artistic products, and other evidence that the terms of the Division II requirements and contract have been fulfilled. 

Division II Pass Meeting

The Division II pass meeting is an examination of the student's Division II portfolio, which involves a discussion of the central questions and goals addressed in the concentration. All Hampshire faculty committee members must sign the pass form on TheHub. The pass date recorded will be the date the last committee member signs the pass online. The committee chairperson will then write a formal evaluation online in accordance with evaluation deadlines.