Questions About CSS

<ol>
<li>what is CSS different from other Social Science departments? because some sophomore tells me that “it is just a difference of form” . Is it that the students in CSS can learn Social Science more broadly or??</li>
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<p>2.Do I have to declare a major in CSS?</p>

<p>I graduated from Wesleyan long ago, with a major in College of Social Studies, and I have kept up with its development over these many years. CSS is unique in that it is truly a multi-disciplinary program based on the Oxford tutorial system, and the primary disciplines are History, Economics, Philosophy and Government. It is very intense with tons of reading every week and in order to graduate you need to sit for oral and written exams with professors from other universities who are invited to Wesleyan during the spring of sophomore and junior years. Then for senior year, you must complete a senior honors thesis or another capstone type paper, based on original research. You apply for admission to CSS in the spring of your freshman year. Typically, most of the students who graduate with Honors at Wesleyan are either CSS or College of Letters majors. CSS is a very rigorous program but it has the benefits of small seminars and tutorials with the same group of students for three years, affording you a tremendous intellectual experience, and excellent preparation for grad school as well as careers in law, teaching, business, and other professions. Good luck to you! My son will apply to Wes this fall and if he gets in, he is considering CSS as a major.</p>

<p>While Morgan Hill is generally correct, I don’t know where they’re getting “most of the students who graduate with Honors at Wesleyan are either CSS or College of Letters majors.” A large majority of students from every major who do honors theses get honors.</p>

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<li>unlike other interdisciplinary majors, all of your classes are taught within the college, meaning only CSS majors take CSS classes. The curriculum is mostly set out for you. your only choice is of which 2 tutorials to take, and what to write your thesis on. However, the junior tutorials and senior colloquium also change every year, so it’s not like the entire curriculum is set in stone. </li>
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<p>in the generalized sense, it is different from other majors in that it is a cohesive experience rather than simply a collection of classes in the same subject. the classes are generally smaller, more discussion-based, and more focused on your personal development. it is also different because your sophomore year you don’t get grades.</p>

<p>in terms of what you learn, the area that the CSS covers is one the one hand more broad, by incorporating different disciplines, and on the other hand narrow in that the curriculum is limited to the classes offered, and it is focused on modern European ideas/history.</p>

<ol>
<li>I’m not sure what you mean. You apply to the CSS at the end of your first year.</li>
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<p>if you have any other questions, I’m a current CSS major.</p>

<p>Thanks everybody TT (you guys are really nice! can’t imagine a father…)</p>

<p>So I know that CSS is not only a department but like a special program and her curriculum is different from other history/philosophy/econ/government major. (but if a student studying only history major, his courses are different from CSS’s history?)</p>

<p>It seems that CSS is a major. I thought I have to choose one from the 4 fields~</p>

<p>I will have some specific questions when I finish ED after November 1st!</p>