Dan Powell '00 never expected his independent concentration in Bioethics to be a subject of conversation with Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens.
When Powell interviewed for the clerk position he currently holds, Justice Stevens kept turning the conversation back to Powell's hybrid concentration in molecular biology and the humanities.
Powell belongs to a small group of students who choose to abandon the preset curriculum of a department and design their own personalized course of study instead.
The Independent Concentration Program is available only to students who cannot fit their desired curriculum into one of the University's 34 different concentrations, Director of the Independent Concentration Program Hank Dobin said.
Currently two University juniors are pursuing independent concentrations, both in bioethics.
This number is substantially lower than at many of Princeton's peer institutions. At Harvard, 19 students are currently pursuing special concentrations, according to the Harvard Crimson.
Classics professor Joshua Katz said the low number of independent concentrators at the University isn't a problem.
"It's a reasonable assumption that a reasonable university will be able to provide students with reasonable offerings," Katz said. "You can design your own course of study in most departments and still have it be your own."
As director of the Independent Concentration Program, Dobin approves student requests and serves as the official advisor for all independent concentrators. Dobin said he considers the application process "fair, [but with a] fairly high threshold" for approval.
Eighteen students have pursued independent concentrations since he assumed his current position in 1996, roughly half the number who have approached him to discuss their preliminary ideas for doing so.
Bioethics and neuroscience have been the two most popular independent concentrations, he said.
By May 1 of their sophomore year, interested students must submit a five-page concentration proposal, including a detailed program of study for their junior and senior years, and locate two faculty members to serve as sponsors.
"Dean Dobin wants to know that you've thought this decision through, and that what you want to study is equivalent in depth and breadth to any academic department on campus," said Josh Goldsmith '07, who is applying to pursue an independent concentration in Historical Linguistics and Language Acquisition.
Goldsmith must still receive Dobin's approval for his Historical Linguistics proposal. He fine-tuned his proposal after meeting with Dobin earlier this year.
Allison Arensman '04 was a bioethics concentrator who wrote her thesis on the ethics of using performance-enhancing drugs for academic advantage.
"It allowed me to create a curriculum that accommodated my interest in biology, philosophy, politics and policy," Arensman said.
She is currently studying in Romania as a Fulbright Scholar and hopes to attend medical school in the future.
"The highlight of my experience was having complete independence in my independent work," Arensman said. "Without assigned advisers or junior seminars, I had no choice but to be proactive in seeking advice and resources."
Bioethics is a natural fit for the independent concentration program, since no concentration or certificate program in the subject exists at the University.
"If it exists in one form or another, then an independent concentration is not [usually] possible," Dobin said.
Fortunately for Goldsmith, linguistics is one exception to the general rule that students cannot pursue independent concentrations in subjects that offer certificates.
Linguistics is different because unlike the University, most peer institutions offer a concentration in the subject.
"At present the only way a student can major in linguistics is via the independent concentration option," said linguistics professor Marguerite Browning, a cosponsor of Goldsmith's proposal.
"Josh's proposal is really excellent," said Katz, who is Goldsmith's other sponsor. "It's a particularly good example of combining two things that are usually not combined that ought to be."
Powell said the greatest benefit of his independent concentration was the level of personal attention he received from faculty.
"I got wonderful advice about courses that I don't think I would have gotten if I was one of 60 in the molecular biology department," he said.
To be sure, Powell said, there were times when he wished he weren't working outside the departmental structure.
"I was lonely when Molecular Biology would have a picnic or Class Day," he said.
Even so, Powell is convinced he made the right choice.
"It was a lot of work, but definitely worth it," he said.
Read More
Day five of ‘Gaza Solidarity Encampment’ at Princeton
Daily Princetonian StaffThe fifth day of the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” will likely face the reactions of two major administrative bodies on the sit-in — the Council of the Princeton University Community and the Undergraduate Student Government.
The fifth day of the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” will likely face the reactions of two major administrative bodies on the sit-in — the Council of the Princeton University Community and the Undergraduate Student Government.
Tecca takes the town at spring Lawnparties
Isabella DailThis spring's Lawnparties saw sunshine, Lil Tecca, and large crowds, despite calls for a boycott from protesters at the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment.”
This spring's Lawnparties saw sunshine, Lil Tecca, and large crowds, despite calls for a boycott from protesters at the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment.”
USG holds eleventh-hour emergency meeting, statement on Lawnparties to come
Christopher Bao, Sejal Goud, and Miriam WaldvogelWith day four of the sit-in beginning, USG had yet to officially gather to discuss the demonstration. The ‘Prince’ spoke to non-voting attendees and USG Senate members, some of whom expressed frustration at the lack of action, and others who chalked the night’s events up to the execution of procedure.
With day four of the sit-in beginning, USG had yet to officially gather to discuss the demonstration. The ‘Prince’ spoke to non-voting attendees and USG Senate members, some of whom expressed frustration at the lack of action, and others who chalked the night’s events up to the execution of procedure.
