As a rising sophomore (who can't believe they've been here a year already), I've got some distributional requirements to meet. In true Sarah-fashion, I procrastinated my way through freshman year, avoiding foreign languages, humanities, and social sciences, and focused too much on STEM. With distribution requirements coming up, and an ever so slight desire to try new things, it's time to turn to the newly released course catalog and begin blue-booking.
Blue-booking - noun - the process in which Yalies browse the course catalog (the Blue Book) and choose anywhere from four to 70 classes to consider taking.
I'm still not entirely sure what even counts as a "Social Science" but I know I need to take one soon. For those who are looking for an easier class to balance their schedule out -- or have procrastinated distributional requirements and are getting desperate -- here's a list of Yale courses for this fall with the lightest workload*.
*Workload was determined solely according to numerical course evaluations. Class size, seminar versus lecture, and other factors were not considered in the making of this list, although all language courses other than L1, laboratory courses, and audition-only courses were omitted. I am not responsible for any reckless blue-booking that may occur as a result of this list. Please consult an advisor before changing your major based on this list.
1. CHEM 437: Chemistry of Isotopes
Workload: 1.5 out of 5.0.
2. NAVY 100: Naval Science Laboratory
Workload: 1.5 out of 5.0. Note this is an NROTC course not-for-credit, so don't count on using this as a gut, despite its low workload.
3. NAVY 311: Naval Engineering
Workload: 1.7 out of 5.0. This is another NROTC course, and to tell the truth, I'm not convinced anything with "engineering" in the title is actually easy.
4. PLSC 225: Policing in America
Workload: 1.8 out of 5.0.
5. PORT 110: Elementary Portuguese I
Workload: 1.9 out of 5.0. You've got to make it through PORT 120 before getting credit for this class, so not a true gut class (although it will definitely meet that foreign language requirement).
6. RLST 407: Midrash Seminar: The Revelation at Sinai
Workload: 1.9 out of 5.0. The workload is only this easy because you have to be fluent in ancient Hebrew to take this class. I suppose it might be simple if you already read ancient Hebrew though...
7. MB&B 110: Current Issues in Biological Science
Workload: 2.0 out of 5.0. This once-a-week science credit is intended for non-science majors, so... *gut alert*.
8. ZULU 110: Beginning isiZulu I
Workload: 2.0 out of 5.0. Note credit only on completion of ZULU 120. I still don't believe any foreign language is a true gut, but I guess it's worth shopping if that's what you're interested in.
9. CPSC 150: Computer Science and the Modern Intellectual Agenda
Workload: 2.1 out of 5.0. I know it says "computer science" but it's followed by "no previous experience with computers necessary". Since you're reading this on an electronic device right now, I'm sure you can handle this class.
10. ER&M 419 / SOCY 319 / AFAM 390: Ethnography of the African American Community
Workload: 2.1 out of 5.0. A class that meets once a week could be very good or very bad. Be careful with this one.
11. PLSC 114: International Challenges of the Twenty-First Century
Workload: 2.1 out of 5.0.
12. ART 111: Visual thinking
Workload: 2.1 out of 5.0.
13. ASTR 155: Introduction to Astronomical Observing
Workload: 2.1 out of 5.0.
14. CLCV 020: The Arts of Persuasion
Workload: 2.1 out of 5.0. Note that this is a Freshman Seminar, available only to freshmen.
15. HSHM 007 / HUMS 076: Epidemics in Global Perspective
Workload: 2.1 out of 5.0.
16. PLSC 123: Political Economy of Foreign Aid
Workload: 2.1 out of 5.0.
17. EVST 010 / G&G 010: Earth, Resources, Energy, and the Environment
Workload: 2.2 out of 5.0. Note that this is a Freshman Seminar, available only to freshmen.
18. HIST 193 / HSHM 242: Molecules, Life, and Disease: Twentieth Century
Workload: 2.2 out of 5.0.
19. HUMS 205: Boundaries of the Body in Law and Literature
Workload: 2.2 out of 5.0.
20. HUMS 231 / MUSI 435: Music in European Thought: Three Moments in the Modern Era
Workload: 2.2 out of 5.0.
21. HIST 309: History of Ancient India
Workload: 2.2 out of 5.0.
22. WGSS 120: Women, Food, and Culture
Workload: 2.2 out of 5.0.
23. HIST 219: Jewish History and Thought to Early Modern Times
Workload: 2.3 out of 5.0.
24. LAST 318: Globalization Space
Workload: 2.3 out of 5.0.
25. PLSC 235: Political Journalism and Public Policy
Workload: 2.3 out of 5.0.
26. SOCY 133: Computers, Networks, and Society
Workload: 2.3 out of 5.0.
