Perspectives on Science and Engineering (PSE) is a special course designed to supplement the academic program of selected freshmen who have exceptionally strong preparation in the areas of science, mathematics, and engineering. It consists of a series of lectures and discussions that reveal the scope and interconnectedness of many scientific disciplines. It is also designed to be fun. PSE meets for an hour and a half each Friday afternoon—about half the time of a standard course. Students earn one course credit for a full year's enrollment; no credit is received if the entire course is not completed. Student and faculty participants attend biweekly lectures and, in the intervening weeks, divide into smaller seminar groups for discussion of the previous lecture's topic.
Some of Yale's most distinguished researchers and teachers address the seminar groups or participate with the students in the lectures and discussions. Each lecture is designed to introduce a key scientific question and to illustrate it with a specific observation, theory, or experiment that students from many disciplines can evaluate critically. Topics have included RNA enzymes, black holes, atomic clocks, evolution of birds and reptiles, chemistry of photosynthesis, thermodynamics of global warming, and development of the nervous system.
Enrollment is limited to about sixty freshmen who, having applied, are selected on the basis of outstanding records in mathematics and natural science. The Freshman Handbook, mailed in May to all students who plan to matriculate at Yale, describes the program and explains the application procedure. Additional information is available by clicking here.
