Four new course options have been added for the 2024-25 school year, such as Advanced Topics in Hispanic Literature, Queer Literature, Creative Writing and Presidential Elections.
Advanced Topics in Hispanic Literature is the newest addition to Marlborough’s World Languages Department as a year-long class offered after the completion of the AP Spanish Language course, the class delves into the writing of a Colombian novelist, Gabriel García Márquez, in the format of a college-level literary seminar. Students read much of García Márquez’s work including a collection of his short stories, novellas and novels. The course will be offered every other year in rotation with an pre-existing class: Advanced Topics in Hispanic and Hispanophone Culture.
“I’m so excited for the creative writing class at Marlborough because I believe it will foster a collaborative and imaginative environment where students can freely explore different forms of expression, challenge their creative boundaries and support one another’s growth as writers,” Caroline ’25 said.
The English Department has added two new courses to their roster as well. Queer Literature is a new edition to the list of Honors English IV Semester Electives offered to seniors. The course explores how queer individuals and culture are impacted by a heteronormative society. A variety of genres are taught in this course, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry and drama. Graphic novels and films are analyzed as well.
A creative writing course has also been added to the English Department. A semester-long elective for Upper School students, Creative Writing is designed to inspire students to find their unique voice in writing. Students read works written by contemporary authors to gain a deeper understanding of various types of literary expressions. A highlight of the course is the collaborative environment, which allows students to share, critique and support each other’s work regularly.
Additionally, the 2024 presidential election is right around the corner, which inspired a new semester-long course to be offered to 10th through 12th graders to gain a deeper understanding of past, present and future presidential elections. Marlborough’s Presidential Elections class aims to enhance students’ view of the connections between values and identity that impact political affiliations, while also educating them on the contemporary political issues that will impact the 2024 presidential election at the same time.
“During class, I was able to hear anecdotal stories from Marlborough alumnae that had been to either the RNC or DNC, using their stories to identify unique aspects to each campaign,” Lorelei ’26 said. “The class also focuses on comparing previous elections to the current one and drawing out key differences to help with our third paper of the semester.”
Finally, the 7th and 8th grade elective program now features semester-long electives, rather than quarter-long. Seventh and 8th graders continue to be able to choose from a variety of electives in the Performing Arts, Visual Arts and Center for Entrepreneurship and and Innovation Departments.
These various new course offerings allow students to expand their knowledge in subject areas not previously offered at Marlborough. Now, Marlborough students can further pursue their interests in an academic environment.
