Hampshire College, although a relatively new institution, has a reputation for excellence in the teaching of science. Introductory courses for both science majors and non-majors focus on inquiry methods and often involve students in independent projects in the laboratory. These relatively sophisticated student projects for beginners have become the hallmark of Hampshire's innovative science education. Optics and Holography (NS 104) is such a course. Using students natural enthusiasm for holograms and lasers we give them a good basis in physical optics and equip them to function in the holographic laboratory in a very independent way. Students create transmission, reflection and rainbow holograms in 4x5 format. During the last third of the course, and continuing into the following semester students complete an entirely independent project on some aspect of holographic production, instrumentation or utilization, or on some closely related topic. Improving the laboratory equipment for these courses has improved them in several ways: 1) eliminating the frustration caused by the touchiness our homebuilt equipment helps new students gain confidence and independence in the lab; and 2) improving image quality helps to maintain student enthusiasm during the sometimes difficult transition to independent work. Hampshire's project based approach to introductory science education has proved effective in attracting non-science students to the sciences. A greatly expanded computational component aids student understanding and introduces them to a rapidly expanding field of physics. Hampshire annually graduates more than twice as many students majoring in science as entered with a declared interest in science.
