The substance of The Field School curriculum is traditional and balanced.  It emphasizes serious academic study, and that study is complemented by daily engagement in a studio art and regular athletic activity.

Three Universal Programs —
Academic Subjects:
Field students generally take classes in five academic subjects each year: English, history, mathematics, science, and foreign language.  The substance of these classes is largely traditional — see the curriculum map, downloadable to the left — and arranged in coherent "fields" of knowledge.  English classes and history classes make cross-curricular connections where possible.

The Studio Arts:
Every student at Field takes a studio art class every day of every year.  Studio classes — in ceramics, photography, drama, music, 2D art, digital art, and publications — involve hands-on learning.  Though there is no homework, studio classes are graded, and students can progress through successive levels within each discipline.  Some older students complete AP Art Portfolios in the visual arts at the end of their course of study.

Athletics:
Learning to play on a team and to engage in regular exercise is an essential part of a Field education.  Students generally must play during at least two of the three athletic seasons each year.  All our coaches are also Field teachers, and they bring the same energy, individual attention, and sensitivity to the playing field or gymnasium.

The Field School does not offer AP classes.  Why?
Field used to offer a small number of AP classes but found that they were not benefiting our students.  AP classes are based on the AP exams, which stress the necessity for students to learn and memorize a huge swath of facts.  Field classes, instead, stress the skills of writing, thinking, discussion, analysis and problem-solving — and we take extra time in our classes to practice those skills rather than rush through more facts.  Colleges know this about Field and accept our students despite — or more likely because of — this philosophy.