Academics
Core Skills
Our over 90 courses allow students to explore ideas and topics that they are passionate about while developing the core skills of creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking. Exciting offerings range from computer science, industrial robotics, and game/application design to astrophysics, mindfulness meditation, furniture making, and the social and political history of hip-hop.
Rigorous. Engaging. And SO much support. That is how I would describe our academics.
Meadow Davis, Assistant Head of School
Dual-Enrollment Courses
For our most motivated students, we’ve partnered with a number of Maine colleges and universities to offer Dual-Enrollment courses. Students work with Kents Hill School teachers in-person and on-campus during the academic day with the ability to earn transferable college credits in 12 disciplines including business, entrepreneurship, physics, chemistry, writing, and music theory. We also offer a number of collaborative, project-based learning courses where students may find themselves working on novel research with students from Bates, Bowdoin, and Colby College.
Independent Study: Holocaust Studies Exhibit
Emily. F. '21, curator and researcher behind the Holocaust Studies exhibit.
Emily. F. '21, explaining the Holocaust Studies exhibit.
Emily. F. '21, pointing to an aerial photograph of Auschwitz in the Holocaust Studies exhibit.
Papers and research including German decrees from the Holocaust Studies exhibit.
A document from the Holocaust Studies exhibit detailing how the Nazis isolated and identified victims.
Documents and a book including a story about Anne Frank from the Holocaust Studies exhibit.
Balanced, Purposeful, Impactful
Kents Hill School's Four-Dimensional (4D) Academic Curriculum places equal importance on knowledge, skills, character, and reflection.
For instance, our sophomore English students will read “A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier” by Ishmael Beah while exploring the historical significance of the civil war in Sierra Leone, discovering individuals who have displayed profound resilience in the face of seemingly impossible situations, and reflecting on how the story relates to their own journeys through free writing and discussion. Resulting is a student experience that is balanced, purposeful, and impactful.
Our innovative 4D Academic Curriculum extends far beyond the classroom. By placing equal importance on knowledge, skills, character, and reflection throughout all aspects of a student's life at Kents Hill, we are taking steps to build an experience that is balanced, purposeful, and impactful.
By partnering with faculty mentors who function as "lead learners," students are challenged to learn about themselves and others, their talents and strengths, and how they can make a difference.
Independent Study: Fashion
2021-22 Academic Curriculum
Arts Courses
- VPA 101: First-Year Arts Seminar
- VPA 201: Ceramics
- VPA 221: Digital Media
- VPA 231: Drawing and Painting
- VPA 241: Photography
- VPA 251: Sculptural Materials and Metalsmithing
- VPA 261: Woodworking and Design
- VPA 301: Art of Short Film
- VPA 311: Community Design and Build
- VPA 501: AP Two-Dimensional Studio Art
- VPA 511: AP Three-Dimensional Studio Art
VPA 101: First-Year Arts Seminar
VPA 201: Ceramics
VPA 221: Digital Media
VPA 231: Drawing and Painting
VPA 241: Photography
VPA 251: Sculptural Materials and Metalsmithing
VPA 261: Woodworking and Design
VPA 301: Art of Short Film
VPA 311: Community Design and Build
VPA 501: AP Two-Dimensional Studio Art
VPA 511: AP Three-Dimensional Studio Art
English Courses
- ENG 101/111/121: English Foundations
- ENG 201: The Nature of Self
- ENG 211: Honors The Nature of Self
- ENG 301: Multicultural Literature
- ENG 311: Honors Multicultural Literature
- ENG 401: American Literature
- ENG 411: Global Voices, Global Perspectives
- ENG 501: Creative Writing
- ENG 521: AP English Literature and Composition
- ENG 601: College Writing Seminar
ENG 101/111/121: English Foundations
ENG 201: The Nature of Self
ENG 211: Honors The Nature of Self
ENG 301: Multicultural Literature
ENG 311: Honors Multicultural Literature
ENG 401: American Literature
ENG 411: Global Voices, Global Perspectives
ENG 501: Creative Writing
ENG 521: AP English Literature and Composition
ENG 601: College Writing Seminar
World Languages Courses
- LAN 101: Beginner French
- LAN 111: Beginner Spanish
- LAN 201: Advanced Beginner French
- LAN 211: Advanced Beginner Spanish
- LAN 250: Francophone Culture
- LAN 301: Intermediate French
- LAN 311: Intermediate Spanish
- LAN 501: Advanced French
- LAN 511: Advanced Spanish
LAN 101: Beginner French
LAN 111: Beginner Spanish
LAN 201: Advanced Beginner French
LAN 211: Advanced Beginner Spanish
LAN 250: Francophone Culture
LAN 301: Intermediate French
LAN 311: Intermediate Spanish
LAN 501: Advanced French
LAN 511: Advanced Spanish
Science Courses
- SCI 201: Biology
- SCI 211: Honors Biology
- SCI 301: Chemistry
- SCI 311: Honors Chemistry
- SCI 321: Physics
- SCI 331: Astrophysics
- SCI 341: Maine Field Studies
- SCI 351: Robotics
- SCI 361: Environmental Research and Design
- SCI 401: Biochemistry of Nutrition
- SCI 411: Global Public Health
- SCI 421: GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment)
- SCI 501: AP Biology
- SCI 511: AP Environmental Studies
- SCI 521: AP Chemistry
- SCI 601: Anatomy and Physiology
- SCI 611: College Physics 1
- SCI 621: College Physics 2
SCI 201: Biology
SCI 211: Honors Biology
SCI 301: Chemistry
SCI 311: Honors Chemistry
SCI 321: Physics
SCI 331: Astrophysics
SCI 341: Maine Field Studies
SCI 351: Robotics
SCI 361: Environmental Research and Design
SCI 401: Biochemistry of Nutrition
SCI 411: Global Public Health
SCI 421: GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment)
SCI 501: AP Biology
SCI 511: AP Environmental Studies
SCI 521: AP Chemistry
SCI 601: Anatomy and Physiology
SCI 611: College Physics 1
SCI 621: College Physics 2
Social Studies Courses
- SOC 201: Global Studies Seminar
- SOC 301: United States History
- SOC 311: Honors United States History
- SOC 401: Comparative Government and Politics
- SOC 411: Economics
- SOC 421: Psychology
- SOC 431: Contexts for Hip-Hop
- SOC 441: A Global History of the UN
- SOC 451: Introduction to Women’s Studies
- SOC 511: AP Psychology
- SOC 521: AP United States Government and Politics
- SOC 531: AP United States History
- SOC 601: Principles of Entrepreneurship and Management
- SOC 611: Principles of Investment and Financial Planning
- SOC 621: Principles of Leadership
SOC 201: Global Studies Seminar
SOC 301: United States History
SOC 311: Honors United States History
SOC 401: Comparative Government and Politics
SOC 411: Economics
SOC 421: Psychology
SOC 431: Contexts for Hip-Hop
SOC 441: A Global History of the UN
SOC 451: Introduction to Women’s Studies
SOC 511: AP Psychology
SOC 521: AP United States Government and Politics
SOC 531: AP United States History
SOC 601: Principles of Entrepreneurship and Management
SOC 611: Principles of Investment and Financial Planning
SOC 621: Principles of Leadership
Math Courses
- MAT 101: Algebra 1
- MAT 201: Geometry
- MAT 211: Honors Geometry
- MAT 301: Algebra 2
- MAT 311: Honors Algebra 2
- MAT 411: Statistics and Probability
- MAT 421: Precalculus
- MAT 431: Honors Precalculus
- MAT 501: Calculus
- MAT 521: AP Calculus (AB)
- MAT 531: AP Calculus (BC)
- MAT 541: AP Statistics