Signature Experience
As you embark on your Signature Experience journey during junior year, you’ll have the freedom to carve out your own path through independent research or creative pursuits, all with the guidance of a dedicated faculty mentor. This is your chance to dive deep into a subject that sparks your curiosity, gain practical skills and forge connections with experts. The summer before senior year you will spend in independent study.
Signature experiences are optional pursuits and rival college-level curricula. For many alumni, the Signature Experience has a profound impact on their academic and professional careers after Peddie.
The culmination of every Signature Experience is sharing what you’ve discovered — in a performance, a presentation or a panel — with the Peddie community.
Discover how Peddie’s personalized college preparatory curriculum can empower you to explore your passions, push your boundaries, and prepare for your future success.
I am so appreciative to have had this opportunity to not only explore the world of equine science but also learn more about myself.”
Signature Experience Offerings
Arts
The arts department empowers selected students to cultivate their artistic interests in music, theater or visual arts through a tailored series of elective courses and extracurricular engagements.
Enriched by visits to museums, concert venues and theaters, you will expand your academic horizons through original, self-directed projects in your chosen discipline or medium. You and your fellow artists in the Arts Signature Experience will partake in workshops led by visiting artists, immerse yourself in off-campus events related to your field, and engage in at least one enriching summer program.
This journey culminates in a captivating public performance or exhibition during your senior year.
Asian Studies
Our program offers a comprehensive exploration of Eastern culture through a dynamic blend of classroom learning and hands-on experiences. You will achieve proficiency in Mandarin Chinese and take elective courses that delve into the rich tapestry of history, culture, religion and politics across China, India, Japan and beyond.
As a highlight of the program, you will have the opportunity to travel to an Asian country, where you will immerse yourself in its cultural landscape and conduct an independent research project inspired by your experiences. This holistic approach fosters a deep understanding and appreciation of the diverse traditions and perspectives within Asian societies.
Computer Science
To prepare for this dynamic journey in the world of technology, you will demonstrate proficiency by passing the AP Computer Science A exam.
You will have a strong aptitude for independent research and self-motivation. As a culmination of the program, you will undertake a six- to eight-week internship during the summer, providing invaluable real-world experience in the field of computer science.
Creative Writing
Ignite your passion for storytelling with the Creative Writing Signature Experience. Students engage in a dynamic cycle of reading, discussing, writing, listening, speaking and refining their craft.
Whether your literary aspirations lean towards novels, short stories, poetry, plays or creative nonfiction, this program is tailored to nurture and develop your unique voice. Through captivating electives, interactions with visiting writers, cultural excursions on the Culture Bus and guidance from faculty advisors, you’ll expand your academic horizons by exploring original, independent, creative writing.
Within a specialized class designed exclusively for this experience, students delve into fundamental storytelling elements across various genres, including short fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and dialogue. Through rigorous workshops, they hone structure, voice, narration and description skills.
Engage with visiting authors, participate in workshops, enroll in summer programs that enhance your craft, and take leadership roles within the Creative Writing Club and Amphion, Peddie’s art and literary magazine. Share your creations at coffeehouse gatherings and other public readings, and showcase your work through submissions to both the Amphion and external contests and publications.
Culminating in a final Capstone Project, the Creative Writing Signature Experience equips you with a robust portfolio of written work, affirming your growth and accomplishments as a budding writer.
Modern Language
The Modern Language Signature program aims to enable our best and most motivated language students to enhance their language experience through enrichment classes and extracurricular activities, culminating in a public presentation or exhibition in the senior year.
You will explore language and culture beyond the classroom through field trips, projects, research, enrichment courses and travel. You will also deepen and broaden your language skills at Peddie by doing independent work in your chosen language: French, Latin or Spanish. Projects and immersive travel programs can take place during the school year, during vacations or over the summer.
Summer
The Summer Signature Experience is a design-your-own summer opportunity.
You will spend the fall and spring terms of your junior year researching areas of interest to solidify an opportunity — either an internship or a self-designed project — for the following summer. The research and planning are conducted in a course called Advanced Research Symposium, which also teaches data analysis skills and professional communication.
After engaging in your summer project, you return to campus and present your findings to your peers.
STEM
The Research Science Signature Experience (STEM) will immerse you in independent research, analysis and exploration, help you develop your passion for scientific research and perhaps inspire career exploration in science-related fields.
As a STEM Signature student, you’ll go beyond the textbook to develop the intellectual curiosity and personal courage that comes from working in a research lab, become an “expert” in a specific area and enjoy the confidence that comes with such knowledge. Starting in your junior year, you’ll enroll in a course introducing you to scientific literature, lab expectations and common laboratory techniques. With help from faculty, you’ll apply for summer internships in professional laboratories and research facilities. In the fall of your senior year, you’ll present your research at Peddie and act as a peer mentor to new students in the program.
Independent Study
Pursue your passions in the real world
When you engage in a Signature Experience, you take a deep dive into a subject that excites you. You’re gaining real-world expertise and connecting with experts in that field. And you’re having the extraordinary, one-of-a-kind experience that propels you into being a well-rounded, curious, involved global citizen.