Program Overview

Arts & Sciences Core Curriculum

The College of Arts & Sciences offers a comprehensive core curriculum that provides students with a shared foundation of knowledge and skills. The core curriculum is designed to foster critical thinking, effective communication, and cultural competence.

Core Requirements

The core requirements include:

• Common Courses
  • American Literary Cultures
  • Christian Heritage
  • Christian Scriptures
  • The U.S. Constitution
  • The U.S. in Global Perspective
• Distribution Lists
  • Communication & Media Literacy
  • Contemporary Social Issues
  • Engaged Learning
  • Fine Arts & Performing Arts
  • Foreign Languages & Culture
  • Formal Reasoning
  • Literature in Context
  • Research Writing
  • Scientific Method I
  • Scientific Method II
• Co-Curriculars
  • Chapel
  • Creative Arts Experience

Core Vision

The core vision is guided by the following principles:

• A Shared Foundation of Knowledge
• Core Curriculum Advisory Committee
• Core Curriculum Emblem
• History of the Core
• Vision Statement
• Core Curriculum Virtues

Core Diversity and Inclusion

The core curriculum promotes diversity and inclusion through:

• Diversity within Common Courses
• Diversity within Distribution Lists
• Information and Resources
• Opportunities for Engagement

Research Writing

The Research Writing program is designed to help students develop writing and research skills integral to academic, civic, professional, or technical pursuits. The program offers several courses, including:

• CLA 1304, Research Writing: From Ancient Rhetoric to Modern Research Writing
• ENG 1310, Research Writing: Writing and Academic Inquiry Seminars
• GTX 1301, Research Writing: Issues in Great Texts
• HIS 2395, Research Writing: History
• PHI 1301, Research Writing: Introductory to Philosophy
• PSC 2301, Research Writing: Political Science Methods

English Placement

Students are required to take the Directed Self-Placement (DSP) survey before registering for a course on the Research Writing Distribution List. The DSP survey helps guide students toward the most suitable writing course based on their prior experiences with reading and writing.

Faculty Resources

The College of Arts & Sciences provides faculty with various resources, including:

• Core Courses Submissions
• Core Curriculum Assessment
  • Syllabus Self-Assessment
  • Core Curriculum Assessment Reporting
  • Rubrics & Resources
• Core Curriculum Fellows
• Core Curriculum Newsletter
• Teaching Resources
  • Academic Support Programs
  • Academy for Teaching & Learning
  • Common Course Readers
  • Core Course Design
  • Learning Together
  • Teaching Virtues Resources
• Teaching in the AI Era
  • English Literature
  • Language and Culture
  • Political Science