Core Curriculum Requirements
The Core Curriculum consists of a Shared Core (classes that all students take) and a Choice Core (courses among which students choose in select disciplines).
Shared Core
All students are required to meet these specific requirements.
- FYSE 1000 - First-Year Seminar (2 credits)
- COMP 1010 - Principles of Writing (3 credits)
- PHST 1300 - Personal Wellness (1 credit)
- BIBL 1010 - Encountering the Old Testament (3 credits)
- BIBL 1020 - Engaging the New Testament (3 credits)
- ECON 1050 - Personal Financial Success (1 credit)
- HIST 1400 - Western History in Global Context (3 credits)
- SRSE 4100 - Senior Seminar (2 credits)
Choice Core
Students must earn the minimum number of credits in each subject category (row) noted in the open track. Students can choose to pursue a single focus or more than one, and they can take classes under any and all focuses.
| Open Track | Focus in Examined Life and Human Experience | Focus in Faith and Culture | Focus in Global Responsibility and Community Commitment |
| Any COMP 1020 (3) | COMP 1020: (E&H) | COMP 1020: (F&C) | COMP 1020: (G&C) |
| Any PHIL 2202 (3) | PHIL 2202: (E&H) | PHIL 2202: (F&C) | PHIL 2202: (G&C) |
| LIT 1000/2000 survey (3) | LITR 1010: (E&H) | LITR 1010: (F&C) | LITR 2080 |
| Any COMM 1105 (3) | COMM 1105: (E&H) | COMM 1105: (F&C) | COMM 1105: (G&C) |
| Any behavioral science (3) | PSYC 1010, 2010, 2030 or 3010 | PSYC 1010, 2080, 3060 | PSYC 1010, 2080, 3060 |
| Any HIST/ECON/POLS/ Social Science (3) | SOCS 1010, SOWK/SOCS 2050, SOWK 3110, ECON 2010, Any 2000 or 3000 HST | HIST 3600, CGEO 2100, ECON 2020 or 3330 | SOCS 1020, POLS 2000, SOWK 3010, 3020 or 4900, HIST 3000, 3100 |
| Any lab science (4)* | BIOL 1030, NSCI 1050, CHEM 1140, NSCI 1010, NSCI/CRJU 2070 | BIOL 1040 or 2000 | BIOL 2000 |
| Any MATH (3) | MATH 2400: (E&H) | MATH 2400: (F&C) | MATH 1055 |
Fine Arts (2,4 depending on major) ensemble or studio art options | FNAR 2300, ARTS 2010, MUSC 1910, 1915, or 3703 | MUS 1915 or 3703, FNAR/ ARTS 4900, ARTS 2010 or 2910 | MUS 1915 or 3703, ARTS 1910, FNAR/ARTS 4900, FNAR 2300 |
Foreign Language (if needed—up to 9 credits): up to 3 credits can count for the minor
Earning the Minor in Critical Analysis and Social Engagement
If students earn 18 credits under one focus or from courses across the focuses they will earn the minor. Note, only one course in each subject category (row) can count towards these 18 hours, with the exception of the Fine Arts subject category, in which students can take two courses, up to a total of 4 hours.
Description of the Minor in Critical Analysis and Social Engagement
This minor trains students as perceptive thinkers, creative problem-solvers and ethical thinkers in a world where social competence, vision and collaboration are more important than ever. Critical Analysis and Social Engagement encompass abilities that executives and hiring managers across career fields name as crucial to success: critical thinking, the ability to analyze and solve complex problems, communication skills, ethical judgement and decision-making, information literacy, and working effectively in social situations. Developing these abilities enhances life and career success as well as marketability in a variety of fields.
Explanation of Focuses
Pursuing a focus enables you to be trained in skills and disciplinary perspectives that fit your interests and concerns. This provides an in-depth interdisciplinary understanding of issues you are passionate about. Interdisciplinary training develops the brain in profound ways and enables you to excel in a variety of fields and life pursuits.
It may be that the focus(es) you have chosen will be relevant to jobs you apply for. Unlike the minor in Critical Thinking and Social Engagement, focuses will not show up on your transcript; thus, you choose the resumes on which you want to mention a focus. Since focuses do not have a set number of credits, you would present it to employers as a 24-hour, 12-hour, 9-hour focus, etc. depending on how many credits you completed.
Focus Descriptions
Examined Life and Human Experience: It is possible to know a lot about everything and still be ignorant of the most important matters. Who are we? What is meaningful and valuable? The Examined Life Focus is the purpose- ful study of the human experience, how people create and discuss meaning and value from experience, understand themselves and others, and develop empathy and insight into the human condition.
Faith and Culture: Students in the Faith and Culture Focus learn to understand and critically assess forms of cul- tural expression, discern social and cultural trends, and recognize the ways in which faith influences culture and vice -versa. Through the study of literature, art, music, history, and popular culture, students will experience life with more insight and learn to understand and influence culture from a perspective of faith.
Global Responsibility and Community Commitment: How do we become wise and do good in the world? Each person’s perspective is limited, yet wisdom and goodness require reflection, empathy, and action drawn from the diverse experiences of others. The Global and Community Engagement Focus helps students understand the world from multiple perspectives, appreciate their inescapable involvement in global systems, and engage challenges to justice and living well in local communities and across the world.
Names and Credit Hours of Courses Listed Above in the Choice Core
ARTS 1910: Art & Culture – Ancient World (3)
ARTS 2010: Ways of Seeing (2-3)
ARTS 2910: Art & Culture – Reforming Art (3)
BIOL 1030: Human Biology (Lecture & Lab 4)
BIOL 1040: Fundamentals of Life Science (Lecture & Lab 4)
BIOL 2000: Environmental Science (Lecture and Lab 4)
CHEM 1140: Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry (4)
COMM 1105: Fundamentals of Oral Communication (3)
COMP 1020: Writing and Research (3)
CRJU/NSCI 2070: Introduction to Forensic Science (Lecture & Lab 4)
ECON 2010: Principles of Microeconomics (3)
ECON 2020: Principles of Macroeconomics (3)
ECON 3330: Economic Development (3)
FNAR 2300: The Art of Film (3)
FNAR/ARTS 4900: On-location Course (1-3)
CGEO 2100: Cultural Geography (3)
HIST 3000: Topics in Non-Western History (3)
HIST 3600: History of Christianity (3)
HIST 3700: Renaissance & Reformation (3)
LITR 1010: Introduction to Literature (3)
LITR 2080: World Literature II (3)
MATH 1055: Mathematics for Social Issues (3)
MATH 2400: Elementary Statistics (3)
MUSC 1910: Introduction to Music (2)
MUSC 1915: Popular Music (2)
MUSC 3703: Jazz History (2)
PHIL 2202: Philosophical and Ethical Issues (3)
NSCI 1010: Physical Science (Lecture & Lab 4)
POLS 2000: Model UN (1-3)
PSYC 1010: General Psychology (3)
PSYC 2010: Developmental Psychology (3)
PSYC 2030: Child and Adolescent Development (3)
PSYC 2080: Psychology of Human Relationships (3)
PSYC 3010: Psychology and Gender (3)
PSYC 3060: Social Psychology (3)
SOCS 1010: Principles of Sociology (3)
SOCS 1020: Modern Social Problems (3)
SOWK 3010: Social Welfare History & Services (3)
SOWK 3020: Human Behavior and Social Environment I (3)
SOWK 3110: Human Behavior and Social Environment II (3)
SOWK/SOCS 2050: Ethnic and Social Diversity (3)
SOWK/SOCS 4900: On-Location Topics in Social Work (3)