Core curriculum

The Core program’s curriculum is a coordinated series of courses representing the various disciplines in the university. Students take four courses that fulfill the university's general education requirements.  One course in each of the three areas of knowledge plus composition. The courses are designed to challenge first-year students to develop critical thinking, writing, research and analytical skills while they engage socially relevant topics.

Core program structure

Freshmen participating in the Core program will be part of a learning community that involves students, faculty and staff. Each student will be part of a cohort, a group of 100 students who choose and take their Core classes together each quarter throughout the year. Each Core class is capped at 25 students, and each cohort will have 3-4 classes to choose from for each course cateogry.  The academic classes are distributed over three quarters (autumn, winter and spring). Each class will meet on either Mondays and Wednesdays or Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Core faculty and staff have designed an interconnected learning experience that fosters competency in specific learning objectives. Through their work across the first year, students are expected to develop their abilities in these areas.

• Core Cohorts for 2012-2013
TCORE 100: Introduction to Interdisciplinary Studies

TCORE 100 will be our optional Core Lab this year.  Students wishing for additional support in the transition from high school to college may take this 2 credit course on a credit/no credit basis.  This class will provide context for understanding what it means to look at topics from an interdisciplinary approach while aslo introducing students to resources on campus and creating a space for discussion/applied learning sessions with a focus on helping student develop skills that will help them succeed at the college level. As a collaborative learning space, the Core Lab will engage a series of topics designed to support students academically and in student life.

Learning objectives have been designed by the Office of Undergraduate Education and Core collaborators including the Teaching and Learning Center, Library, Student Health and Wellness, the Office of Equity and Diversity, Student Affairs, Academic Technologies and support departments across campus.

Students will be able to:

• maintain academic integrity
• manage and use time effectively
• think critically
• take notes effectively
• read scholarly texts
• maintain personal well-being
• demonstrate classroom etiquette
• demonstrate an understanding of the financial aspects of college
• navigate the library and its resources, including library databases
• effectively communicate with faculty and staff
• assess sources
• use style guides
• identify available resources and when/how to use them