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Additional Core Requirements

The following content and methodology requirements may be satisfied through the previous distributive Core requirements or through other approved courses. The University Core Committee will determine which courses may satisfy these requirements.

Writing-Intensive Course
Requirement: One course (designated "W") beyond English Composition.

Since courses throughout the curriculum will be designated as "W," students may graduate with several such courses. The primary goal of this requirement is to enable students to carry into their upper-division courses the discipline and habits of good writing nurtured in composition courses. A second yet equally important goal is to intensify the expectation of professors throughout the University for excellent standards of expression in all written assignments.

International Courses
Requirement: Two International courses designated "R" or "S" from throughout the curriculum, at least one of which is designated as "R".

The University Core seeks to increase students' awareness and knowledge of the world beyond the borders of the United States. International courses introduce and analyze the values, beliefs, or practices that characterize other nations or societies. International courses seek to familiarize students with other societies, to decrease stereotyping, and to improve students' ability to function as global citizens in the twenty-first century. At least one of the international courses must focus on the study of one or more nations or societies historically distinct from Western civilization, such as those of Africa, Asia and Latin America. These courses will be designated with the suffix "R" (Required international courses). For their second international selection, students may choose either a second "R" course or from among courses designated as "S." The "S" designation refers to courses which study one or more nations or societies historically within Western Civilization.

Diversity Course
Requirement: One course from throughout the curriculum (designated as "D").

The University Core seeks to increase students' awareness of alternative world views and life ways that form the basis of social life for an identifiable population. The Core thus requires that students take at least one course reflecting diversity within a society so as to increase tolerance and discourage stereotyping. Such courses include, but are not limited to, those dealing to a large extent with minority or marginalized populations. Such courses will seek to encourage academic understanding of these alternative views and life ways though a viariety of approaches. These include description, analysis of the issues and processes of marginalization, analysis of status in the larger society, and/or comparison with other populations. They will seek to examine not only differences between these populations and others, but also diversity within these populations.

While some courses may be designated as "D" and "R" or "D" and "S," students may use such courses to fulfill only ONE of these designations and not both.

Waiver of Core Requirements

Recognizing that personal achievement is the ultimate goal, the University is aware that some individuals may achieve desired competence in specific areas without formal course work (e.g., through private study, or by means of particular moral or religious formation). Where such proficiency can be established, the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences is empowered to waive a specific Core requirement. Such a waiver does not include or imply the granting of credit hours.

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