LIBERAL STUDIES CORE CURRICULUM
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Liberal Studies Core Curriculum Liberal Studies Core – The Heart of the “One Gannon Student” Educational Experience The Liberal Studies Core is both the heart of the Gannon University educational experience and a reflection of Gannon University’s commitment to the development of “One Gannon Student,” a model for comprehensive and holistic education and preparation for a production vocational and avocational life. The Liberal Studies core offers our undergraduates a defined, integrated, shared experience within their academic experience. Courses in essential history and communication modes and strategies, along with the university’s Catholic Identity in theology and philosophy, form the foundation of the Core. Integrated into the curriculum are explorative and experiential investigations into disciplines essential for appreciation and engagement of all persons, including the literature and social sciences, and applied aesthetic, mathematical, and scientific reasoning. Binding the entire Liberal Studies Core curriculum are is the formative core classes of seminars and senior capstone, inviting students to concretize their learning through integration of their major field(s) with their liberal arts studies. Overview of the Liberal Studies Core Curriculum The Liberal Studies Core Curriculum consists of three primary components: • Foundational Core – includes Theology, Philosophy, Ethics/Moral Responsibility, History, and Written/Oral communication, which form solid groundwork for advanced study in areas of majors and minors in all fields. • Developmental Core – includes First-Year Seminars, Leadership Seminars and Capstone Courses which integrate skills and knowledge from all academic disciplines and cocurricular experiences • Integrative Core – includes Fine Arts, Literature, Social Science, Mathematics, and Science where advanced reasoning, integration, and synthesis of knowledge and competencies concretize the undergraduate experience. The program outcomes for the Liberal Studies Core include: • Students synthesize their learning in academic disciplines with their learning outside the classroom and apply the knowledge gained to their personal and professional lives. • Students read and listen actively and write and speak with clarity, originality, and persuasiveness across a variety of contexts. • Students reason aesthetically, quantitatively, and scientifically. • Students demonstrate appreciation for and apply their understanding of diverse religions, cultures, societies, and individuals. • Students collaborate effectively to practice leadership based on principles of ethics and social justice. Foundational Core 6 credits:
Theology • LTHE 101/Foundations of Theology and Christian Morality • LTHE 201/The Bible: An Introduction
6 credits:
Philosophy • LPHI 131/Introduction to Philosophy • Second Course from Philosophy II Series Options (see list below)