Nov 24, 2024  
School of Graduate, Professional and Extended Studies 2020-2021 
    
School of Graduate, Professional and Extended Studies 2020-2021 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Core Curriculum (Undergraduate)


Purpose

The Core Curriculum explores the liberal arts and sciences from a Christian perspective. In core courses students and faculty seek to understand and wisely engage creation and the social order. We investigate diverse aspects of the complexity, coherence and beauty of creation. We interact with historic and contemporary cultures, accepting the longstanding Christian call to seek after truth and beauty, to think critically and constructively, to exercise moral discernment, and to develop habits of just and compassionate action. The curriculum encourages the development of a Christian character that manifests itself in informed and redemptive responses to the world and the needs of the global community.

Objectives

The Core Curriculum seeks to foster:

  • Knowledge of God’s character and purposes as revealed in Scripture and understood in the life of the Church
  • Knowledge and stewardship of the creation in all its complexity, coherence and beauty
  • Understanding of humankind as created, fallen and redeemed, and an appreciation for various perspectives on human nature
  • Understanding of and engagement with global cultures in all their diversity
  • Understanding of diverse ways of knowing about nature, humankind and God, and an ability to draw on multiple disciplinary perspectives when confronting complex problems
  • Development of Christian character, moral discernment and civic responsibility
  • Practice of critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, and clear written and oral communication
  • Development of aesthetic sensibilities and practices
  • Habits of physical, emotional, and spiritual health and wellness

COR 107 - The Great Conversation: Foundations in Thinking, Reading and Writing  

  • Transfer students who have completed the equivalent of two full-time semesters prior to coming to Gordon, with grades of C minus or higher and have completed a college-level writing course with a grade of C minus or higher, will be exempt from this course.
  • First year students with transfer credit for a college-level composition course will take COR 110 - The Great Conversation: Introduction to the Liberal Arts .  

COMMON CORE

BCM 101 - Old Testament History, Literature and Theology 
BCM 103 - New Testament History, Literature and Theology 
BCM 308 - Christian Theology  
HIS 121 - Historical Perspectives on Culture, Belief and Civilization 
NSM 202 - The Scientific Enterprise 
PHI 118 - The Examined Life  
ENG 140 - Core Seminar in Literature  

Language Study

One year of foreign language study (in the same language) at the beginning college level is required. Gordon currently offers Latin online. Transfer credits for other languages will be accepted pending transfer verification.

LAT 101 - Beginning Latin I  
LAT 102 - Beginning Latin II  

GENERAL CORE - 4 credits from each area; specific exceptions are noted below.

Natural Science: Choose one

MAT 134 - Survey of Calculus 
BIO 222 - Environmental Science   

Social Science: Choose one

ECB 101 - Principles of Microeconomics  
ECB 349 - Leadership in and of Organizations  

Fine Arts: Choose one

COM 152 - Media and Society 
COM 205 - Perspectives on Communication