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
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