Core Curriculum

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
• Students will gain the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed to engage with local and global cultures to pursue shalom throughout a diverse world. (We define shalom in accordance with the Gordon College Statement of Shalom, as “a right ordering of relationships and actions resulting in the affirmation of human dignity and the flourishing of community.”)
• 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

Common Core Requirements

First Year Core

• First Year Seminar/Writing - One of the following:
  • COR 107 - The Great Conversation: Foundations in Thinking, Reading and Writing  
  • COR 110 - The Great Conversation: Introduction to the Liberal Arts  (for first-year students with transfer credit for a college composition course)
  • GHI 103 - Christian Liberal Arts and Human Flourishing  (for students in the Global Honors Scholars Program)
     
• La Vida/Discovery - One of the following (see the Academic Policies  section for more information):
  • ​ PED 015 - Discovery  
  • PED 016 - La Vida College Expeditions  
     
• Biblical Studies and Theology
  • BCM 101 - Introduction to the Old Testament  
  • BCM 103 - Introduction to the New Testament  
  • BCM 308 - Christian Theology 
     
• HIS 121 - Historical Perspectives on Culture, Belief and Civilization  
• ​NSM 202 - The Scientific Enterprise  
• World Language (0 - 8 credits)*

*Language Study 
One year of foreign language study (in the same language) at the beginning college level is required. 

• Students who validate Language I or Language I and II will complete 4 credits each in social sciences, fine arts and literature.
• Students who do not validate the language requirement will complete 8 credits of language and 8 credits total in social sciences, fine arts and literature, with at least two credits from each of those three categories.

Exploratory Core Requirements

• Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Computer Science (4 credits)
    
• Humanities (8 credits)
  • Philosophy (4 credits)
      
  • Literature (4 credits)
      
• Social Sciences (4 credits)
    
• Fine Arts (4 credits)
    
• Shalom Commitment tagged course (can overlap with other core courses)