The Core

Every student at the University of Northern Colorado is required to devote approximately a third of his or her undergraduate studies—a minimum of 40 hours of course work—to satisfying the requirements of the Liberal Arts Core.

The mission of the Liberal Arts Core is to give students a foundation in the liberal arts, enabling them to become responsible, well-educated citizens capable of contributing effectively to a rapidly changing, technologically advanced, global society. The program’s curriculum is designed to introduce students to undergraduate studies; to foster their competencies in reading, writing, critical thinking, mathematics, and the use of technology; to improve their awareness of the multicultural character of contemporary society; and to give them a sense of connections among the various academic disciplines. Students who complete the program will be prepared to think for themselves, to marshal relevant information, to reason about complex issues, to reflect upon questions of principle, to express themselves effectively, to recognize the importance of the past, to appreciate cultures and values different from their own, to make choices with a sense of their ethical implications, to work towards a better future, and to function with skill and knowledge in an ever-changing world.

A liberal arts education extends beyond the teaching and learning of vocational skills and the acquisition of specialized knowledge to provide the skills and abilities that strengthen an individual’s capacity not only to make a living but to have a satisfying life. It promotes an understanding of circumstances and events that may exert a strong influence on the ability of others to read, hear, or understand your views even if they’ve done little to shape your own personal development before now.

The Basic Core Courses in the Core are designed to give you a grounding in composition and mathematics and a solid introduction to the perspectives and methods of the Arts and Humanities, History, the Social and Behavioral Sciences, and the Natural and Life Sciences.

The International and Multicultural courses required in the Core are designed to help you broaden your sense of the diversity of human experience in different countries and different cultures and of the necessity of taking that diversity into account throughout your life.

The requirements in communication and mathematics are intended to help you to:

learn correct and effective use of the English language in generating writing in a variety of formats.
develop ability to gather and interpret information from a variety of sources, including computerized retrieval systems.
hone numerical, statistical, and algebraic skills required for the understanding and investigation of real world problems.
gain the ability and confidence needed to interpret numerical and graphical data.
learn appropriate use of technology in support of mathematical studies.

The requirements in arts and humanities, history, the social and behavioral sciences, and the natural and life sciences are intended to help you to:

understand the historical frameworks of and interactions between diverse disciplines.
understand and apply research techniques from different disciplines.
learn how to collect, organize, and interpret data using current technology.
assess the validity of diverse sources of information.

The requirements in the areas of international studies and multicultural studies are intended to help you to:

understand Western and non-Western cultures and values.
understand the perspectives, contributions, and concerns of different ethnic, gender, and age groups.

Completion of all the requirements of the core will:

serve as the foundation for a sound university education.
prepare you for the world beyond the university — a world that requires independence in thought and action.
cultivate skills, abilities, and dispositions that will enhance your ability not only to make a living but to have a satisfying life.
promote the acquisition of basic skills and the expansion of your intellectual and aesthetic horizons.
provide you with the tools and talents needed to manage future roles in family, community, workplace, and society.
inspire you to become a lifelong learner and equip you for a lifetime of learning.

Current Catalog Description

Here is the description of the new program as it reads in the 2008-2009 Catalog. In this particular edition of the online Catalog, the description is scattered across a total of sixteen screens, so either use the links below or use the navigation arrows at the top of each page in this section of the online Catalog to see the full description.

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