Mount St. Mary's recognizes that to be truly educated one needs an understanding of the world, of the history and traditions of Western and non-Western culture and of science. College graduates should also have proficiency in written and quantitative skills.

Core curriculum is designed to give students general knowledge of the world around them. With this knowledge comes success!

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Core Curriculum

The Mount's Accelerated Programs core curriculum includes the following courses:

• Mount Seminar (3 credits)*
• College Writing (3 credits)
• Arts and Humanities (6 credits)
• (Art, literature, music, language)
• History (6 credits)
• Social Science (6 credits) - (sociology, psychology, economics, Foundations of American Education, political science, or criminal justice)
• Natural Science (w/lab) (4 credits)
• Mathematics (3 credits)
• Statistics for Business & Criminal Justice Majors (3 credits)*
• Philosophy I (3 credits)
• Moral Philosophy (3 credits)*
• Civic and Professional Issues (3 credits)*
• Theology (6 credits)*
• Non-Western Culture (3 credits)*

**See Education Program for additional Core requirements
*Denotes courses taken through Mount St. Mary's.

Course Descriptions

GE 200 Mount Seminar (3 credits)
This course is designed as an introduction to the Mount St. Mary’s curriculum. It initiates students in the skills and habits of higher education needed in college study. The course includes units on writing, speaking, critical thinking, research, computer use, and reading. Required as first or second course at MSM.

NW Non-Western Culture (3 credits)
Students may choose from several Non-Western courses. Previous offerings have included Chinese History and Islamic Civilization.

PHIL 301 Moral Philosophy (3 credits)
An inquiry into the nature of the moral good, the structures of moral agency, and the proper criteria for making choices that bear on human beings and their well-being.

PHIL 310 Civic and Professional Issues (3 credits)
An inquiry into specific moral and social issues that arise in the professions and civic life. The course will focus on issues arising in society and specific professions, especially as they bear on social justice issues.

TH 200 Foundations of Christian Theology (3 credits)
An investigation of the nature, sources, and methods of Christian theology, with attention to classical and contemporary problems.

TH-- Special Topics in Theology (3 credits)
Courses frequently offered include The Synoptic Gospels, The Church, Sacraments, Grace and Sin, and Christology.

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Course Sequencing

Although students are not required to take the Mount St. Mary's core courses in a particular order, the following information may help in deciding how to organize a plan of study.

The Mount Seminar is designed to be an entry-level course for those new to our programs. Information and skills learned in Mount Seminar will be very helpful in future Mount courses. Moral Philosophy and Civic and Professional Issues are upper level courses and should follow the Mount Seminar. It is recommended, but not required, that Moral Philosophy be taken prior to Civic and Professional Issues. Theology is normally a junior level sequence. Students enrolling in theology courses will generally be more successful if they have completed one philosophy course and their western history courses before enrolling. Non-Western Culture is normally a senior level course and, if possible, should be taken later in the student's curriculum.

Lower level courses may be taken at Frederick Community College, Carroll County Community College, or any other regionally accredited program.

The following FCC courses satisfy the Mount St. Mary's core requirements:

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