The Core and the Major

Beyond the flexibility noted in the chart above, the core provides additional flexibility for students in certain major fields. Science and Education majors, for example, follow a modified sequence of core courses. Non-Western study may be taken during the junior year if approved by the student’s advisor. Most departments incorporate one or more core courses into their major programs, enabling students to fulfill both core and major requirements with the same course(s), and some departments require major courses that can substitute for core requirements. Students should consult the department website and the Undergraduate Catalog’s Course Descriptions section for details about each major.

The Core Sequence in Detail

Freshman Seminar
Freshman Seminar is a year-long course taught in small sections by faculty from all disciplines in the college. It introduces students to the aims and methods of liberal learning. In the seminar, students examine together their visions of education, work, and the common good as they sharpen the communication skills they need for success in college.

Western Civilization Sequence
During the first term, students take the first of four courses in the civilization sequence: an exploration of the cultural, political, and religious origins of the West. In the spring, students build on this course through study in a "cluster" of the next two civilization courses: one on the history of the West from the Renaissance through the age of revolutions, the other on the literature or fine art of the same period. The civilization sequence culminates in the sophomore year with an interdisciplinary course on the West in the modern world.

Foreign Language
Foreign language proficiency is first assessed at freshman summer orientation and again at the conclusion of the appropriate language course. All Mount students must demonstrate proficiency through the first-year college level in the language of their choice. Proficiency can be demonstrated by examination at the Mount, by passing the 102 level course at the Mount, or by receiving a C or better in a 102 course at another institution. Ordinarily, students should meet this requirement by the end of their sophomore year. All students are encouraged to elect language study beyond the core requirement.

Foundations of Social Science
In the freshman or sophomore year, students elect one of the courses in the foundations of social science: economics, education, government, psychology or sociology. Each course introduces students to the particular social science as a distinctive feature of Western thought and to the methods social scientists use in approaching questions about the nature of human beings and human interaction.

Math
All students must pass MA105, the core course in probability and statistics, or a higher- level math course appropriate to their interest or major. Students must enroll in core math or a higher-level course no later than the second term of their sophomore year. Elementary and Dual-Certification Education majors complete a different math requirement on a different schedule.

Basic algebra skills are assessed at freshman summer orientation for students whose SAT math scores indicate a possible deficiency. Students found to lack those algebra skills must complete a preparatory course, the Mount’s MATH 101 (or MATH 102 for those who plan to take pre-calculus) or receive a C or better in an approved equivalent course taken elsewhere. Students who need this pre-core course must complete it prior to the fall of their sophomore year; it does not count toward the 120 credits required for graduation.

Science
Students not majoring in one of the sciences take two introductory courses, usually in the sophomore year. These courses emphasize the place of science in the Western tradition and introduce students to the processes of reasoning used by scientists and to the quantitative, laboratory, and computer skills necessary for an understanding of modern science.

Philosophy
In the sophomore philosophy sequence, students begin to formulate their answers to questions concerning the nature of human beings, the nature and limits of human knowing, human freedom, human happiness or well-being, and the relation of the individual to society. The philosophy courses are placed so as to address those questions of human purpose and action raised by the civilization sequence and the questions about the good raised in Freshman Seminar.

Theology
Building on their learning about Western history and thought, juniors and seniors undertake a mature exploration of citizenship, of the world beyond the West, and of faith and moral action. In the junior theology sequence, students consider answers to questions about the nature and existence of God and the relationships between God and human beings from the perspective of revelation.

American Experience
In the two-semester interdisciplinary sequence in the American experience, juniors also examine how interactions of race, class, religion, and gender have shaped American political and cultural life, transforming the traditions of European civilization.

Non-Western Studies
Juniors and seniors choose one of the capstone courses in non-Western studies to explore the world as it appears to those outside the experiences and assumptions of the West and to examine critically the assumptions of their own culture.

Ethics
A second capstone course in ethics, taught by a philosopher or theologian, leads students to reflect on the moral questions raised through their four years of core and major studies, questions they will face in their civic, professional, and personal lives after graduation.

Writing
Because the ability to communicate effectively in writing is such an important academic and professional competency, students have multiple opportunities to develop and practice their writing skills. Developing college-level skills in writing is one of the key components of Freshman Seminar. Students who have not met college writing proficiency standards by the end of Freshman Seminar must complete a writing program during their sophomore year under the supervision of faculty in the Writing Center. Those who fail to meet this requirement by the end of the sophomore year face dismissal from the college.

Information Technology
Similarly, all students must be adept in the common uses of information technology for research, word processing, spreadsheet analysis, and presentation. Beginning levels of proficiency can be demonstrated through examination during freshman orientation or through completion of noncredit training sessions given each semester. Students have multiple opportunities to develop and practice their skills in the use of information technology as part of the regular work of many courses.