Exploration

In the Exploration phase of Core Curriculum, you’ll expand your learning across disciplines while exploring your interests and building skills for your future.

What You’ll Do

You’ll explore ideas, perspectives, and fields of study as you:

• Complete a Core Certificate.
• Take courses across multiple Ways of Thinking.
• Explore additional Thematic Categories.

A Core Certificate is earned by completing a three-course sequence within one Thematic Category.

Thematic Categories

You’ll focus on one Thematic Category in depth while gaining exposure to the others.

• Global and Cultural Perspectives courses address cultural and ideological similarities and differences, drawing on diverse experiences, histories, and artistic expressions to foster inclusive dialogue and understanding of global and cultural perspectives.
• Ethical Reasoning and Public Advocacy courses address complex ethical dilemmas using multiple theoretical frameworks to study competing moral perspectives and articulate well-reasoned ethical positions to reflect cultural awareness, social responsibility, and personal values.
• Technology and Innovation courses address various technologies, innovative ideas, and/or techniques and their historical evolutions and potential developments, studying how to use and/or analyze them adeptly and responsibly.

Ways of Thinking

Courses are organized around Ways of Thinking — approaches that help you analyze, create, and apply knowledge.

• Scientific Investigation: Investigate questions through hypothesis, testing, and analysis to develop and communicate evidence-based findings using methods such as studies, lab work, statistics, or data visualization.
• Exploring through Critical Analysis: Analyze texts and contexts by evaluating sources, comparing diverse interpretive perspectives, and constructing clear, well-supported arguments.
• Exploring through Artistic Expression and Production: Create and interpret meaning through diverse forms of artistic expression, including written, visual, spoken, or performed communication.

Core Certificate

To earn a Core Certificate, you must:

• Choose one Thematic Category.
• Take courses within each of the Ways of Thinking under your selected Thematic Category.
• Complete two courses in the other Thematic Categories.

Below are three example combinations that would allow you to complete your Core Certificate.